The target of an American air raid on August 1^st, 1945, Nagaoka is the only city in Niigata prefecture to have directly experienced the destruction of World War Ⅱ. Approximately 163,500 incendiary bombs were dropped, burning out about 80% of the urban area and killing some 1,480 residents, including about 300 school children. As part of efforts to not allow that experience to fade away, the city declared itself a "Non－Nuclear Peace City," the first in the Prefecture, and opened the Nagaoka War Damage Exhibit Hall.
長岡は1945年8月1日にアメリカ空軍の爆撃を受けた、新潟県内唯一の戦災都市です。約16万3,500発の焼夷弾が投下され、市街地の約80%が焼け野原となり、学童約300人を含む1,480余人の尊い生命が失われました。この体験を遠い過去のものとして風化させないよう、県内で最初に「非核平和都市」を宣言し、長岡戦災資料館を開館しました。