Previous Trips - A Tripper's Report

Pacific Venture August 2001

Hiroshima Peace Park - Day 12 . . . by Katherine Blamire

...I had spent time at college studying the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it seemed unreal that I would soon be acutally standing in the city which around 60 years ago was completely devasted by the horrific weapon. When we got off the train, Hiroshima seemed like any other city, built up and with busy roads. However whilst travelling on the coach I noticed a monument covered with paper cranes. I later learnt that this was the spot where the explosion occurred.

I found walking around the Peace Memorial Museum extremely emotional. It is hard to comprehend the massive loss of life which took place in a few moments....From the museum we made our way back to the memorial to Sadako Sassaki, a young girl who died from leukaemia as a result of the atomic bomb. We laid our cranes among the hundreds of others as a sign of peace. Some members of the Pacific Venture group had told me that their grandfathers believe they would not be alive if the bomb had not been dropped and there are many other justications for its use which can be suggested. However, leaving the Peace Park, despite my confusions over these issues, I felt I had learnt one important fact: war will always cause death and suffering to ordinary people. This idea is embodied in the museum exhibits such as a charred lunch box owned by a girl of my age.

Laying down my contribution of cranes I realised the real reason why I was in Japan. I understood fully the importance of building friendships which can cross cultural boundaries. If we fail to make a real effort to build bridges and if history is repeated we will all be to blame!

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