Today in History - August 9: Simple twist of fate saves city from complete destruction
A simple twist of fate spared the Japanese city of Kokura from complete destruction on August 9, 1945.
The city was named as the target for the US's second atomic bomb attack on Japan.
But with clouds and smoke obscuring the aiming point, the bombing crew opted to head for the backup target of Nagasaki.
Running low on fuel, the plane carrying the bomb, the Bockscar, was facing the prospect of dumping America's last remaining atomic bomb in the ocean.
But a break in the clouds at the last moment allowed the bombardier to sight its target in Nagasaki.
By pure coincidence, the bomb detonated just above the factory which had manufactured the torpedoes used in the Pearl Harbour attack four years earlier.
Because of the city's hilly terrain, there was less destruction than at Hiroshima, even if the 20 kiloton bomb was more powerful.
Nevertheless, an estimated 35,000 people died.
Running low on fuel, Bockscar had to make an unannounced emergency landing at the US air base in Okinawa.
The pilot had to make a 90-degree swerve at the end of the runway to avoid a crash.
They had less than five minutes of fuel left at the time of the landing.
Hours earlier, the Soviet Union had entered the war with an invasion of Japanese-occupied China.
The USSR had managed to maintain an unsteady peace with Japan during World War II.
But conscious the war was about to end and eager to stake his claim during the surrender, Joseph Stalin ordered the invasion.
The overwhelming pincer move involved 1.6 million Soviet troops, a million more than Japan had in the region.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
