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 Tanimoto the maidens sponsor was exalted for his part in helping women find work and face the world again. But he was also a firm believer in the saviorism of these democratic cultures and the effect that this project would have on public opinion of the H-bomb. He wanted to curb the rebellion against the H-bomb and American militarization of Japan. He hoped that the maidens could be used to demonstrate the altruistic values of western societies. The growing fear of communism had already bloomed as well. The state department and American media had worked hard to keep the public view on the atomic bomb positive. There was a desire to keep the victory sacred. The human cost of the bomb was rarely shown to the American public; this was instead demonstrated through building and their destruction. This distinction was important and limited the United States culpability in the bombing. The state department feared the impact the Hiroshima maidens would have on the public. If the journey would have been delayed they would not have been allowed to visit. The state department worried that the maidens’ faces would be a visual reminder of the casualties and effects of the bomb. They were also worried about uprisings surrounding current nuclear endeavors as well as the fear of communism spreading. The final argument that Serlin makes is that this journey was an example of the increased globalization of technology as well as politics. That the shared plastic surgery knowledge came to break down the eastern and western divides.
NPR’s Karen Michel did an episode for weekend edition where he discussed the continued legacy of the Hiroshima maidens. He talked with Dan Herland, creator of Hiroshima Maiden, a theater production, featuring puppets, about the show and its inspiration. This show was based on two of the Hiroshima maidens’ experiences. It focuses on their emotional state throughout the journey. A clip of the show This Is Your Life is also featured within the NPR episode. In this clip the description of the events leading up to dropping of the atomic bomb. There is also a moment where they talk with one of the pilots of Enola Gray. Two of the maidens were present at the show. But they were hidden behind a curtain to protect them from any “embarrassment”. In real life the maidens and the pilot never met. But in the puppet show they did and it was a spectacle, they circled around each almost leering. This artistic interpretation of the event demonstrates how the interpretation of maiden’s voyage has changed. There is more recently a larger focus on the maidens emotional state rather than the impact their journey had on the world around them as well as politics.
The two sources represent different interpretations and arguments on the events surrounding the Hiroshima maidens. The article Reconstructing the Hiroshima Maidens takes an extensive look into the motives behind the expedition. The motives of the American government as well as the media are investigated. An understanding of the desire to distance the United States part in the human cost from the atomic bomb is gained. Whereas the NPR episode is a short story on the influence of the maidens. However, this story gives a piece of the emotional state of maidens through art and from the perspective of the maidens. Something that was lacking in the article. The article is sympathetic towards the maidens however it utilizes a top down approach in the motives of the expedition rather than the individuals perspectives. The different forms of media offer different incites into the events and are marketed for different audiences making them valuable in different ways.
Early on you pointed out that there were both altruistic and manipulative goals in helping the Hiroshima Maidens. Serlin certainly touches on both in his writing. One of the major questions that historians seem to always be asking is which is more important? Does one outweigh the other? This is a dangerous argument that brings with it lots of nuances and broad implications. It inevitably leads to one of the most unsatisfying historical answers that can be given: the reality is, one doesn’t necessarily outweigh the other, they exist in tandem and must be understood in concert.
I thought your analysis of the media’s role in this was interesting. While there certainly were people who wanted to help the Maidens, the media mostly used them for exploitation. They went from being hidden by their families to being paraded around which could not have been easy for them.
I agree with your interpretation of America’s desire to distance themselves are far away as they can from the devastation that they created. It is interesting how points of view can change over time as more accounts come out about a topic.
I really enjoyed your artifact, and thought that choosing an episode of a podcast was an interesting choice. However, the artifact was certainly entertaining and you did a good job at making sure the information mentioned in the podcast was related back to the information and topic of your post. Overall, a great post and I liked the use of the podcast.