 |
A
Weapon Like No Other
When the first atomic
bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945,
followed by another on Nagasaki, Japan, August 9, the world
witnessed the dawn of a new military age in which man-made
destruction on unimaginable levels had become reality.
The attack is believed to have led to the deaths of up
to 140,000 people in Hiroshima and as many as 80,000 people
in Nagasaki by the end of 1945.
Naho Hashimoto ’10J, who
is from Japan, partnered with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum to mount an exhibition of photographs about the
bombings, a film screening, a Web conference with a survivor
of the Hiroshima bombing, and other events () at Smith. The events are free and open to the
public.
Hashimoto recently explained
her passion for the issue of nuclear weapon abolition and
her reasons for organizing the campus event.
By Naho Hashimoto ’10J
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly called the Atomic
Bomb Dome (Genbaku Domu), is now part of the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Park. |
The "mushroom" cloud over Hiroshima following the explosion
of the atomic bomb "Little Boy" towered miles into the
sky. |
I am Japanese, and I was born
and raised in Japan. In Japan, people learn from a young
age about the aftermath of the two atomic bombs dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Every year, on August 6, the day
the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, we have a
commemoration of the bombings at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Park, located in central Hiroshima, once a thriving commercial
and residential district. Thousands of people attend the
ceremony to pray for those who lost their lives. And we pray
for a world without nuclear weapons. We promise those who
were killed by the bombs that we won't ever repeat the same
mistake of using a nuclear weapon.
Yet again and again, I
read news articles discussing the “politics” of
nuclear proliferation around the world, and the total number
of nuclear weapons around the globe keeps increasing, now
reaching around 20,000. With advanced nuclear technology,
these bombs are far more powerful than those dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Little is known by the general
public about the terrifying outcomes of these weapons.
And often, the discussions of development and abolition
of nuclear weapons are highly politicized, though this
is essentially a human issue.
For these reasons I decided
that I want to organize an event to raise awareness of
the danger of nuclear weapons. Through this exhibition,
I hope that many people have a chance to see what it looked
like on the ground when the atomic bombs were dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I know that the issues surrounding
the proliferation of nuclear weapons are highly political,
but I really hope to bring up the point that nuclear weapons
are a threat to every human being, regardless of their
nationality. And many innocent lives would suffer unimaginable
pain for no reason if these weapons were to be used again.
It was several years ago, before
I came to Smith, when I first thought about organizing an
event about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
During a conversation I had with people about the world-wide
proliferation of nuclear weapons, one thing struck me—those whom I talked
with knew enough about the political discussions regarding
nuclear weapons, but they did not know anything about the
aftermath of the atomic bombings. I was shocked by the
fact that they were discussing nuclear weapons as if they
were merely part of a political strategy. The horror and
the pain that these weapons could cause were completely
removed from their discussion.
Smithies are politically
aware and informed, and I know that many Smithies are planning
to pursue their careers in politics. I am hoping that this
exhibition can provide them with more personalized experience
and knowledge of nuclear weapons, so that someday, when
they discuss nuclear weapons, they will be able to provide
the human point of view. |
|
