Category: #3 Wages of Destruction
A Maiden’s Smile and United Guilt
By 1955, the world had gone through intensive cultural and societal changes from the competing victors of World War II. Although different initiatives had proven beneficial in rebuilding civilization through economic aid, the psychological toll of the war was still ever-present amongst the differing factions of the Postwar Era. The different strategies employed to helpContinue reading “A Maiden’s Smile and United Guilt”
The New Face of Hiroshima
On May 5, 1955, not long before the ten year anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a group of young Japanese women departed from Tokyo for the United States to undergo reconstructive plastic surgery. These women were known as … Continue reading →
After Little Boy
In A Doctor’s Diary of Hiroshima, Fifty Years Later, based on the diary of Dr. Michihiko Hachiya, goes over mostly the direct aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima. Using vivid detail given directly from Dr. Hachiya or those whom he heard from, John Dower tells the life of those who survived the bombing. “Survivors in crowded …
Beneath the Surface
Although the war ended with Japan surrendering following the United States dropping the second atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the suffering for the people of Japan would continue. The casualties from this attack did not stop with the initial explosion, as people would continue to ultimately perish due to complications such as radiation sickness. The battlesContinue reading “Beneath the Surface”
Healing after WWII
After WWII ended in 1945, there we’re many aspects of society that would need to be rehabilitated, with actual people being near the top of that list. Among these people in need were the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, which decimated the cities and killed thousands upon thousands of people. The Hiroshima Maidens …
The Physical and Psychological Bombing of Hiroshima
The dropping of the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki proved to be incredibly devastating. It led to disfigurement, trauma, and long-term illnesses. Historian David Serlin, in his writing about the Hiroshima Maidens, referenced the image pictured … Continue reading →
The Hiroshima Maidens Continued Impact
The narrative that the American media and government tried to concoct following the war was threatened by the Hiroshima maidens’ voyage to America. David Serlin, author of Reconstructing the Hiroshima Maidens, argues that reconstruction of the Hiroshima maidens was a nuanced event. There was both true altruism and a ploy to uphold western values. Kiyoshi …
1000 Paper Cranes
Some may be familiar with the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, which is a story about a young girl who falls ill to atom bomb disease (leukemia). According to Japanese legend whoever folding 1000 paper cranes receives a wish from … Continue reading →
The Atomic Bomb’s Legacy
In 1945, World War II ended with Japan’s surrender to the United States, as announced over the radio by Emperor Hirohito to his country on August 15th of that year. The events of the preceding week, on the 6th and 9th of August, forced Japan’s hand. After making the calculation that it was in the …
MORE THAN AESTHETICS
World War II set the stage for a brand new view on technology and the methods of warfare. As the war waged on the United States developed nuclear technology which caused catastrophic destruction. The U.S. caused waves of destruction across Japan by dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This propelled the power of …
