Lyrics of Nuclear Attack by Sabaton
Prepare for nuclear attack
Dropped from Enola, a city erased
Threat of the future displayed
A power unheard of a power unseen
Flash out of nowhere, the sky is burning
At 8:16 a.m. Tokyo control realized something was wrong
Reports of explosions, destruction and pain
Air raid from hell city gone in a blaze
August in black, B-29’s turning back
Warned but did not heed
(Prepare for nuclear attack)
Extermination
(Strike back)
Chose not to believe
(Another nuclear attack)
From the southeast came the second attack
Threat of tomorrow unveiled
11:02 a.m. on the 9th of august
Over the valley, like ball lightning
The bomb detonates and the land turns to waste
Barren for decades to come
The factories burning, the steelworks destoyed
Surrender your war else you’ll perish in flames
Second attack, B-29’s turning back
Warned but did not heed
(Prepare for nuclear attack)
Extermination
(Strike back)
Chose not to believe
(Another nuclear attack)
August in black, B-29’s coming back
Another, another, another (nuclear attack)
Warned but did not heed
(Prepare for nuclear attack)
Extermination
(Strike back)
Chose not to believe
(Another nuclear attack)
Warned but did not heed
(Prepare for nuclear attack)
Extermination
(Strike back)
Chose not to believe
(Another nuclear attack)
(A nuclear attack)
Historical Background
In short: The song is about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945!
Nuclear Attack – The Day the World Changed
Some battles end in fire. Others rewrite history forever.
Nuclear Attack isn’t just about warfare—it’s about the dawn of the atomic age. On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan to surrender and ending World War II.
This is how the world witnessed the destructive power of the atomic bomb for the first time.
August 6, 1945 – Hiroshima’s Last Morning
“Prepare for nuclear attack, dropped from Enola, a city erased.”
On the morning of August 6, 1945, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, named Enola Gay, flew over Hiroshima.
At 8:15 AM, the bomb “Little Boy” was released.
- 43 seconds later, it detonated 600 meters above the city.
- A massive fireball formed, reaching over 1 million degrees Celsius at its core.
- 80,000 people died instantly, and thousands more perished from radiation poisoning.
“A power unheard of, a power unseen. Flash out of nowhere, the sky is burning.”
By 8:16 AM, Tokyo’s military headquarters realized something was horribly wrong.
“Reports of explosions, destruction, and pain. Air raid from hell, city gone in a blaze.”
Hiroshima was annihilated, but Japan did not surrender.
August 9, 1945 – Nagasaki Faces the Same Fate
“From the southeast came the second attack, threat of tomorrow unveiled.”
On August 9, 1945, the U.S. sent another B-29 bomber, carrying the second atomic bomb—“Fat Man.”
Originally, the bomb was meant for Kokura, but bad weather forced the crew to divert to Nagasaki.
“11:02 a.m. on the 9th of August, over the valley, like ball lightning.”
At 11:02 AM, the bomb detonated 500 meters above Nagasaki, leveling the city.
- The explosion killed 40,000 instantly.
- Tens of thousands more would die from burns, radiation, and injuries.
- The city became barren for decades to come.
“The bomb detonates and the land turns to waste, barren for decades to come.”
Japan’s military leaders still hesitated, but Emperor Hirohito intervened.
August 15, 1945 – The End of World War II
“Surrender your war, else you’ll perish in flames.”
On August 15, 1945, Japan finally surrendered.
The Empire of Japan, which had fought across the Pacific for years, was no more.
This marked the official end of World War II.
The Aftermath – A World Forever Changed
“Warned but did not heed. Extermination. Chose not to believe.”
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren’t just about ending the war—they ushered in the nuclear age.
- The Cold War began, with the Soviet Union rushing to build its own atomic bomb.
- Nations lived in fear of mutually assured destruction (MAD).
- Survivors, known as Hibakusha, suffered lifelong radiation sickness and trauma.
“Another, another, another nuclear attack.”
Since 1945, no nuclear bomb has been used in war—but the fear of one still haunts the world.
Want to Learn More?
- 🎥 SABATON History – Nuclear Attack (Documentary) – The official Sabaton History video to the song.
- 🎥 Operations Room – Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (YouTube Documentary) – Detailed but short Documentary of the bombings.
- 📖 Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings (Wikipedia) – The full history of the atomic attacks.
- 🎥 Enola Gay – The Bombing of Hiroshima – Archival footage and historical analysis.
- 📖 Manhattan Project (Wikipedia) – How the U.S. developed the atomic bomb.
- 📖 Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race – The global impact of nuclear warfare after WWII.
- 📖 Hibakusha – The Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – The lasting effects of nuclear radiation on survivors.
The Lesson?
Some weapons don’t just win wars—they change the world forever.
And on August 6 and 9, 1945, humanity saw what ultimate destruction truly looked like.