Earlier today, Japan recognized the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima – a date one can never forget. When we visited Hiroshima in September, I was struck by the simplicity of the commemorative park’s design – and by the tremendous emotional power conveyed by that similarity.
As noted in CNN’s story, “More than 110,000 were killed instantly in the attacks, while hundreds of thousands more perished from injuries and radiation-related illness over the years. To this day [Hiroshima and Nagasaki] remain the only times that nuclear weapons have been used in warfare. And yet these weapons continue to present a very present-day threat.” A tragedy that should never be repeated.
The New York Times published several dozen historic photographs, and a story about how Hiroshima’s Pacifist Cause Is Losing Believers as memories fade and military tensions increase across the region. Be sure to read the op-ed by Terumi Tanaka, a survivor of the Nagasaki bombing.
Watch today’s ceremony on YouTube. It’s quite moving.
David Kotz 