I've starting writing and rewriting this post many times of the last few months. I've sat down to write and just been at a loss. Visiting Hiroshima last November was a very powerful experience. Patrick's dad used the word "sobering" and I thought that encompassed a lot of the feelings I've had.
First, a bit about what you see there. In Hiroshima, there is a large peace park, memorial, museum and the Atomic Dome building.
The Atomic Dome building was directly under the bomb, as the bomb exploded about 600 meters above it. All of the people in the building instantly died but the building remained somewhat in tact. You can see here how there wasn't much left standing around it:
Residents of Hiroshima decided (eventually, it was discussed to tear it down) to keep the building as an important symbol of what happened. There is a fund that is maintained to keep the building as a symbol for centuries to come.
The Dome and grave for victims:
The Memorial, was very peaceful and quiet. There was an interesting cross section of what the ground under Hirmoshima looked like now. A foot of dirt, then lots of rubble. There was an exhibit in one of the memorials regarding the censorship by the United States of what happened and the aftermath of the bomb. So many photos and stories were prohibited from being told during the US occupation. It is eye-opening to see one's country from the outside, from a new lens. The hypocrisy is baffling. Check out the story of Children of Hiroshima, one of the first first hand accounts of what life was really like that day and those following.
The limitation of information is a scary thing, and yet we have it all the time. We often just get one side of the story-today's new websites always have a spin, often it is only after seeking out various news pages one can get a glimpse of the different views. I am often overwhelmed by how much news is available that I can't just stare at it with no compassion or sympathy as a defense mechanism. (Although less and less is available with more and more internet censorship occurring all over the world) It is so often bad news-images of hate and anger. I feel so overwhelmed I don't want to get out of bed. How can we cope emotionally any more? How can we change anything?
The museum was horrific. No one should have to experience what those people did. So many stories of parents looking for their children or vice versa. So many tales of physical sufferings. It was heart wrenching. The museum was tastefully done, it didn't brag or make excuses-it just described what happened. That being said, it was pretty gory but because that's what happened. It showed many photos of the bodies that were hit that day or experienced many diseases in the years to come. One thing I had not really thought through was the damage done to the unborn. So many people's lives damaged because of pride, greed and warfare.
I wish that everyone could have a chance to visit Hiroshima and see the sights of what happened that day. Though, many people throughout the world live in a Hellish situation today. It was humbling as an American knowing that it was my government and my nation that brought this pain on this particular area. I know that Japan did a lot of terrible things during the war as well. But these bombs were the biggest of the time, and now there are many that are so much more powerful.
It was an overwhelming day. You know what was missing? Hate, anger and vengeance. What I was filled with rather was sadness, peace and a resolve to work for peace. That's what the people of Hiroshima taught me.
I know I will never know all the variables that went into the decision to drop the atomic bombs. I wonder if anyone really knew what all the affectss would be on those lives that were impacted by the bomb and the radiation aftermath. Probably not. But hopefully, I can bring in some light to the world-work to bring in joy and not hate in my little daily actions. Maybe those will make all the difference.
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