I read that because the building was directly below the bomb, the forces applied to it from the explosion were directly downwards and so the structure was bette

I read that because the building was directly below the bomb, the forces applied to it from the explosion were directly downwards and so the structure was better able to withstand them. Buildings farther away were hit with lateral forces that knocked them over. When I visited Hiroshima, it stood out to me that there were no old trees anywhere. I had just come from Kyoto, so the difference felt very apparent.