15th August, VJ Day

[Administrator]

This week some media channels are saying May 8th VE Day was the end of World War 2, it wasn’t, it was the end of
war in Europe, the end of World War 2 was on the 15th August, VJ Day, whilst Europe were celebrating the end of
the war in Europe & rightly so, the war continued in the Far East with many being killed & wounded, captured & tortured.

The Merchant Navy was there every day.

I do hope that many that remember this week will further remember those who were still enduring the War & hope that they will also commemorate VJ Day on the 15th August.

Lest we Forget.

[Administrator]

VIA: The History of Wales

The Welsh connection to the atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6th August 1945.

The Second World War had ended in Europe with the surrender of Nazi Germany on 8th May 8, 1945. However, the Japanese refused to agree to an unconditional surrender and war in the Pacific continued.

In agreement with the United Kingdom, the United States then dropped nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th of August respectively. It is estimated that the number of people killed by both explosions and their after effects was between 129,000 and 226,000, most of whom were civilians. This combined with the Soviet Union's declaration of war on Japan, led to the Japanese surrender on 2nd September 1945, effectively ending World War II.

The manufacture of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima involved capturing the radioactive isotope U235 by a very fine meshed membrane of nickel powder after it had been separated from uranium ore. The contract for the supply of this mesh was awarded to the Mond nickel works in Clydach, which at the time was the only company in the world that was capable of producing it in sufficient volume.