I have been a student of nuclear science for some time; I know a great deal of the nature of the atom, and what it can be used for...to read a site such as this one puts such a solemn turn on what I do. I dont know what to say, except offer a feeble apolody to all those that have suffered at the hands of science's inventions, turned to war.

More memoirs like this should be available, and they should be made available outside Japan. Being the only country that has had victims that have survived, their story is needed to fend off any future repitition of this sad event.

I know this message is probably useless, with mr Terao having already passed on, but I could not go by without comment...I cry for all of us now, not just myself.

Paul Standley

What scares myself and other today is the continual spread of countries incorporating the development of nuclear arms. Some think peace will be enivitable if all countries have these bombs, but I think we are doomed for destruction. It is in our nature to destroy as human beings.

I know I could never use such weapons, yet my country did. I would give my life before destroy someone elses with such a weapon. I wish we could forsee the great mistakes we eventually make. Peace,

Brian Boozer

I was born and bred in Tokyo. I have been aware of A-bomb since I attained the age of discretion. This is because my parents were involved in an antiwar movement (although they did a little), and through their activities I got acquainted with the Marukis, a close family of my relative's. Another reason was I was born in August 9, the same date 19 years later, when Nagasaki was A-bombed. I have been looking for web sites on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By a curious coincidence, I am reading the Terao Memoir today August 6, Hiroshima Day.

There is no other documents that grasps so tightly my heart than the plain record of an actual victim.
When I walked out of Hiroshima A-bomb Museum, I couldn't find proper words to express my feelings to my friend nearby and I had to hold my tongue. When I visited Nagasaki, I couldn't understand why tear ran down on my face without any reasons. It is hard to express my feelings, but if asked, it could have been a sense of incompetence against unreasonable things.
I can feel sympathy for some of responses in your web site (although I haven't read it through.)

When I was taken to Maruki Museum in my childhood, I first saw "Picture of A-bomb." I remember I felt so terrible and cried in terror. At that time, I reflexively refused to gaze the picture, but later I understood that I "must" look at it.
Since then, I have been trying to make it a rule to keep my eyes directly on the documents on Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and general information on World War 2.

I soon came up to a question in my mind, "Why such a thing (A-bombing) took place?" I visited Independence Hall in Korea, prior to my actual visit to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in order to understand what Japanese militarism did in mainland Asia. Coincidentally, I got on the same bus with visitors from Hiroshima. It was a surprise for me.

I think the tragedies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the parts of result of technology development. As I am an engineer in a manufacturing firm, I would like to hold a sort of ethics in my mind. I think the Internet is a part of technology development as well. It is very useful to hand down or spread information the actual experience of war or exposure to A-bomb. Most young people around me, including my generation, look like to think they don’t want all the way to turn their faces to the tragedy in the past.
We must, however, look at it, don’t we?

My father also had once fought in the front line during Pacific War. I tried to ask him to speak out his experience, but haven’t done it yet until today. The Terao Memoir and responses have encouraged me to begin to talk it to my father. I would like to try again when we two drink together (I am not sure if I can, though.)

I weep: I was born
on the sixth day of August
nineteen fifty five.

Hiroshima mourns
the cost of innocence lost.
The world remembers.


Mike and Maya

This is the first time I have ever read a first hand account of the attack. More precisely, a first hand account posted from someone who was on the ground. As an American, who was not born until 1964, I am utterly ashamed of the actions that were taken over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As you stated, most everyone had been conscripted into the army. I ask myself, "Who could have remained that would make these two cities military targets?"

I cannot begin to imagine what you endured, or what you lost, that day. I would urge you to tell your account every chance you get to anyone who will listen. I have grown up with nuclear weapons as a fact of life. One can become complacent, until one reads an account like this.

A world free of these weapons is more important to me now that I have children of my own. I took the liberty of printing your account so that they may read it.

Unfortunately, I am afraid that until we can convince our Chinese and North Korean friends that it is a waste to build a weapon that dare not be used, we will have to maintain a deterrent to the unthinkable.

I would say to these states that being the only country to ever use a nuclear weapon against living people, is not a part of our history that we are remotely proud of.

Thank you again for your words,

Russ Kress
Charleston, West Virginia
United States

I am an American born 3 years after the bombings. I first became aware of Hiroshima through reading John Hersey's book "Hiroshima" when I was about 12 years old. It had a very great impact on my for my whole life. I remember two a book of prints or paintings of the aftermath of the bomb. These personal rememberances are so very important to retain and communicate if we are to prevent this happening again.

Best regards to all involved.

Yolanda Ortega

I first heard stories from survivors living in this country (the USA) who gave details of the horror they live with each day searching their bodies each morning upon rising looking for the slightest sign of deterioration which would signal the onset of radiation illness; they are afraid their skin will begin to be eaten away, which of course would ultimately kill them.

They worry about this happening to them every day. It was so painful and terrifying to hear them tell about their fears. I heard these stories from witnesses at court trials for protestestors arrested in civil disobedience against the manufacture and transport of nuclear bombs. The Japanese victims were presented to tell their stories to expose the horror and threat of nuclear weapons. Of course, the judge refused to consider their testimony as relevant. The judge would say that it did not matter WHY the protestor was protesting, but only whether WHAT they did was in violation of the law or not. This is not justice; this is JUST US.

Though it is but a small gesture for such a vast and horrible experience, I also want to send my sincere apologies as a US citizen for the unspeakable devastation and continuing pain and suffering that "my" government and its unbridled military power have waged against your country and its people.

To this day, the US government uses the threat of nuclear proliferation to wage ideological battles against countries that aren't playing by the US's rules, and the people here too often buy this propaganda. But, it is the US that created the nuclear bomb, the only country that has dropped not one but TWO, and has basically built an international policy on continued development of, construction of, and threats to use again "weapons of mass destruction" (their own euphemism)! The citizens of the US have to recognize OUR responsibility for confronting our own government and military on the manufacture and threats to use these weapons.

The news report that linked your site was regarding the sale of earrings at the US National Atomic Museum in New Mexico in the image of the two bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki...to acknowledge (they say) the work of the scientists who developed those bombs to save American lives! As soon as I finish this message, I am going to send an email of protest to the museum, Lockheed Martin who is affiliated with the museum, as well as the US Department of Energy which is also involved with the museum. They have already received protests from your country; I want to add my own voice.

Thank you again for our website. I will direct others from my country to it to read. I will live with the sorrow and pain I feel at this moment from reading it for a very long time.

And in honor of Mr. Terao, I echo his plea NEVER AGAIN!

Roxann Daily
Oakland, California