Comments from University Students
These comments are from university students who participated in a Peace Seminar in 2018 and used the HIROSHIMA SPEAKS OUT website to further their peace education. The comments have been posted with their permission. (anonymity with their initials)
M.N
- I’m a junior in Hiroshima Jogakuin University and have been taking a class which learns about history of Hiroshima. I found this site and read the article, civilization of Love. It was really interesting, and I totally agree with his idea. The more I learn about nuclear power, the more I feel how much important create the world not to depend on nuclear powers. Of course, I feel that how important that young generations inherit these tragedies to the next generation not to happen it again. Our power may be weak to change the world, but it is not zero. I take actions in Hiroshima what I can from now on.
- I read a message for the 21 century. I’m the section, I read an story of hibakusha. She said that 90% of her school student was killed by A-bomb. She must be injured not only physically but also mentally. I can only imagine what happened on August 6th, 1945, but I believe these stories have powerful message compared to the data about A-bomb. That’s why we have responsibilities to inherit them to the next generation. From people’s experiences, we can learn how terrible A-bomb was and take actions not to happen again. There are many things what we have to learn about A-bomb and WW2. I never stop studying them. Of course, I want to spread this tragedy to the world to make the peace world together.
H.S
- I found this website very interesting and informative. The personal stories are a haunting but important piece of history that need to be preserved before they go away forever. Americans are taught very little about the Japanese bombings, let alone the dangers of nuclear energy, so having so much information in place is very useful. I wish that American students were made to study websites like this in the same way they cover other atrocities committed during WWII. Keep up the good work.
M.Y
- I read an article of Shining Hope for Tomorrow. I was impressed that the way that Mariko Ito think for the war and peace. In order to tell the truth of the atomic and war fact, it tends to the sadness expression. Moreover, as they mention that the pictures gives us the information with the heartful tach. It has quite difference to tell the facts just attach the photos, not the heartful pictures. In terms of, I impressed it shows the bright future of Hiroshima.
- I read an article of A-bomb victims” drawings. Firstable, I surprised that the number of citizens who draws the pictures. I felt each picture has own its features such as color. Even people saw the same thing, people have different perspective and feeling on that. it would reflect these pictures. In, addition, we are not experience the atomic bomb, therefore we could not image the real situation at that time. Moreover, the picture which the survivor depicts help to learn and understand about the atomic bomb.
C.N
- As living in Hiroshima, I have learned Atomic Bomb since the day I was in a primary school. However, I cannot imagine exactly what those who actually saw the scene, and I think mostly no one knows what it exactly was. That’s why I think we need to keep learning and listening to the survivors. Especially, there are a lot of people who don’t know this happening, even adults, in other prefecture. I’m going to think deeply about atomic bomb through this course.
T.K
- This website remind how cruel fighting with weapons is. I could not see any drawings on the page on this website, yet I have seen drawings at the peace memorial museum before. I have asked how I think about the atomic bomb by troops from Iwakuni base, it was hard question for me to answer. Perhaps some people say it was inappropriate question to ask me, but I saw their faces were serious and I realized they were not making fun of me or they were trying to put me down. It made me think people did not have to fight and it was no one’s fault, but Japanese government at the time made a wrong choice to keep to not stop fighting and keep their war going. I am not a hibakusha, nor I was not born yet at the time. Yet I think I have to learn what happened, in order to tell about that to next generation. If I knew about it more than I know now, I could have talked with the troops more and we could have given more opinions based on what it really happened.
R.N
- I read Floating Lantern. A lot of people died because of A-bomb. I did not know 2000 students and 200 teachers of National Elementary School. This story was written the sadness who lost their child and desperation that they were robbed their dreams by A-bomb. I really felt angry. So many innocent people died. War was caused by the political conflict. Why did innocent citizens need to die? Some people said to drop A-bomb is right to end the war. However, I cannot allow killing so many innocent people. They have loved one and dreams. Is it ok to kill innocent people to stop the war? I do not think so. And also there are many sad stories and many people know the fact that A-bomb is terrible. However, there are still 9 countries which have nuclear weapons. Many innocent people still threaten by fears of nuclear weapons. We should not repeat the mistake. Now is the time. We should not waste many people’s death.
A.M
- I was born and raised in Hiroshima and studied about the atomic bomb at the school. However, I felt strongly that I do not know anything about the atomic bomb and I was very embarrassed as a person in Hiroshima. I read the survivor’s note and learned that the normal life of people in Hiroshima was destroyed with one bomb, how many people died, and how bereaved family grieved and suffered. After the bomb dropped, the figure of searching their family and the misery of the town came into my head as it is real. Just thinking about it made me shudder. Because of the adult’s political conflict, innocent people die and their family suffers. Even if they survive, they will continue to carry sorrow. I cannot believe that such a thing happened. Until now I have seen videos, pictures and heard some stories, but I felt miserable that I was just learning not learning by heart. And also at the same time, I thought that I should know more. It has been over 70 years since the atomic bomb, but I thought that it was important to tell this disastrous event to posterity and let everyone know more. And I strongly felt that the world should be a peaceful place without war and weapons.