This year marks the 80th memorialization since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Here is how Seattle honored it.
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred on Aug. 6, 1945 and Aug. 9, 1945, resulting in thousands of lives lost. American President Harry S. Truman made the decision to use nuclear warfare for the first time in global history when faced with noncompliance from Japan. Events like the invasions of China, Manchuria, and parts of Indochina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Okinawa could explain the rising tensions between the U.S. and Japan during this time.
When assuming the presidency after President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death on April 12, 1945, President Truman was under immense pressure, which eventually led to his decision to drop the products of the Manhattan Project: “Little Boy” on Hiroshima and “Fat Man” on Nagasaki.
Approximately 140,000 people died in Hiroshima, and 70,000 died in Nagasaki. While many died in the blast, many more passed away due to the radiation’s effect. Along these passings, many survived with physical and emotional scars that still remain after eight decades.
Eastern Washington was the origin of one of the destructive atomic bombs used on Japan. Hanford, a neighborhood northwest of Richland, was responsible for hosting the Hanford Site, a now-inactive nuclear plant that hosted the Manhattan Project, fueling Fat Man.
Hanford was the perfect location for atomic weaponry. It was rural and far from busy cities and it had great transportation. Additionally, the Columbia River was needed to cool nuclear reactors and as a hydropower for the site. It was thanks to this small community neighboring the Tri-Cities that America could celebrate its questionable victory.
In addition, Seattle is home to thousands of Japanese Americans and natives. Seattle’s Japanese population established itself around the 1900s, soon becoming one of the largest minority groups in the city by 1930. Approximately 7,000 Japanese citizens resided in Seattle. However, by the wartime era, Japanese citizens faced significant racism and xenophobia created by fear regarding national security after Pearl Harbor, which led to the expulsion of Japanese citizens across the West Coast into internment camps.
This year, Seattle residents paid respect in numerous ways. From Hiroshima to Hope was hosted at Green Lake last Wednesday to honor the victims and hope for a better future. The organization aims to “commemorate the victims of the atomic bombings” and “educate for peace, non-violent conflict resolution and nuclear disarmament”. They fulfill their mission by hosting their annual outdoor event on Aug. 6, bringing the community together. This year, they had music, poetry and a lantern-floating ceremony on the lake.
Furthermore, a pilgrimage has been pursued by the Catholic Church of the United States from Aug. 4-11, which visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Bishop Paul Etienne of Seattle was in attendance.
“As someone who grew up in Hiroshima, the exhibit holds special significance for me,” says Anne Matsumoto Stewart, advisor for the Japanese Culture Exchange Club (JCEClub) at Bellevue College.
This year, the JCEClub attended an exhibition, hosted by advocacy organization Nuclear Weapons Awareness, where they had 32 educational panels of images and data from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum about the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings.
“We realized what a rare and meaningful opportunity it was to share this history with our campus community and the public,” Stewart continues.
The club also announced a collaborative exhibition with Nuclear Weapons Awareness and the Hiroshima Peace Museum this October during Japan Week. “Through these exhibitions, we aim to honor the memory of those affected by the bombings and encourage conversations about peace,” stated Bharat Biju, JCEClub Co-President.
Through future generations, the effect of the war still remains. “[My mother] was in her early teens during the war. One day, she took a bus from Kure [City] to Hiroshima … On the way, the bus got a flat tire. The driver tried to fix it but didn’t have a spare, so he apologized and told passengers they could walk 20 minutes to the train station to continue their trip to Hiroshima. Many of them did. But because it was a hot day, my mother decided to cross the street and return home instead.” Stewart said, recalling her mother’s story. “That decision saved her life,” she stated.
It is memorials like these that need to continue to honor stories like Stewart’s. It is important to have conversations about these historical events so those affected are remembered and empathy is fostered. “Personally, helping organize these events helped me gain a greater understanding of the atomic bombings in a way that school never really taught,” Biju expresses.
But unfortunately, the issue of atomic weaponry persists. “Japan is the only country in the world to have experienced atomic bombings in two cities. Though it happened 80 years ago, nuclear weapons are still an ongoing global concern,” Stewart reminds.
“I hope that others, too, through our work on Japan Week, will leave with a renewed awareness and be able to learn more and reflect on the cost of the bombing,” wishes Biju.
Both Stewart and Biju express hope to educate others about the tragedy and encourage meaningful conversation.
