Hiroshima
When looking back on the bombing of Hiroshima it has been shown that history and politics can come together to influence the opinions of a society such as the people of the United States until Deming what may be consider an inhumane act as the right course of action. During the end of the Second World War, America carried out two atomic bombs against two cities in Japan, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Ever since the bombing, Hiroshima has echoed in the culture and public discussion in the U.S. Hiroshima in itself is a symbol that bears remembrance of the atomic bombs. Moreover, there have been various historic sites that have been named symbolically to Hiroshima such as ‘waterloo’ to mean irreversible conquer symbolic to Japan’s defeat by the U.S and ‘Gettysburg’ to mean the turning point of the civil war, Symbolic Hiroshima’s surrender to the U.S after the atomic bombs. According to the U.S politicians, the atomic bombing saved the Americans from an invasion (Boyer 297).
Moreover, various American actors have gone beyond the mere presentation of combat soldiers that took part in this bombing. A Retired brigadier, Paul .w. who was the pilot of the destructive jet politically dismissed the showing signs of the attack later as ‘packages of insult’ During the period after bombing, various articles and political debates came up claiming that the atomic bombs were as a result of saving the lives of the American people. Former vice, also condemned the Smithsonian exhibit claiming it was for the good of small section of conspiracy by ‘elites with derision for the history, tradition and achievements of the Americans’. However, there was lack of illustration evidence. The U.S authorities concealed the reports from the people and refused the airing of the dead bodies and the survivors of the attack. Various politicians such as James Farrell observed that the bombing attack was a natural attack. In addition, Henry L. Stimsons published an article that vindicated the use of the atomic bomb as the definition of Hiroshima. The suffering and desperation that followed the bombing in Hiroshima did not make any sense to the American people at first because their concentration has been on the prestige they would get on destroying the city.
Scenes such as buried people and the imprint of peoples’ clothes on their skin activated writers to campaign against inhumanity and give essence to terror. There are very many historical things that still hold the memory of Hiroshima such as the photographs, stories from the survivors and the remains from the destroyed city. In addition, museums have been constructed to preserve the history for the public. Moreover, the effects of the Hiroshima bombing affect the decisions of nuclear policy makers. This in a way builds the memory of the public about the attack at Hiroshima. The public’s memory was also built by the use of films that were prepared by the activists of the antinuclear weapons.
The Smithsonian exhibit was suggested to show ‘the last act’ which was disputed by many historians. In addition, university students are also being educated by being taught the history of the Hiroshima attack. Moreover, there is no other state that is politically motivated like America. This is also a way of building the public’s memory historically. The political position of a person affected the way they view the articles on the Hiroshima attack. For instance, most politically motivated people stuck to the belief that Japan suffered the attack as a result of it trying to invade America. Pearl Harbor is another historical feature that keeps accurate history for the public. Truman, the president wrote in his diary that though he regretted the attack against Japan, it was necessary. During the period of the 1950 to 1980, various activists brought up medical data from the Hiroshima patients to prove the radioactive effects on the people that suffered the war. On the other hand, other parties used the data fro their own personal use. Medical doctors used the research data for their own medical studies and research while other activists used the data to mobilize the non use of nuclear weapons (Boyer 336).
Apart from political position, age also affected the perspective of the Hiroshima attack. It is said that the younger the generation, the more reasons there are for not using nuclear weapons. However, it is said that America believes that in as much as the attack took place, the current generation has recovered and that the next generation was healthy enough to start a new beginning or new chapter of life. Religious believers also had their theories on the Hiroshima attack. To them, these two attacks symbolized the approach of the end of the world. To them, human beings have to pass through death and therefore the Hiroshima bombing was a right of passage that had to occur. Most of the Hiroshima events that occurred on that day of attack have been put down in articles such as novels, magazines, historical books and newspapers to keep the history of the attack and the memories too. Various historical and political documentaries were made for the purpose of keeping history.
Moreover, historical books used by the university students’ were a part of the many materials that build the memory of the public. In addition, public political debates dismissing the negativity of the attack can also be added to the list of memory building. The Hiroshima story is everywhere from movies to the book titles to articles and research. Many activities have arisen from the events of the attack. Some of these events are politically motivated while others are personal. The common man is left in the middle with memories that arise from narratives to real life experience. For some reason, America was politically confident about it and proved it after the attack. The attack symbolized the top power. For this reason, politicians’ in America were pleased with the vent since they viewed it as victory over Japan. This confrontation among the two countries that caused Japan to surrender is a history made. Therefore public memory is politically built (Boyer 338).
The areas that were affected formed historic landmarks that are visited by American tourists. Moreover, other areas are used by the various militaries as command bases. However, as time goes by, these memories grow milder by the day. The memory of the older people that experienced the time of the attack is more vivid than that of the generation fifty tears later.
Work cited:
Paul Boyer, “Exotic Resonances: Hiroshima in American Memory” in. Hogan’s. pp.143-147
The society of historians. Diplomatic history. Blackwell publishers. 1995 vol 19
