Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then our own sin

In every August, we Japanese remember harsh horror of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All of us know very well the reason for the attacks was the result of the devastating war that the Japanese war leaders had started. And we Japanese should not forget the historical facts that the Japanese military had committed massacres of civilians in China and other Asian countries.

However, we are hardly able to understand why the American military had attacked these almost military disabled cities including civilians. At Hiroshima, the bombing killed 140,000 people instantly or within a few months after the bombing. Three days later, a plutonium bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, ultimately killing about 80,000 people. At that time, nobody, not even the American military staff, knew how destructive those atomic bombs actually were. Unprecedented tragic numbers of victims with the sacrificed of citizens' lives were the result of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

During the 62nd anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing site, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba said “Hiroshima was a hell where those who somehow survived envied the dead ”, he continued, “to ensure that no one else ever suffers as we did, the Hibakusha have continuously spoken of experiences they would rather forget, and we must never forget their accomplishment in preventing a third use of nuclear weapons ”.

HIbakusha, sacrificed survivors of aomic bombs, have suffered from not only atomic disease, but also from social discrimination among their own fellow countrymen and women. Because of our prejudice, we committed to inflict further pains on them. We must not disregard the fact that this is our own sin.

In other countries as well, children are our ultimate hope here in Japan. A “commitment to peace” was read by two Hiroshima sixth-graders, Hiroki Mori and Nao Yamasaki, at the ceremony. “It is our mission to convey the terrifying reality and sadness of the atomic bombing and war to as many people as possible. In order to build world peace, we must cut the chain of hatered and sadness at our very position with strong braveness and broad tolerrance. ”

Comments

[Saurabh Chawdhary]

First time to hear from someone in there from the country itself. Although my country (India) earned its independence at the cost of war it was the worst that could happen.
And yes the reason was Japanese military attacks but Americans had there share of evil too which is to be shunned more.