Hiroshima (film)
"Hiroshima" is a poignant account detailing the experiences of six survivors—five Japanese and one German—following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The narrative unfolds in four initial parts, portraying the immediate aftermath of the explosion and the subsequent months in the lives of these individuals, who embody a diverse cross-section of the city's population. The film employs a cinematic storytelling technique, weaving together the distinct yet interconnected experiences of the survivors.
In 1985, a fifth section titled "The Aftermath" was added, reflecting on the long-term impacts on the survivors. This includes a Japanese minister working to aid other victims, a destitute widow suffering from radiation sickness, and a wounded doctor who later opened a clinic for American personnel. The narrative illustrates profound themes of resilience, compassion, and the complex emotional landscape shaped by the tragedy of nuclear warfare. "Hiroshima" has garnered significant attention and continues to be in print, contributing to discussions about the moral implications of nuclear weapons and the human cost of war. Through its respectful and sensitive portrayal of these survivors, the film invites viewers to reflect on the profound impacts of the atomic bomb on individuals and society.
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Hiroshima (film)
Identification Partly fictionalized account of six survivors of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
Author John Hersey (1914-1993)
Date Published in 1946
Although not the first account to inform Americans of human suffering caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, this novel was the first to cause readers to identify on a personal level with victims.
Hiroshima is the account of six people—five Japanese and one German—who survived the dropping of the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on the morning of August 6, 1945. Originally comprising four parts, the narrative follows the lives of the six people from the moment the bomb explodes to a period several months later. Using a panoramic technique evocative of cinematic methods, the original narrative moves back and forth among these survivors, who represent a broad cross-section of Hiroshima’s inhabitants.
In 1985, Hersey added a fifth section, “The Aftermath,” for an edition commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the bomb to summarize what became of the six survivors. These include a Japanese minister who had many American friends countering suspicion of his loyalty by working tirelessly to help other victims. After his radiation sickness subsided, he toured the United States to raise money for a church and a World Peace Center. A widow who freed herself and her children from her collapsed house suffered from radiation sickness and became destitute. A severely wounded doctor later opened a clinic where he treated and befriended many American occupation personnel. The German priest, Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge, suffered from the strain of being a foreigner and was rescued by a Japanese woman, an act that moved him to tears. A doctor who worked for days with only one hour of sleep learned the importance of compassion. A severely wounded worker lost her family; her fiancé broke their engagement when she became a hibakusha, one with radiation sickness. As a nun, she helped the elderly die peacefully.
Impact
As an article in The New Yorker, “Hiroshima” was given most of the space in the magazine. Read on radio, it was also a complementary selection for the Book-of-the-Month Club membership. Many people believe the book awakened a dread of, and guilt about, nuclear warfare. The book has remained in print continuously since its first publication.
Bibliography
Bataille, Georges. “Concerning the Accounts Given by the Residents of Hiroshima.” In Trauma: Explorations in Memory, edited by Cathy Caruth. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995.
Sanders, David. John Hersey Revisited. New York: Twayne, 1991.
Sharp, Patrick B. “From Yellow Peril to Japanese Wasteland: John Hersey’s Hiroshima.” Twentieth Century Literature 46, no. 4 (2000): 434-452.