Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Japan: Never forget....

"Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds..."

These words, originally from the Bhagavad Gita, were uttered by Robert Oppenheimer, the supervising scientist of the Manhattan Project who is often credited as being the "father of the atomic bomb", after watching the first detonation of a nuclear weapon. 

At 0815 on August 6th 1945, the United States detonated the first ever atomic bomb, nick named "little boy", over the city of Hiroshima.  In a flash, innocence was lost, and the world was changed forever.  In an instant, a bright light appeared, a light of a thousand suns, a light not of this world.  And in that instant, that incomprehensibly intense light, heat, and pressure extinguished 80,000 souls. 

It is not my intent to debate whether it was right or wrong to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  That is not the purpose of my writings.  The reality is, that the bomb was dropped and hundreds of thousands died.  Those are the facts.  It is my belief that anyone who comes to Japan NEEDS to visit the peace memorial at either Hiroshima or Nagasaki.  There are too many movies glorifying war and death. It is important that people, especially the young who will inherit our mistakes, understands the realities of war and what it actually means to take a life.  It gives me hope to see all the children and students wandering the grounds of the Peace Memorial studying and listening to their teachers.  Each student learning and never forgetting the events of 1945.  Each child a shining beacon of hope for the future. 

Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki have this monument at the entrance of their Peace Memorials.

Hiroshima as it stands today.



The A-Bomb Dome.  "Little Boy" exploded directly on top of this spot.

A-Bomb Dome.

A local painter trying to capture the A-Bomb Dome.

A whole procession of students wandering the grounds of the Peace Memorial.

A teacher instructing on the events of 1945.

A group of blind children.  Feeling the water on their skin.

A group of school children praying for the victims of the atomic bomb at the Cenotaph.

The Cenotaph.  It holds the names of all those killed by the atomic bomb.  The inscription reads:  Rest in peace for the error shall not be repeated.

The Hall of Remembrance.  It contains records, thoughts, and images of the victims.


A circular room for contemplation.  All you hear is the trickling of water which represents most of the victims dieing wish.  A drink of water.  On the wall of this circular room is etched the image of Hiroshima immediately following the bombing.

A record of those who perished.  Ghosts.


Students listening to a lecture outside of Peace Museum.



There is a famous story about Sadako Sasaki and her quest to fold a thousand paper cranes.  As the legend goes, if you can fold a thousand paper cranes you would be granted one wish.  Her wish was for world peace.  Unfortunately she died from complications of radiation before she could finish.  Since then children have been folding cranes as a sign of peace, in essence helping Sadako to get her wish.






A recounting of the events that lead to the bombings.  Nagasaki Museum of Peace.

Nagasaki before the A bomb, named "Fat Man".

Nagasaki after the bombing.

A timeline of war.

The artwork of children.



Nagasaki as it stands today.


A grandmother and granddaughter at Peace Memorial Park, Nagasaki.  In front of the hypocenter.




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