Unknown to many, a few days ago marked the anniversary of Atomic Warfare. It has become another day on the calender, full of days worth noting. I
believed this day to be the most significant day of our times, so i thought it was worth my time, and money to go be in it.
63 years ago, there was no bell, no siren, just hell.
As people clapped and applauded, a weapon of utter hell was screaming towards them.
Many thought a plane was shot down, and the pilot was ejecting,
Unknown to all that were watching it, unknown to those that dropped it, this would be the most pivotal moment in human history.
600m, above Shima Surgical Clinic at precisley 8:15am
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the devil was again seen on earth and forced upon man.
In around 3 seconds, 70,000 people were killed, and a city was reduced to ashes.
I have just returned from a lightning trip through Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and would like to share some photos of the anniversary, and compare modern
day, to the time of the bombing. Some little known facts not many people know about were learned, so id like to share them with you.
All photos taken are my own images, accept for ones that are black/white and obviously from military records. All images have been reduced to fit ATS
screens, If anyone would like a full size image, feel free to ask.
I will be uploading them to photo bucket and providing links shortly.
I enjoy larger images personally, seeing every nick, crack and scratch on something really shows the truth behind the image.
This is a watch found amongst the ruins. The shockwave from the blast instantly rendered it dead, it’s a very scary reminder of the precise moment
everything stopped dead in its tracks that day.
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The Blast produced a fireball 600m above the ground, roughly 400m in diameter, it levelled Hiroshima in an instant.
Glass bottles were contorted and melted into freakish shapes
Rock and tiles fused with glass
Rice in a lunch box instantly carbonized
And this metal bike was melted like taffy. Imagine if you will, if it can fuse rock and melt metal, what It can do to flesh? What then, happened to
the young child that was sitting on this bike?
The dome, the most identified monument to atomic history stands out amongst this bustling metropolis,
It was situated between the aiming point, ( The T shaped bridge )
and ground zero.
The rubble from the dome has been left untouched and guarded.
You cannot get within arms length to touch it or take it, its surrounded by a laser field alarm system
After the bomb hit, the extreme heat and flames lead the survivors to immediately seek out water.
Many, unaware of their own fatal wounds, struggled across the banks and into the river at the base of the dome
One survivor says,
‘’ the river was so full of bodies, a dam built up, a damn of dead bodies ‘’
These are the shores, to which many Japanese perished
The person closest to the bomb, to survive, was lucky enough to be in the basement, of this building:
Imagine, walking downstairs, hearing something like never before, returning upstairs to find everything you ever knew, in total ruins.
This was an interesting place, its not marked on the maps, or signposted. I knew of the basement and was curious as to where it was. I asked the lady
at a counter, she said
‘’ how do you know of the basement, ‘’
I simply said id read about it
‘She gave me a piece of paper and said I had to sign it, with my details
I assumed by her reaction, it was a insurance policy, saying they weren’t responsible for anything that happens.
This didn’t phase me, neither did the safety helmet she made me wear.
What worried me was when she refused to come down with me, simply saying I had to go down alone, and let her know when I was finished.
Its been preserved in the way it was on that day, there’s cracks in the walls, rusted pipes and its got quite a distinct smell.
After the bomb, survivors who could carry themselves made to makeshift hospitals, like this one located at a school. The survivors wrote notes on the
wall, telling loved ones they were ok, who died and where they’d be.
After years of renovations, builders discovered the writings behind plaster,
Many people who never knew what happened came to these walls in the past 10 years, seeing their loved ones writings… imagine not knowing where you
sister was and never seeing her again, only to learn she was alive on the other side of town being treated.
After the bomb had devastated Hiroshima, something far more evil was about to come to the city.
Survivors laying in masses in makeshift hospitals, on the roads, corpses strewn across streets… begging for water, had their prayers answered.
The heavens opened up, and a downpour occurred.
Little known to the survivors, this water was black rain. Highly radioactive soot and debris coming down to the earth in a cocktail.
Masses poured into the streets to drink the water, being burnt to a crisp and with fire raging, who could blame them.
Those who drank, died a horrible death.
These are photos of a wall covering that kept the memory of black rain
This shirt, worn by a women, was found on her corpse.
She was caught out in the rain
the consequences, of quenching your thirst
After a day of memories, I felt it was time to turn to the main reason I trekked to Hiroshima, the Peace ceremony..
The First thing you encounter, when entering peace park from the TRAM is the obvious nature of this festival
Banners hang everywhere, with the same meaning, NO MORE NUKES, NO MORE WAR!
Flowers line the sideways
and people line the streets
The ceremony was held at 8:00am – 9:00am
At 8:15am, the bells rang. A silence broke out.
Its impossible to close your eyes and replay that day 64 years ago, but everyone tried.
Some cried!
Upon walking laps around the sites, your confronted with petitions, writings, paintings… If you don’t want to, you don’t have to, not a bad word
is said or a look given.
But, I chose to stop at every petition, every offering, every person who approached me to talk
In this particular writing, your asked to give your opinion on the current attempts at abolishing nuclear weapons.
The question, aren’t like other petitions, they make you think.
Will there be peace, if there are no nukes?
Will there every be no nukes?
Will another nuke be used?
I found it hard to be honest.
At night time, the people write messages on lanterns, and float them down the river, symbolic of all the souls that died.
I snapped this picture of a boy, putting in one of the first lanterns,
This continued through until the AM