(Daily News Scan - DNS English) Remembering Hiroshima After 74 Years
Important Points:
“I was three years old at the time of the bombing. I don’t remember much, but I do recall that my surroundings turned blindingly white, like a million camera flashes going off at once. I was buried alive under the house. When my uncle finally found me and pulled my body out from under the debris, he was certain that I was dead. Thankfully, I survived. But since that day, mysterious scabs began to form all over my body. I lost hearing in my left ear, probably due to the air blast”. These were the words of Yasujiro Tanaka, a survivor from the atrocious attack on Hiroshima.
It’s been 74 years now, when on 6th of August, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in JAPAN. The time when World War 2 was on its peak. It was the deadliest wars in the history involving more than 30 countries. It was in many ways a continuation of the World War 1. Around 60 to 80 million people died in this deadliest conflict. A huge number of JEWS were killed in NAZI Concentration camps.
The World War 2 began in 1939 by the invasion of Germany into Poland. Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war in the Pacific began in 1941. Japan attacked American Naval base and other military installations around Asia.
The war continued for 6 years. United Nations was the only supreme power to control all the Japanese aggression.
The war in Europe concluded after Germany’s surrender in May 1945. The Allies (US, Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa and Yugoslavia) asked for surrender from Japan in July 1945. But JAPAN continued the war. Japan’s military was very powerful. Japan was against America and its Allies. Things turned against Japan during the Battle of Midway. An American victory destroyed the Japanese first liner carrier force, ending Japans capacity to prosecute war.
The US was developing nuclear weapon through Manhattan Project since 1940. A target committee was setup that selected 5 targets out of which two Hiroshima and Nagasaki were selected because of their industrial and medical importance. US wanted to avoid invasion by land and they had a view that Japanese will surrender when they see such a big destruction. The orders to bomb these two cities with atomic bomb were issued on 25th July. ‘Little Boy’ code name of atomic bomb, a uranium gun type bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. After the bomb was dropped on the city, a flash of blinding light was witnessed and a giant mushroom shaped cloud was formed.
People died in huge numbers. Even after months of bombing people died due to radiation sickness, burns and other wounds. The effects of radiation on the cities continued for decade’s increasing risk of cancer, birth defects etc. Mostly the civilians were killed in this devastating attack. Japan surrendered only after the second attack was made on Nagasaki.
On August 15 1945 Japan surrendered to the Allies. The war officially ended on September 2, after Japan signed the instrument of surrender.
The US defended itself from the use of atomic bomb by saying that bombing brought an end to the war otherwise more lives would have come to an end. The survivors of this brutal attack in JAPAN are called HIBAKUSHA.
Every year 6th of August is observed as Hiroshima Day in memory of the victims. Barak Obama visited Hiroshima in the year 2016 making it the most historic visit. He became the first sitting US president to visit and pay tribute to the victims of the city after decades of the massive destruction.
Since the Hiroshima attack no nuclear weapons are used for attacking on civilians. Recognizing the fact that there are many dangerous nuclear weapons that can destroy our planet, many nations have signed the Non –Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This treaty went into effect in 1970 with the aim that the use of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and eventually eliminating them. Even a peace flame was lighted in 1964 in Hiroshima that will continue to burn until the nuclear weapons of the world get over.
On this Hiroshima Day entire human race should take a pledge not to indulge in nuclear warfare rather the nuclear materials should be used for the benevolence of human society in establishing the peace and prosperity. The man has been blessed with brain to invent and innovate but if he does not use it wisely then it can give birth to nuclear catastrophe like Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulting in death of thousands and lakh of innocent people.
