Hiroshima

Hiroshima by John Hersey provides the reader with a front row seat to the devastation that atomic power can cause. This book tells the story of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan on that fateful day in August, 1945, through the eyes of various survivors. Through the eyes of those survivors, we are able to see a glimpse of the horror that occurred on August 6th, 1945. We are able to see how devastating atomic power can be, not only structurally and physically, but also the long term repercussions as well. The force of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945 was absolutely devastating.

The pressure from the explosion “varied from 5. 3 to 8. 0 tons per square yard”, and “had more power than 20,000 tons of TNT. ” The bombs blast was forceful enough to move gravestones, knock over railroad cars, and move concrete bridges. The heat of the bomb at its center “must have been 6,000i?? Celsius. ” The bomb caused concrete to become discolored to a “light, reddish tint, had scaled off the surface of granite. . . and left prints of the shadows left by its light. ” Over 2,500 yards away from the center, a shadow was found that had been “projected by the handle of a gas pump. There were also a few “vague human silhouettes” found near the center.

Over 62,000 buildings were destroyed, and nearly 6,000 were devastated beyond repair. “In the heart of the city. . . only five modern buildings. . . could be used again without major repairs. ” Houses had been knocked down, whole city blocks had collapsed, fire engulfed everything, and “gas storage tanks went up in a tremendous burst of flames. ” There was “four square miles of a reddish-brown scar” where everything burned down. On the roadways there were “hundreds of crumpled bicycles, shells of streetcars and automobiles, all halted in mid-motion. Of the 245, 000 people that lived in Hiroshima when the bomb dropped, 100,000 died and another 100,000 were injured.

This number was much greater than the original estimate that “78,150 people had died, 13,983 were missing, and 37,425 had been injured. ” As more and more corpses were recovered from the wreckage, the death toll raised to over 100,000. It is calculated that “about 25 per cent had died of direct burns from the bomb, about 50 per cent from other injuries, and about 20 per cent as a result of radiation effects. Of those that died, there were hundreds of school girls who had been enlisted to clear fire lanes, 65 out of 150 doctors, 1,654 out of 1,780 nurses died (or were to injured to work), and at the Red Cross Hospital there were only 6 doctors and 10 nurses able to work. The injuries sustained from the bombing were primarily burns, but also injuries from falling debris. Some burns had formed patterns onto persons skin as “white [clothing] repelled the heat of the bomb and dark clothes absorbed it and conducted it to the skin. Burns caused directly by the bomb itself caused a persons skin to slip off in “huge glove like pieces. “

The burns were “first yellow, then red and swollen, with the skin sloughed off, and finally. . . suppurated and smelly. ” Upon coming across 20 soldiers, it was stated that their “faces were wholly burned, their eye sockets were hollow and the fluid from their melted eyes had run down their cheeks. Their mouths were mere swollen, pus covered wounds. . . ” Nausea and vomiting were profound, caused by the “odor of ionization. . . given off by the bomb’s fission. Many more drowned in the river while trying to escape the raging fires.

Once in the river, the found themselves to weak or injured to badly to cross and drowned when the tide came in. Many people were told that “there is no hope for the heavily wounded. They will die. We can’t bother with them. ” Help was primarily given to the lightly wounded as it took less time, and therefore, more lives could be saved. For the most part, only saline and iodine were used to treat injuries, as there was a severe shortage of medical supplies. There were thousands of injured persons that had no one to help them.

Although people were dying by the hundreds, there was nobody to carry away the corpses. The scene of hospitals was that of the living laying among the dead, and in their state of shock it was difficult to tell them apart. Doctors were overwhelmed with the “thousands of patients sprawled out among [the] corpses. ” Although there were many that were “gruesomely wounded”, there were also many that died while having no apparent injuries. The remains of the deceased were eventually cremated, the placed in envelopes with their name upon it.

Time was taken to do this because “disposal of the dead, by decent cremation and enshrinement, is a greater moral responsibility to the Japanese than adequate care of the living. ” The few who were not seriously injured felt a sense of guilt for their lack of injuries. Many people only helped their own family, unable to “comprehend or tolerate a wider circle of misery. ” Hysteria and shock began to set in, many became numb to their surroundings. They were “so emotionally worn out that nothing could surprise them. ” To many ‘the bombing almost seemed a natural disaster. . . as the terrible aftermath and human suffering “reached so far beyond human understanding. ” Many of the survivors suddenly felt sick about one month after the bomb was dropped.

They came down with the “strange, capricious disease which came later to be known as radiation sickness. ” This unprecedented disease had 3 stages. The first stage was a direct reaction to the bomb going off. These were the many “apparently uninjured people who died so mysteriously in the first few hours or days. ” This is what “killed 95 per cent of the people within a half mile of the center [of where the bomb was dropped], and many thousands who were farther away. Although they may have had burns, these people died from the radiation, not the burns. The radiation caused their “nuclei to degenerate”, basically, every cell in their body broke down. The second stage of radiation sickness began 10-15 days after the bombing. Signs exhibited included hair loss, diarrhea, and fever. Then 25-30 days after the bombing, new symptoms began to develop. These symptoms included blood disorders, a drastic drop in white blood cell count (WBC), a rise in infections due to the drop of WBC, hemorrhages, slow healing of simple wounds, and anemia.

The third stage followed after, and lasted anywhere from one week to several months or longer. The primary symptom was the fluctuation in the white blood cell count. After the WBC had stabilized, wounds would finally begin to heal. As the burns healed, keloid scars formed. Keloid scars were “hideously ugly, thick, itchy, rubbery, copper-red crablike growths. ” There was, at that time, no reliable literature on treatment for these scars. Doctors found that if they removed the keloids, the often returned. Yet, if left untreated, the keloids would sometimes become infected and affect the surrounding muscles.

The survivors also had a higher incidence of leukemia- 10 to 50 times higher than the norm. Other types of cancer were also higher among the survivors. Many survivors developed “A-bomb cataracts”, children’s growth was stunted, as well as various long term heath problems like “anemia, liver dysfunction, sexual problems, endocrine disorders, and accelerated aging. ” “The Japanese tended to shy away from the term ‘survivors’. . .. ” and instead referred to them as “hibakusha”, or “explosion affected persons. ” The hibakusha’s “lived in an economic limbo” as the Japanese government didn’t want to acknowledge them.

By not acknowledging them, the government didn’t have to accept “moral responsibility for the heinous acts of the victorious United States. ” At this point, “the anger of many hibakusha. . . modulated towards their own government. ” There were no special provisions provided for the hibakusha until 1957. In 1957, the A-Bomb Victims Medical Care Law was established. This provided support, free medical treatment, and eventually monthly allowances for the hibakusha’s. However, many hibakusha’s initially rejected it as they had “a suspicion of ulterior motives. “

Employers developed a prejudice against the hibakusha due to their “A-Bomb sickness; a nagging weakness and weariness, dizziness now and then, digestive troubles, all aggravated by a feeling of oppression, a sense of doom. . . ” Surprisingly, there was a divided opinion about the use of the bomb on Hiroshima. Father Siemes stated that, “Some of us consider the bomb in the same category as poison gas and were against its use on a civilian population. Others were in the opinion that in total war. . . there was no difference between civilians and soldiers. . . “

Hiroshima was engulfed by devastation from the instant the atomic bomb went off, and for many years to follow. Over 100,000 lost their lives, and the survivors, or hibakusha, lost the lives they once knew. As we move forward with new technology, we must look to the ahead to see the future outcomes new technologies could hold. Hopefully, as we look to the future, we remember that atomic power can be devastating. It is amazing that something so small could nearly level an entire city, cost thousands their lives, and still has reverberating effects long after the dust has settled.

Were the Americans justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945? The dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945 by the Americans is a very controversial issue with no definite answer. Both sides of the issue have very justifiable arguments. Reasons for dropping the bomb include the fact that Truman’s options were limited at this point in the war, that the bomb did have the desired outcome of Japans surrender and that the majority of reasons America had for dropping the bomb are justifiable.

On the other hand, the atomic bomb was complete new technology and there is no way that Japan could have possibly been ready for it and for that reason the dropping of the atomic bomb is very much morally and ethically wrong. It is also important to consider that two bombs were dropped, both with different motivations and it is quite possible that while one is justifiable, the other is not. There were many reasons why America would have chosen to drop the bomb and the majority can be justified. Before the atomic bomb was dropped, America was nearing the end of the war.

They had made the Potsdam declaration requesting Japans surrender and at this point had the Japanese at a very weak position. At a similar time, the Americans had completed the development of the Atomic bomb or Project Manhattan that, after Germany surrendered, had no other competition. A lot money had been put into the development of the bomb and at this point, Truman’s options were limited. Invasion was out of the question due to the Japanese’s strong military and patriotic values: The continuation of conventional bombings and a naval blockade were also considered but deemed unsuitable.

The negation of surrender had been tried with the ‘Potsdam Declaration’ and had failed. It is important to point out that by ignoring the declaration; the Japanese in effect gave their acceptance of the Americans threats of ‘prompt and utter destruction. ’[1] America and Britain were both aware that the development of the bomb meant they no longer relied on the allied troops from Russia, and with the fear of communism, this was a motivation for the dropping of the bomb: ‘It is quite clear that the US do not at the present time desire Russian participation in the war against Japan’ [2]. There was also the question of time.

The atomic bomb was by far the quickest way that America could see for the ending of the war, and they were eager to end the war as before long, Russia would become involved making a heavier casualty rate inevitable. America were also a very powerful country now they had the development of the Atomic Bomb, it would have been a waste to not be able to show their true power and the true destruction they could use through the bomb. There is also the point that the Americans were looking for revenge against the Japanese, as they had injured and killed many American soldiers, and even more to come, had the Americans not taken quick action.

Looking back at the dropping of the bomb, it is possible to say that it was a method of prevention in many different circumstances. Firstly, the dropping of the bomb meant that the war would be over: ‘The atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II. There can be no doubt of that. ’ [3] It is possible that leaving the war longer could have resulted in a much worse fatality rate for both Japan and America. Also, the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima effectively decided the use of atomic technology for weapons for the future.

Before the dropping of the bomb, people had no idea of the severity and power of atomic weaponry and therefore, the argument can be made that the dropping of the atomic bomb prevented a lot more serious cases that could have happened say the power of atomic bombs was not explored at this time. The dropping of the atomic bomb caused great loss of life, and there are many arguments suggesting the dropping of the bomb was both morally and ethically wrong. There is no way that the Japanese could have been prepared for the dropping of the atomic bomb as the world had never witnessed something like the bomb before.

The Americans had the opportunity of demonstrating the power of the bomb on a deserted area and showing the Japanese what they were facing. This was proposed by a number of American scientists, but rejected by the Military Leaders: ‘we did not think exploding one of these things as a firecracker over a desert was likely to be impressive. ’[4] There was the option of dropping the bomb on purely a military target, yet the Americans chose a target that not only affected Japans military, but took the lives of many civilians. The Americans were always slightly racist towards the

Japanese or ‘colored people’ and this could easily have been secret motivation for the dropping of such a severe form of bomb. There is also the consideration of the two different bombs. The American military leaders would have been completely aware of the severity of damage of atomic bombs after Little Boy was dropped yet they still went on to drop Fat Man. It is possible that while the first bomb could be excusable, the dropping of a second, in full knowledge of the damage that it would cause, is not only unnecessary but definitely morally incorrect. It is also important to consider the Truman’s alternatives once again.

From the American’s point of view, Truman’s options were very limited, but peace could have been found through the Japanese and the Soviet Union, a pathway which the President was aware of but didn’t really explore. It can also be pointed out that the Potsdam declaration was a very harsh document, especially on a country with such strong patriotic values. Had the declaration not requested ‘unconditional surrender’[5] and had in fact let Japan keep some of their imperial rule, they could have been more likely to accept the declaration. Japan was already very vulnerable when America chose to drop the bomb.

In reality, it was only a matter of time before Japan would have needed to surrender anyway. America knew that Japan would need to surrender soon as they were unable to import or export goods: ‘it was quite logical to hope and expect that with the proper kind of warning the Japanese would have made peace’. [6] It really was only a matter of time before Japan would have had to surrender and America knew that. It is possible that the Americans were not just interested in the ending of the war, but had other reasons such as racial discrimination, revenge and greed for power to drop the two atomic bombs.

In my opinion, the Americans have enough reasons to justify the dropping of the bomb. They gave the Japanese sufficient warning of their plan through the Potsdam declaration and it was the Japanese’s mistake to ignore this. They also completed the desired outcome with Japan’s surrender. For these reasons America can justify their reasons for dropping the bomb. However, being able to justify something does not mean it is necessarily the best thing to do, and I think that it was morally incorrect to make the Japanese uffer to the extent that they did considering that the war was almost over. The fact that America chose to drop two bombs changes my opinion significantly as well. The first bomb can be looked with the idea that America was not aware of the damage they could cause, however a second bomb was cruel and inexcusable. The Americans were after more than just the end of the war, they wanted the Japanese to feel their power and to have revenge: ‘In being first to use it we had developed ethical standards common to barbarians in the dark ages. [7] The bomb however has benefitted the world in the way that it has prevented anything like the atomic bomb disaster from occurring again, and the use of this technology earlier on could easily have prevented a later, more severe disaster. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima can be justified and looked at as a mistake that possibly had many benefits. The dropping of the bomb on Nagasaki was an example of the American’s greed for power and race driven revenge. In conclusion, I think that America had very strong reasons for dropping the bomb, some of which are valid and some of which are not.

This said they should not have dropped it as they knew the effect that this bomb was going to have on Japan, especially when Japan was so unprepared, and there would have been much more appropriate ways of ending the war. ———————– [1] Lewis, Robert AGORA, Vol. 25, No 1, 1990, HTAV, Source 9, page 29 [2] Lewis, Robert AGORA Vol. 25, No 2, 1990, HTAV, Source 22, page 19 [3] Lewis, Robert AGORA, Vol. 25, No 1, 1990, HTAV, page 19 [4] Lewis, Robert AGORA Vol. 25, No 2, 1990, HTAV, Source 16, page 14 [5] Lewis, Robert AGORA, Vol. 25, No 1, 1990, HTAV, Source 9, page 29 [6] Ibid page 34, source 14 [7] Ibid page 19