Hiroshima

History

The foundation of Hiroshima

Hiroshima was founded in 1589 on the northern coast of the Inland sea of Seto ( Setonaikai ) by the feudal lord Terumoto Mori. This one built the Château of Hiroshima on largest of the islands which the arms of the river formed Removed-Gawa, from where the name that the city took.

Hiroshima became an urban center of importance during the era Meiji. During the first Sino-Japanese War, Hiroshima became one of the principal logistic bases of the Japanese army. It preserved this function thereafter; at the time of the Second world war, Hiroshima is a strategic center ensuring the terrestrial defense of all the south of Japan as well as an industrial center of first importance.

The first atomic attack of the history

In 1945, the American army had retained four objectives: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kokura and Niigata.

The August 6th 1945 with 2:45 (local time), the bomber B-29 Gay Enola controlled by Paul Tibbets, takes off of the base of Tinian, with on its board a atomic bomb with the Uranium 235 of a yield of 12 kilotons, called Little Boy. The crew is composed of twelve men, including four scientists. Two others B-29 escort it, carrying the scientific instruments intended for the analysis of the explosion.

With 7:09, the air alarm is set off in Hiroshima; an isolated plane is located. It is about the B-29 of meteorological observation Straight Flush . At the same time, two other apparatuses fly over Kokura and Nagasaki for an identical reconnaissance mission. The weather conditions are very good above Hiroshima; the city is selected like target. On the ground, the air raid warning is raised to 7:30. The city was bombarded little during the war and the inhabitants are accustomed to seeing the American bombers flying over their city to go more to north.

The bomb, covered with signatures and insults to the address of the Japanese is armed in flight and is released with 8:15, with nearly 9.000 meters above the city. With 8:16 mn 02 S local time, after 43 seconds of freefall, the bomb explodes with 600 meters of the ground, with the vertical of the Shima hospital located in the middle of the agglomeration.

The explosion, equivalent with that of 15 000 tons of TNT, shaves the city instantaneously. 75 000 people are killed on the blow of which a third of soldiers, the city being inter alia the seat of the 2nd Army, in charge of the defense of the west of Japan, and many arsenals and air bases. In the weeks which follow, more 50 000 additional people die. The full number of deaths remains vague; it is about 250 000. On the 90.000 buildings of the city, 62.000 are completely destroyed.

There did not remain any trace of the inhabitants located at less than 500 meters of the place of the explosion.

With the return, the aviators will see during 500 kilometers mushroom who, in two minutes, reached 10 000 meters of altitude. The Enola Gay lands six hours later with Tinian. Its crew is decorated at once.

After the bomb

Hiroshima was entirely rebuilt after the war. On the initiative of its mayor, Shinzo Hamai, it was proclaimed Cité of Peace by the Japanese Parliament in 1949.

As a testimony, the ruins of the Genbaku Dome, one of the only buildings not to be entirely destroyed by the explosion, were preserved.

The rebuilding of the city integrates a Musée of the Peace, whose buildings were designed by the architect Kenzo Tange. A vast park, the Park of Peace, extends on 12 hectares, near the Hypocentre of the explosion. This park shelters many monuments with the memory of the victims of the bomb. The cenotaph contains the name of all the known victims of the bomb; a flame of peace shines there, intended to remain lit as long as nuclear weapons will exist.

Each year, the August 6th, a commemorative ceremony is organized in the Parc of Peace.

Economy

The city is today one of the principal industrial and harbor centers of the west of the Japan.

The automobile factories Mazda are the ones of the main activities of the city.

Culture

the Musée of Peace gathers many testimonys relating to the bomb: objects, photographs, small-scale models of the city, testimonys of survivors, paintings, etc

the Château of Hiroshima was entirely shaved by the explosion; it was rebuilt with identical (but out of reinforced concrete) in 1958.

the traditional garden Shukkei is in the north of the city.

the famous site of Miyajima is in the vicinity immediate of Hiroshima; the Torii floating of the Temple of Itsukushima is one of the most known sites of Japan.

One of the emblematic culinary specialities of Hiroshima is the Okonomiyaki ; it is about a tasty wafer of noodles to sauce, cooked between two rice crepes.

Twinnings

See too

Internal bonds

Gay Enola
Hiroshima my love (film)
Gen of Hiroshima (manga)
First atomic attack

External bonds

Hiroshima in HistoJapon

In French

the Memorial of Caen proposes a consultable virtual exposure on its Internet site: www.memorial-caen.fr
Why Hiroshima?
To reconsider Hiroshima
true reasons of the destruction of Hiroshima (Le Monde Diplomatic, August 1990)
the man who defied the censure
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
the atomic bombs (Hiroshima, August 6th, 1945 - Nagasaki, August 9th, 1945) Cliotexte.

Testimonys on Hiroshima

Accounts of the days of Hiroshima of Doctor Shuntaro Hida
Futaba Kitayama, atomized with 1.700 meters of the hypocentre in Hiroshima
Hideo Shimpo atomized â 1.300 meters of the hypocentre in Hiroshima
Tomiko Matsumoto atomized with 1.300 meters of the hypocentre in Hiroshima
Ube Makoto atomized with 3 kilometers of the hypocentre in Hiroshima

" Hiroshima-Nagasaki, the war of Pacifique" , R. Oberlé, S. Woelffel, NR. Helped, appeared with Editions Hirlé, 2005, ISBN 2914729405 www.editions-hirle.com

In English

Official site of the town of tourist Hiroshima
Official site of Hiroshima
Museum of the Peace of Hiroshima
University of Hiroshima

Simple: Hiroshima

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