Why the U.S. Hid the Truth About the Atomic Bomb | Full Documentary | American Experience | PBS

They created the bomb — then created its story. On August 6, 1945, a revolutionary new weapon destroyed Hiroshima, a Japanese city of 300,000 inhabitants. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. America’s secret super-weapon was lauded for bringing about victory in the Pacific and ending World War II. President Truman’s official announcement included half-truths that shaped the government’s official narrative: “Sixteen hours ago, an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, an important Japanese army base.” In fact, the bomb was aimed at Hiroshima’s city center for maximum psychological effect; the army base on its outskirts escaped much damage. Eighty years after the devastating atomic bombings that ushered in the nuclear age, BOMBSHELL explores how the U.S. government manipulated the narrative about the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Through propaganda, censorship and the co-opting of the press, the government presented a benevolent picture of atomic power, minimizing the horrific human toll. BOMBSHELL sheds light on the efforts of a group of intrepid reporters to let the world know the truth. Official Website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexpe... | #AmericanExperiencePBS © 2025 WGBH Educational Foundation 00:00 Prologue 04:05 The race to build an atomic bomb 08:14 The Manhattan Project 10:46 William Leonard Laurence 12:36 Journalists at war 15:21 Secret cities 19:23 The story of the century 23:26 Eyeing victory in Japan 27:01 The Trinity test 32:16 The dangers of radiation 39:10 The bomb’s aftermath 43:34 The Black press 45:59 Raising the alarm 56:45 Radiation disease 59:07 Challenging the official story 1:02:51 John Hersey 1:06:59 Telling the story 1:09:35 The New Yorker Hiroshima issue 1:13:13 “The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb” 1:19:07 Conclusion #History #Documentary #Hiroshima This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station: https://www.pbs.org/donate Subscribe to the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/AmericanExp... Enjoy full episodes of your favorite AMERICAN EXPERIENCE shows anytime, anywhere with the free PBS App: https://to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR FOLLOW AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Facebook:   / americanexperiencepbs   Instagram:   / americanexperiencepbs   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@americanexpe...