Hiroshima

Japan, Hiroshima, August 6, 19451

“Mama, can I go play?”2

“Yes, Sahshou Bouya, go have fun.” Sashou Bouya ran to the jungle gym eager to play. 3

Sanshou Bouya’s mother gazed fondly of her child from the park bench as he played. For once, after a long time, she smiled. Even though war had taken her husband, taken her hopes and dreams, taken her life, she could still smile. Life couldn’t be more surreal for her at that moment; but as long as she had her son, she was happy.4

“Mama, look; hoshi!” Sahshou Bouya pointed towards the sky.5

She looked up in confusion to see a bright ball of light. The park, full of movement and life, was now still; like the silence before a storm. Everyone looked towards the sky and with one shattering boom the ball of light spread across the sky engulfing everything in a blazing inferno, including Sahshou Bouya a 5 year-old boy, and his mother.6

In Hiroshima, Japan, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am a nuclear bomb, ironically named “Little Boy”, exploded above the city, and killed over 70,000 people. At the time Japan was at peace, and Three days later America sent another nuclear bomb towards Nagasaki. The whole world was stunned by the destructive force of the nuclear bomb. Of all that existed in Hiroshima, all that stood after the bomb was one building, that building today is called Genbaku Dome. This dome is a humble reminder to how destructive mankind can be, and is a symbol for hope, that all nuclear weapons will one day be removed from the face of the earth.7