Hiroshima by John Hersey by dHadli Krog

Was the atomic bomb really different than all of the bombing raids that had come before in the war?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Yes, the atomic bomb was something the Japanese had never seen:

During the aftermath, they could not make sense of what had happened and they could only make theories such as it was a Molotov flower basket or that the Americans were pouring gasoline and then planning to light them on fire.
The civilians were more distressed, harmed, and shocked than they would normally be in a regular bomb raid.
They were making irrational decisions such as wanting to die or when the lady dressed her kids in too-warm clothes.
2,000 times the blast power of the British Grand Slam(the largest bomb ever used)

How does one deal with the stress of imminent danger (as in the beginning of the novel with preparing for devastation...p 2)? What effects does this have in the short term? In the long term?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

The Japanese kind of knew the bomb was coming, so some of them brought their belongings to a safer place which they thought was 2 miles away from the center of the city. Some sirens went off whenever they saw a plane in the sky and a following siren to let them know they were all clear. Some made emergency packs with clothes, food, and other essentials. Living in fear and danger constantly caused a mental toll, especially for parents since they not only had to worry about themselves but also their children.

Long Term:

Constantly living in fear
Taught them what mattered
- Realized that things such as having good shoes or bringing your books were not needed to survive.
Radiation
- Took people a long time to bounce back if they didn't die.
Nightmares

Short Term:

Stressed/shocked
Exhaustion

What is a priest's duties? Are they steadfast in their vocation in this story? Can we fault them?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Priests Duties include:

Fulfilling there vocations
- Helping anyone in need
- Serving their church
- Guiding people to the right decisions
- Re-directing people such as Mrs. N
- Teaching the word of God

We cannot fault them because everyone was in shock and scared because no one had every seen an atomic bomb like Hiroshima.

What mental toll did the survivors face? Think of the effects of physical illness and the length of it.

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Mental toll the survivors faced:

Constantly living in fear causes exhaustion and anxiety.
Survivors saw things such as major burns, broken bones, their homes in ruin, dead infants, and dead adults
- Mothers would hold their dead infants or young children in their arms for hours or days.
Had to watch many people die.
Smelled many gross things such as rotting bodies and infected wounds.
Their city was in ruins and had to find a way to rebuild it.
- The hospital was literally in the river.
Many people did not want to live and became suicidal.
Many people became handicapped and had to re-learn how to do many things.
- Mrs. N lost her leg and lost faith in herself and life. One of the priests found her and turned her life around for the better.
People lost faith in their religions.
Nightmares

Do you think the Japanese regretted the war? Did they regret their allegiance to the emperor?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Yes, I do think they regret it because they underestimated the Allies' power and had to suffer the wrath of the Atomic Bomb.

"Japan is dying. If there is a real air raid here in Hiroshima, I want to die with our country"(Hershey 56).

They did not question their allegiance with the emperor because they looked up to him and listened to him like he was God.

"When they came to know the war was ended- that is, Japan was defeated, they, of course, were deeply disappointed, but followed after their Emperor's commandment in calm spirit, making whole-hearted sacrifice for the everlasting peace of the world- and Japan started her new way"( Hershey 65).
Had a giant celebration for the emporer's birthday four decades after the bomb.

Page 90: "The crux of the matter is whether total war in its present form is justifiable, even when it serves a just purpose. Does it not have material and spiritual evil as its consequences which far exceed whatever good might result?"

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

The question being asked is whether a war worth all the destruction, hate, injuries, long-term trauma, and death. Yes, it might be all worth it if you win, but how do you know you're going to win? Is that a risk someone is willing to take even if war is not purposeful?

Page 121: "These thoughts led her to an opinion that was unconventional for a hibakusha: that too much attention was paid to the power of the A-bomb, and not enough to the evil of war."

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Yes, the atomic bomb was horrible, but there were so many other atrocities that led to the bomb on both sides of the war. Even years after the war, many people around the world were still suffering such as those who lost family members, their homes, their mental stability, and their physical abilities. The world needed to focus on the world-wide atrocities instead of one significant event.

Was the bomb a war crime that America should have been accountable for?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

No:

Nobody outlined the rules for WWII
If the Japanese had discovered this type of bomb, they would have used it without a thought.

Describe the Japanese people after having read the book. Contrast those descriptive words with how we usually imagine the Japanese in the WWII time period.

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

We usually think of them as heartless and cruel when associated with WWII. We think of them that way because of what they did to America at Pearl Harbour, the way they fight in wars, and that they are willing to commit suicide on missions if it means dying for our country. After reading the book, I realized that they are humans too, and have limits. They care for their children and want to help each other like they did when the bomb dropped. Doctors were working ungodly hours, people digging each other out for days, and a man rowed hurt and dead people across the river for many days. Many years after the atomic bomb, one of the main characters came to America and prayed for us. They were grateful for what America has become and the way we have grown. This shocked me because I always thought the hatred for America ran deep in everyone, event the priests. But, even japan is capable of forgiveness.

Compare and contrast the A-bomb with Pearl Harbor and 9/11

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Compare:

Planes delivered both bombs in all three events.
Communities/countries of all events came together to help and support each other.
Caused long-term trauma to everyone in the country

Contrast:

More burns and radiation were suffered by the victims in Hiroshima.
The majority of soldiers died in Pearl Harbor compared to the other two events.
Radiation was only involved in the atomic bomb.
There was not a war raging during 9/11
Targets of Pearl harbor and 9/11 were the United States.

What did knowing the fate of the survivors in "Aftermath" do for you in terms of impact?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

Makes me grateful to not be living in this time and that I get to live in America.
Sympathy for the mothers who had watched their children or infants die. Or, for the children whose parents died and they were orphaned.
Makes me wonder if I would be brave enough to fight for my own life and go into survival mode or if I would be ready to die.

Could the world agree on things that are "off limits" during a war? Should we? Make a list - where do you stop? What qualifies as an "atrocity"?

hadlikrog — 2024-08-22 18:04:54 UTC

We could make a list of things off-limits such as bombing or attacking hospitals, orphanages, or schools, but would those rules be followed? I think if you declare war on a country, you should be prepared for the consequences and should know when to surrender. I feel war as a whole is an atrocity and there are many gray areas that would need to be worked out in order to qualify for an atrocity or off-limits.