As we all know, Hiroshima has a tragic past, one that we must never forget. These pictures speak for themselves.
These trees were 1800 metres from the hypocentre of the explosion. They were exposed to the same heatblast and radiation as the other surviviors. At the time, people thought it would take over 75 years before life would grow back. These trees began to bloom within a few years, and so they were transplanted here to serve as a reminder of hope for the people at that time.
This is a memorial to one of the survivors. She was only two years old when she was exposed to the radiation, but seemed unharmed. She grew up a healthly girl until she was diagnosed with cancer at age 11. In hospital, she made paper cranes and wanted to make up to 1000, but never got the chance to finish them... To this day, people make paper cranes and offer them as a prayer of peace.
This place doesn't pull any punches. It exposes you to the horror of atomic weapons and the continuing tragedy to this very day.
Okay folks, this post has kind of been a little down. But it was important to share it with you; it's left a permanent impression on me. In an age where we all live behind the comfort of sanctioned TV and radio news reporting, it becomes too easy to forget about the victims of conflict, regardless of the weapons used. Even to this day, have we learnt the lessons of Hiroshima?
