Atomic People (PBS image)
July 8, 2025
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the first and only atomic bombs were used in warfare, Atomic People, which provides a powerful historical record, capturing the firsthand testimony of the last Japanese survivors of the blast, premieres Aug. 4 at 10-11:30 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app.
The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on two Japanese cities — Hiroshima, on Aug. 6, 1945, and Nagasaki three days later — was one of the most momentous and destructive in world history. The bomb known as “Little Boy” that decimated Hiroshima was 2,000 times more powerful than any bomb before, instantly killing approximately 80,000 of the city’s 350,000 residents. By the end of the year, the death toll would rise to 140,000 as initial survivors succumbed to illnesses connected to radiation exposure. In Nagasaki, where approximately 40,000 were killed instantly, the number would rise to 74,000 by the end of the year.
Now, 80 years later, Atomic People presents the testimony of some of the last “Hibakusha” — the Japanese term for survivors of the two atomic bombs — before their voices are lost forever. With an average age of 85, the Hibakusha were children when the bombs were dropped. Combining their devastating personal recollections with archival footage, Atomic People is a record of the only people left on Earth to have survived a nuclear bomb and a moving account of how their experiences shaped the rest of their lives.
Winner of the 2025 BAFTA Award for the Best Specialist Factual Programme, Atomic People will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, which is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and Vizio.
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