b-29 bomber

A history with photographs of the plane that carried the atomic bomb to Japan, its pilots and their missions.

Profusely illustrated text documents the decisive part played by bombers in bringing about the ultimate capitulation of Japan in World War II.

On the final night of World War II with Japan, Emperor Hirohito had already finished the Imperial Rescript of surrender when a band of Japanese rebels burst into the Imperial Palace, commanded by War Minister Anami's elite staff. They had plotted a massive coup that aimed to destroy the surrender papers and issue orders to continue the war. If this rebellion had succeeded, the military would have proceeded with large-scale kamikaze attacks on allied forces. Meanwhile B-29B crewmen had received urgent orders to begin a bombing mission over Japan's sole remaining oil refinery north of Tokyo. The mission was successfully completed. A few hours later the emperor announced Japan's surrender over Japanese airwaves.