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Glite Dictionary
Fugo

Fugo

9.9
A bomb attached to a large paper balloon carried by wind to distant places during World War II
  • noun
  • /ˈfuːɡoʊ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : Fugo
  • The Japanese developed the Fugo bomb during World War II.

Examples

  • A Fugo was discovered in Oregon decades after the war had ended.

  • The Japanese Fugo balloon bombs caused concern across the west coast of the United States during World War II.

  • During World War II, Japan launched hundreds of Fugo bombs across the Pacific toward North America.

  • The history exhibit featured a reconstructed Fugo balloon as a reminder of the little-known attacks.

  • Many Fugos were launched towards the United States.

  • Historians study the deployment of the Fugo incendiary bombs to understand their impact on wartime strategies.

  • Fugo bombs were designed to travel long distances, using high-altitude winds to reach their targets.

Synonyms

balloon bomb
vsFugo
  • Archaic
1 7.9

An explosive that a balloon carries to travel far and explode

is the wartime Japanese type launched to ride wind currents to distant targets

Surface Forms

Fugo singular
Fugos plural

Etymology

The word Fugo comes from a Japanese name for a 'balloon bomb', written as fusen bakudan and often shortened to Fu-Go by Allied forces. Because the Japanese name highlights 'balloon' and 'wind', the word helps us remember these were bombs carried long distances by the wind, which is why it means a bomb sent by balloon.