It is important to comprehend the reason why Hiroshima was a likely target. According to Hersey (107), “the ruined city had flourished and had been an inviting target mainly because it had been one of the most important military- command and communications centres in Japan, and would have become the Imperial headquarters had the islands been invaded and Tokyo been captured.” In other words, how had the dropping of the bomb changed the lives of the survivors? Was the decision by the United States government to hit Hiroshima with the atomic bomb necessary? Should the Japanese have been forewarned about the dire consequences of the bomb in order to allow them surrender from the war? These are some of the pertinent questions that Hersey set out to investigate.
Hersey’s story is centered on the lives of six ordinary individuals who survived the aftermath of the bomb dropped in Hiroshima (14). He interviewed these individuals in order to investigate how the bomb affected the ordinary course of their lives. These individuals were oblivious of the ideological differences between the warring factions. These were people who in the course of their day to day lives were driven into the differences that existed between their country and the enemy countries. They were victims of the devastation of a war that they might not even have supported. Hersey takes a look at the cruelty of the bombing of Hiroshima, the inconsideration for the suffering of the people and the indelible memories of an event that changed the lives of many innocent people.
The effects of the bomb were terrifying. Hospitals and other medical facilities were receiving patients at a rate that they could not cope up with. Dr. Sasaki recalls attending tirelessly to injured people starting with those closest to him (41). There were wounded, maimed and vomiting people all over the place. People were coming into the hospital at an alarming rate. “Some of the wounded in Hiroshima were unable to enjoy the questionable luxury of hospitalization (42).”
In the hospitals people were crying and weeping from pain and misery. There was a clear show of solidarity among the people as the less wounded came to the assistance of those who had sustained serious injuries. Dr. Sasaki remembers being called to come to their aid. “The hospitals and aid stations around Hiroshima were so crowded in the first weeks after the bombing, and their staffs were so variable, depending on their health and on the unpredictable arrival of outside help, that patients had to be constantly shifted from place to place (93).”
The reactions that the atomic patients exhibited manifested themselves in three distinct phases. The first phase had ended before doctors had even understood what disease they were dealing with. This was a reaction that had occurred due to the bombardment of the body. The second phase occurred approximately between ten and fifteen days later. The main symptom was the falling off of hair. The next probable symptoms were fever and diarrhea. Body fever for some patients went as high. Mr. Tanimoto for instance recalls getting a fever as high as 104 (101). The third phase of the reactions happened when the body found it hard to compensate for its inadequacies. The survivors of the bombing narrated that the effect of the atomic bomb could still be felt months since it was dropped. “The duration of the disease varied, depending on the patient's constitution and the amount of radiation he had received (103).” There were patients who recuperated after one week while others went on for months in pathetic state.
Scientists have often been praised for making significant milestones in various aspects of people’s lives. Advancements in science have led to the development of good medicine and industry. However, the role that was played by scientists in this case contradicted the essence of science. The scientists that had for a long time been associated with improving the quality of life of people were in this case contributing to the destruction of humanity. The atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima were the work of scientists who had spent most of their time developing them (98). It is difficult to understand how the same science intended to preserve human life was used to destroy it. The scientists played a role that demeaned the developments made in science. Instead of being progressive, it proved to be regressive in this case.
It is interesting and worrying at the same time to see how countries can take up their arms against each other when the world is too big to share. Differences in the ideologies of different leaders have often been used as a basis to incite people and mobilize troops to attack the other people. The Japanese government at the time did not have to wait for the dropping of the Hiroshima bomb in order to withdraw from the war. Neither did the United States have to resort to such an inhumane way to make their enemies to surrender. “Father Kleinsorge and the other German Jesuit priests, who, as foreigners, could be expected to take a relatively detached view, often discussed the ethics of using the bomb (118).”
The one hundred thousand people that died as a result of the bombing comprised of innocent men, women and children. The price that was paid in order to ‘win’ the war was undoubtedly too costly because it involved the innocent loss of lives. Many innocent people obtained serious injuries that served as a reminder to that terrifying day. Families were also disgruntled and disarrayed. All these happened as a result of an inability to solve conflicts amicably. Hersey does not see any justification for the Hiroshima bombing. The only outcome was a state of human misery and suffering. Many people lost their livelihood, families,and many survivors still keep the memory of that dark day in their minds.
Although Hersey has given grasp of the individual experiences of different people to the story, it would have been important to merge this with the politics that surrounded the unprecedented flow of events. The Hiroshima bombing is a historical occurrence that that was highly politically charged. The Hiroshima bombing was a result of a ravaging world war. The author should have gotten into the details that had led to the fatal incident. A reader who does not have a good grasp of the history of the Second World War would find it difficult to understand the reason for the dropping of the bomb.
Hersey has also emphasized on the role of different individuals after the Hiroshima bombing. The role played by the state has been neglected. It is expected that the government of the day would have come up with ways of managing the disaster. It is important to see the role that the Japanese government and its allies did to assist the victims of the bombing. It is also important to understand the reaction of the rest of the world towards this apparent massacre of humanity. The author should have indicated how the news of the bombing was received in the opposite sides of the conflict.
Hersey’s book is a must read for all literate people. It explains the suffering that individuals go through when their governments do not take account of the safety of their people. This book can sensitize citizens on the need to pressurize their governments to seek more diplomatic means of solving conflicts. Resorting to war only exposes innocent people to violence, harm and in this case even mass massacring of people. This book is written for undergraduate level students. This group of students is in a position to read, understand and analyze the effects of the Hiroshima bombing. It has a direct relation to the history of the world. This is a history that the current society should learn from and improve on.
The world today is a consequence of the successes and failures of the occurrences of the past. The Hiroshima bombing is a historical event that revealed that humanity can act to destroy itself with the slightest provocation. Political forces can also work against the very people who elected them into power. However, the citizens of respective countries should elect leaders that care about their safety and well being. The Hiroshima bombing is undoubtedly an unfortunate event in history. Fortunately, the world has learned from the devastation that was caused by a war of such nature. World leaders are now embracing diplomatic ways of conflict resolution over warfare.
Works Cited
"Hiroshima : John Hersey : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive." Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
