Hiroshima - a historical city not by its people’s choice

Before I left Japan I wanted to spend a day in the city of Hiroshima. I could not miss the opportunity to visit this city, that was chosen by the US to be the site of the first use of an atomic weapon in war.

It was a very bleak part of the history of both Japan and the US. The first of two atomic bombs dropped on a city of mostly civilians, albeit also one of the industrial cities that were still making weapons of war. It is unknown how many of the 350k residents died, but some estimates are as high as 166,000.

I’ve studied a lot about WWII, and there are no winners in war. The Japanese thought it was barbaric, however they continued to build planes and other weapons to kill others. The US claims the bomb was used to shorten the war. It is just a terrible human event.

I was very moved by the museum and other WWII historical sites (see pictures attached), particularly the bombed out Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, almost directly over the hypocenter. Just part of the steel and concrete structure remain.

Unlike many historical war sites, the memorials here were focused mostly on the people who had lived there, and about the concerns over a planet with nuclear weapons. There were thousands of students visiting the sites during my visit. Please see the attached photo with a group of kids standing in front of a statue.... They were singing in front of a statue commemorating the children who died during the bombing. Incredibly moving. You could have heard a pin drop. People from all over the globe stopped to listen to the children sing.

Unlike most of the cities in Japan, Hiroshima (and I assume Nagasaki) was built in the ‘50s. I assume the Allies built most of it, on a budget and in a hurry as most buildings are concrete, and not very attractive unlike many other cities in Japan. Hardly any of the city survived the bomb, so no other original sites remain. The people, however, were wonderful. Everyone was friendly and helpful when I needed directions. I’m sad, but glad I went to this historic city.