At 8:15 on an August Morning 65 years ago, a nuclear weapon was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan. In the immediate seconds after the blast, some 70,000 people, in large part civilians, were killed, and some tens of thousands more would die in the same year from flash burns and radiation poisoning. Deaths due to leukemia in the area would rise over the next decade. The fetuses of mothers in early pregnancy near the hypocenter would be affected due to in-utero exposure, with some being stillborn and others suffering mental retardation rendering them unable to live without assistance for the rest of their lives. Even reducing the time in question to four months after the bombing, deaths due to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings are estimated at 150,000 to 246,000 people.
The usage of the bomb was a complex issue whose moral justification is still debated. But I think we, as humans, can all appreciate and reflect upon the damage the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs caused. If you could take a minute today to think about how the existence of nuclear weapons has affected our world, I think we'd all be the better for it.
"To remember the past is
to commit oneself to the future.
To remember Hiroshima is
to abhor nuclear war.
To remember Hiroshima is
to commit oneself to peace."
-Pope John Paul II
(Oil on Canvas, 2008)
Amazing art...
... to say the least. Oil is my fav :~
About the bombing, I'm not gonna start pointing fingers at him or her, 'cause everyone had his/her share of guilt. But I do believe that this kind of moments are there to show us how much we need to think on what we do, and the extension of our actions. There is no doubt that every action has its consequences, and nobody should ever forget that, in any matter.
Thanks for sharing such amazing beauty to our eyes, and great thoughts too.
Good Picture
I read your description. Nuclear warfare is horrible, but don't forget that pearl harbor was attacked by surprise and innocent people were killed too. The US didn't just bomb Hiroshima for no reason. While it of course wasn't the fault of the innocent people in Hiroshima, it also wasn't the fault of the innocent people in Pearl Harbor.
I'm just gonna leave it like this: yes, the nuclear bomb killed thousands, but don't forget that pearl harbor was bombed first and innocent people were killed there too. You should make a picture of pearl harbor and list some facts there too if you truly have any respect for the innocent and not just Japan.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was in most respects unjustifiable. True, the US at the time was not making attempts to be on the best relations with Japan, but blame in my view does lie on Japan both for being belligerent and not sticking with negotiations, as well as on its ambassadors for their famous mishap in not delivering their ultimatum before the bombing.
Nonetheless, I believe that the bombing of Pearl Harbor cannot approach the devastation of Hiroshima in any way. There were innocent people in each area, yes, but total casualties in Pearl Harbor numbered less than 2500. Only 57 of those were civilians. It was unjustified, but it was largely a military operation. Pearl Harbor was attacked to cripple the american naval and air forces in the Pacific. Hiroshima was attacked to make use of, test out, and to a point - show off a new weapon. The injuries sustained by the survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack were in large part not comparable (in my opinion) to the burns and radiation poisoning inflicted on the citizens of Hiroshima. I find it particularly disturbing that the US was not fully aware of how the bomb would affect humans when it was used.
In any case, I'm glad we could have this discussion, and a Pearl Harbor picture isn't a bad idea at all. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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