As an American, I never gave much thought to the bomb that ended the war. I knew it had destroyed a city, but I never truly appreciated the thousands of lives lost in an instant. Even though the reasoning for dropping the bomb is sound, it does not begin to take away from the sadness of losing a city and its inhabitants.
The atomic bomb dome -- one of the few remaining buildings that survived the blast.
The museum in Hiroshima captures the emotions impossible to express. Children stand unrecognizable, illuminated by a red glow as their skin drips from their bodies. Shadows of vaporized beings still cling to walls, forever imprinted there by the heat and ash of the bomb. But amidst the rubble and fiery remains of a once powerful and prosperous city, a new feeling glimmers. Hope.
A sickly and bedridden child named Sadako once believed that folding 1000 paper cranes would grant her one wish – the wish to live. Sadako continued to meticulously fold cranes up until the day she died. Though the cranes hadn't been enough to save one girl, it was enough to inspire a nation. Sadako's struggle against death proved that all was not lost. A professor invited many children to document their own experiences, allowing hope to echo through their revelations. Many would go on to prosper and thrive.
The kids learn to fold a paper crane.
Today, Hiroshima is a bustling city filled with many people. Sadness still lurks deep in the hearts of many, however with the help of stories like Sadako's, it is possible to move on. Japan, the once blood-thirsty and war-loving nation, was sobered by the devastating attack on the city. They have not entered a war since. Many monuments stand tall, honoring those lost on that fateful day. Together, many come to lay paper cranes by these memorials, to show that love, and peace, and hope is the answer.
Excellent essay!
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