Hiroshima was the site of the world's first atomic bombing. It was August 6, 1945 at 8:15am. This year marks the 69th Anniversary of the tragedy.
This building was almost directly underneath the bomb when it exploded 1,900 feet above the ground. It was able to withstand the downward force of the blast and didn't burn because of its concrete construction. It was one of very, very few buildings within a 1 mile radius of the blast to not be completely leveled in an instant. Most buildings in Hiroshima were constructed of wood and those that didn't get destroyed immediately by the bombing were quickly destroyed by the following firestorm. The total area of destruction was 4.7 square miles with 70% of Hiroshima's buildings destroyed and another 6-7% damaged. Approximately 80,000 people were killed instantly with many tens of thousands dying later from their injuries or the effects of the radiation. There is no exact number known, but most estimates are at just over 200,000. The estimated population of Hiroshima at the time of the bombing was 330,000.
"To make up for the labor shortage, the government enacted the Student Labor Service Act in August 1944. This act required students in middle school and higher grades to perform labor service in munitions factories and the like. Then, in November, many students were required to participate in tearing down homes and other buildings (building demolition). The purpose was to create fire-breaks to limit the expansion of fire in the event of air attacks. In Hiroshima City, of the roughly 8,400 students in the national upper level schools, about 6,300 died on the day of the bombing.
Most students working at various industries around the city were also killed.
After the war, the government only permitted mobilized students killed in the atomic bombing or in air strikes whose names and date of death were known to be enshrined in Yasukuni Shrine. In response to this, bereaved families began a movement to create a list of the dead and donated funds to build this tower."
Along with the memorial there is a museum and a few dozen monuments dedicated to specific groups of victims. The goal of the Hiroshima Peace Park is to promote world peace and eradicate all nuclear weapons.
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| Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students. |
Most students working at various industries around the city were also killed.
After the war, the government only permitted mobilized students killed in the atomic bombing or in air strikes whose names and date of death were known to be enshrined in Yasukuni Shrine. In response to this, bereaved families began a movement to create a list of the dead and donated funds to build this tower."
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| On a more cheerful note, some cute Japanese children. They almost always have uniforms or matching hats! |
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| Peace Museum |
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| We were approached, and when I say "approached" I mean that they ran at us as soon as they saw us....by probably 8 groups of children that were working on a school project. They asked us where we were from, had us mark it on their map and then write our message to them about world peace. All while working on their English skills of course! |
Pictures were allowed within the museum, but I didn't take very many. There was a lot of information to absorb and I didn't necessarily feel like it was a place where lots of pictures should be taken. It was interesting to read the views expressed and opinions regarding the reason for the atomic bombs. I am definitely no expert on history or WWII, but I think that overall it was done well, fact based and without a large amount of bias. There was a lot of focus placed on the children that were victims and several exhibits were quite graphic. The museum does have a decent website that includes a virtual tour. The virtual tour does a good job of showing the main parts/exhibits of the museum. Here is the link (there are 2 parts, the Main Building and the East Building):
http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/visit_e/vist_fr_e.html
GPS coordinates of museum: 34.391818, 132.452176
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| Area directly below the explosion before... |
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| ...and after. |
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| More wide view of the destruction. The red ball was suspended at the level of the bomb's detonation. |
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| Misawa's Elephant Cage was mentioned in the museum. |
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| Cenotaph for the A-bomb victims. |
"This monument was built with the desire to reconstruct Hiroshima─the city destroyed by the world's first atomic bombing─as a city of peace. It was designed by Kenzo Tange, then a professor at the University of Tokyo. It resembles an ancient arch-shaped house, in part because of the desire to shelter the souls of the victims from the elements. The monument is inscribed with the words, "Let all the souls here rest in peace, for we shall not repeat the evil." The stone chest in the center holds the registry of the names of persons who died from the bombing, regardless of nationality. Names are added when persons related to a death make application. As of August 6, 2014, the registry comprises 106 volumes with 292,325 names and one volume of many unidentified."
"The pedestal was designed to suggest two hands pressed together at the wrist and bent back so that the palms point up to the sky. It expresses condolence for victims unable to satisfy their thirst for water, as well as the desire for nuclear abolition and enduring world peace.
The flame has burned continuously since it was lit on August 1, 1964. It symbolizes the anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame "until the day when all such weapons shall have disappeared from the earth."
In the Flame of Peace Relay held each year, representatives of each community run through the cities, towns and villages of Hiroshima prefecture in an appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons and improvement of survivor assistance. It is used to light other flames as a symbol of peace in various events. In 1994, it lit the flame of the Asian Games held in Hiroshima City."
"Sadako Sasaki was exposed to the bombing at age two, contracted leukemia ten years later and died. Shocked by her death, her classmates put out a national call to "build a monument to mourn all the children who died from the atomic bombing." With the support of students in more than 3,100 schools around Japan and in nine other countries, including England, the Society was able to build this bronze statue that stands nine meters high.
On the top of the three-legged pedestal stands the bronze figure of a girl holding up a gold-colored "folded" crane. On opposite sides of the pedestal are suspended boy and girl figures symbolizing a bright future and hope. On the stone underneath the pedestal is inscribed, "This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world.""
"Sadako Sasaki (same as mentioned above) was exposed to the A-bomb at the age of two but escaped without apparent injury. She grew into a strong and healthy girl. Ten years later, in the fall of her sixth year in elementary school, she suddenly contracted leukemia and was hospitalized in February the following year. She folded paper cranes continuously hoping they would help her recover, but after an eight month battle with disease, she succumbed. Sadako's death triggered a movement to build a monument to all the children killed by the A-bomb, and the Children's Peace Monument was erected in Peace Memorial Park with donations received from all over Japan. Sadako's story has since travelled around the world. Now, countless paper cranes are sent to this monument every year."
Obviously this was not a cheerful experience during our trip to Kyoto/Hiroshima, but it was definitely something that will stick with us forever. The amount of destruction created by a bomb that was "very inefficient" (only 1.7% of its explosive materials reacted) was incredible. I do not even want to think about the damage that could be caused by the much larger and more advanced nuclear weapons in existence today.
On a side note, I was expecting to be treated "differently" as an American in Hiroshima. However, we were only treated with kindness and respect and were made to feel welcome which is all we have ever encountered while living in Japan.
Please join us and all those who have visited the Peace Memorial Park and say a prayer for world peace.
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| Inscription at the above pictured cenotaph. |
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| Flame of Peace |
The flame has burned continuously since it was lit on August 1, 1964. It symbolizes the anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame "until the day when all such weapons shall have disappeared from the earth."
In the Flame of Peace Relay held each year, representatives of each community run through the cities, towns and villages of Hiroshima prefecture in an appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons and improvement of survivor assistance. It is used to light other flames as a symbol of peace in various events. In 1994, it lit the flame of the Asian Games held in Hiroshima City."
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| Children's Peace Monument |
On the top of the three-legged pedestal stands the bronze figure of a girl holding up a gold-colored "folded" crane. On opposite sides of the pedestal are suspended boy and girl figures symbolizing a bright future and hope. On the stone underneath the pedestal is inscribed, "This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world.""
"Sadako Sasaki (same as mentioned above) was exposed to the A-bomb at the age of two but escaped without apparent injury. She grew into a strong and healthy girl. Ten years later, in the fall of her sixth year in elementary school, she suddenly contracted leukemia and was hospitalized in February the following year. She folded paper cranes continuously hoping they would help her recover, but after an eight month battle with disease, she succumbed. Sadako's death triggered a movement to build a monument to all the children killed by the A-bomb, and the Children's Peace Monument was erected in Peace Memorial Park with donations received from all over Japan. Sadako's story has since travelled around the world. Now, countless paper cranes are sent to this monument every year." |
| So beautiful. Thousands and thousands of cranes! Even the "pictures" are made of teeny cranes. |
Obviously this was not a cheerful experience during our trip to Kyoto/Hiroshima, but it was definitely something that will stick with us forever. The amount of destruction created by a bomb that was "very inefficient" (only 1.7% of its explosive materials reacted) was incredible. I do not even want to think about the damage that could be caused by the much larger and more advanced nuclear weapons in existence today.
On a side note, I was expecting to be treated "differently" as an American in Hiroshima. However, we were only treated with kindness and respect and were made to feel welcome which is all we have ever encountered while living in Japan.
Please join us and all those who have visited the Peace Memorial Park and say a prayer for world peace.
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