The bombings resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and led to Japan's surrender on August 14, 1945, effectively ending World War II.
The atomic bombings were the first and only use of nuclear weapons in wartime. They remain controversial to this day, with some arguing that they were necessary to end the war, while others argue that they were an unnecessary and inhumane act of violence.
Regardless of one's opinion on the atomic bombings, there is no doubt that they were a decisive factor in the Allies' victory in World War II.