Long-Term+Effects

__Medical:__
The atom bomb certainly changed the world in many ways back then, but even now, survivors are still suffering the consequences of trace radiation. The survivors of this devastating event have had to have periodic checkups to this date, checking blood, cells, and anything else that could have been affected by the radiation from the bomb. “Apart from external burns, radiation exposure internally affects an individual. ("The Atomic Bomb- A Study of Aftermath"). Many survivors now have “irreversible injuries” due to the radiation. There have many reports on patients with leukemia, the most common illness after the bomb was dropped and this number will increase because radiation does not leaving for a long time. The fact is, the radiation is just sitting there, posing a great threat to any infants born within the radiation limits. For the infants that were born or close to being born by the time to bomb was dropped, many suffer serious damage to their body. “Children who were subjected to radiation while still in the womb were compared to nonexposed children. In those exposed to radiation, stature, weight, girth of chest, breadth of shoulders were smaller than standard measurements. Small bodies and heads were prevalent, and some children were emotionally and intellectually retarded into adulthood.” ("Study of Atom Bomb Victims Stresses Long Term Damage"). For those who were born shortly after the bomb, many have had growth mutation and may even be “emotionally and intellectually retarded” into adulthood. Of the 109,000 people tested after the bomb was dropped, 25,924 died from 1950 to 1974, and deaths from leukemia are continually rising, the everlasting effect of the bomb. ("The Atomic Bomb- A Study of Aftermath") ("Study of Atom Bomb Victims Stresses Long Term Damage")

__Social:__
The atom bomb affects lives of the surviving victims and their families. The psychological impact of the atomic bomb had on the victims’ lives puts a great amount of pressure on their lives, making some lose jobs. Even some of them experienced personality breakdown because the impact was so huge on their lives. With this event, some victims even live in fear to this date and pray for something like this never to happen again.

**__﻿Political:__**
The atom bomb had a profound effect on the balance of power following World War II. The US had the only nuclear weapons in existence, and so possessed an enormous diplomatic advantage over all other countries. However, within a short period of time, the USSR was also added to the "nuclear club", whose membership has continued to grow. The atomic bomb completely redefined the balance of power in the world, between those with the weapon, and those without, with the US and the USSR emerging as the giants of the 20th century.

__Psychological:__
The survivors also feared that their child/ children may have some type of defects due to the lasting radiation the parents lived in. It put them under great pressure to have a healthy baby, and they have constantly had to have the health of their children a top priority. Rebuilding the communities that were affected by the bomb took years. Some of the communities were rural places where the foundations of the buildings were not stable due to lack of construction abilities, and everything completely wiped out. In some places, most of the population was wiped out completely, ending generations. The impact of this explosion among these areas were devastating and knocked out some rural communities near or surrounding the blast radius.

The bomb has had a tremendous impact on the rest of the world, even to today. Many people view the bomb as a horrifying event which should never be repeated, not just within Japan. Even to this day, there are still those who fear a total nuclear war, after decades of nuclear build-up. Literature has reflected on those fears, especially at the height of the Cold War, with novels such as //On The Beach//, and //Dr. Strangelove//, novels which describe all out nuclear warfare.