New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- As Japan solemnly marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki this week, the world reflects on one of the darkest and most defining moments of modern history.

On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, followed by a second attack on Nagasaki three days later. Together, the bombings claimed over 200,000 lives and forever altered the course of warfare, diplomacy, and science.

Here are five key facts to understand the magnitude and legacy of the bombings:

On the morning of 6 August 1945, a US B-29 bomber named Enola Gay released an atomic bomb dubbed "Little Boy" over the city of Hiroshima. The device exploded approximately 600 metres above the groun...