Final answer:
The Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber, was authorized by President Truman to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in an effort to end the war with Japan and save lives.
Step-by-step explanation:
To end the war against Japan, President Harry S. Truman authorized the B-29 bomber airplane known as the Enola Gay to drop an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. This decision was driven by a belief that using the atomic bomb would save a significant number of lives that would otherwise be lost in a prolonged war, including a potential land invasion of Japan, which was projected to result in a high number of casualties on both sides.
The atomic bomb, "Little Boy," was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, marking a significant moment in history. This action led to a massive loss of life and the eventual surrender of Japan. The justifications for the use of such a weapon, and the subsequent dropping of a second bomb on Nagasaki, have been the subject of ongoing historical debate, with considerations ranging from the immediate military benefit to potential political motives in the early stages of the Cold War.