Today We Remember the Destruction of Hiroshima

In reality, yesterday was the 65th anniversary of the day we, the United States, dropped one of the most destructive weapons in the history of man on the city of Hiroshima - Japan is 16 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. At about 08:15 in the morning of Aug 6, 1945, "Little Boy", the nickname of the first atomic bomb dropped in a war, was released from the B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay. President Truman had made the ultimate decision to wipe out a semi-strategic city. Death toll numbers are varied based on the source. Anywhere from 68,000 to 200,000 died in the blast along with the destruction of most of the city (Downey, pg H-179).

There is much debate about whether we needed to drop the bomb in the first place. Those who are in favor of the decision believe the bombs hastened the end of the war thus saving more lives than those lost in the two atomic bombs (Nagasaki was bombed Aug 9 with "Fat Man"). Those who oppose the decision believe the war was coming to an end anyway and Japan would've surrendered; they call attention to the dissenters in our own government. Obviously there are counter-arguments to both sides of the issue.

On July 26, 1945, the "Potsdam Declaration" was issued. This declaration was, in effect, a "surrender or face utter destruction" ultimatum. The problem with the declaration, from the Japanese standpoint, is that the declaration did not address the status of the emperor. Many Japanese wanted to retain their emperor and were afraid a surrender would end the emperor. (Even today, Japan has an emperor.) On July 29, 1945, the Japanese officially rejected the declaration. Eight days later the Japanese lost one of their cities along with many women and children as collateral damage.

For years the Japanese have been holding a memorial ceremony on this date, Aug 6, to remember those who died in the bombing and to call for total nuclear disarmament of the world. Today, or yesterday for them, was no exception. However, for the first time America sent a delegate to the ceremony. U.S. Ambassador John Rios attended the ceremony as the American representative.

There has been talk that we should apologize for the bombing. Of course, many Americans see this as ridiculous. Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor first, and without provocation. Additionally, they have never officially apologized for the attack. Japan came close in 1991 when they released a statement saying they had meant to declare war on the US just prior to the attack.

I, for one, have never subscribed to the theory of apologizing for events or actions from the past with which one did not have direct involvement. I find it a ludicrous premise. How can anyone apologize for the actions of another? No one in our government today played a role in the decisions of 1945. Why should we apologize? I think it silly.

However, as I was contemplating my position on this matter, a strange concept came to mind. When we were growing up, anytime we got into an argument or a fight or a scuffle with someone else, what did our parents do to solve the situation? They made us apologize, even when we weren't really sorry. We apologized not because we were sorry; instead, we apologized to begin the road to atonement, to offer that hand of friendship to begin a conciliation. Maybe, just maybe, our parents were onto something.

Some might say we don't have to apologize because we helped rebuild what we destroyed. Some might say we will apologize only after Japan officially apologizes. Some might say we shouldn't apologize because it is a sign of weakness. However, how often have we ever said, "boy Mom and Dad were right" when recollecting some episode from our youth?

Well, maybe Mom and Dad were right. Maybe it's time for us to be the upstanding one and extend a hand in friendship and forgiveness vice a hand connected to the blunt end of a weapon or poised to push a button.....

Mike

References not linked:

Downey, D. (Ed.). (1987). New Standard Encyclopedia. IL: Standard educational corporation.