Memories of War
On August 6 and 9, 1945, 63 years ago, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were attacked with nuclear weapons. "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
Many of us were not alive yet, but on those two days 220,000 people were killed, most of them vaporized within minutes. Over the years thousands more have died in the region due to radiation and exposure.
Keiji Nakazawa, who was 6 years old at the time, is one of the few survivors from the attacks. He went on to create Hadashi no Gen (Barefoot Gen), a manga (comic book series) about his memories. It became hugely popular and was adapted into three live action films.
His work becomes ever more pertinent today as we move to an age where nuclear weapons are considered safety nets and touted as weapons of peace.
Most of us in India have not seen real war so it becomes easy to show off our nuclear arsenal and rejoice in it as our politicians happily peddle the peace sign after conducting nuclear tests. Weapons of peace, they are certainly to them.
Picture from the 1998 Pokhran Nuclear Test Celebrations. From the left: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defense Minister George Fernandes, President of India Abdul Kalam, Dr. R. Chidambaram and I can't recognize the other cronies!
While these clueless septuagenarians conk off one by one, perhaps the younger generation can learn something from Nakazawa who knows what he's talking about. We need better role models and I'll take the manga Barefoot Gen any day over our monstrous leaders.
Here's Nakazawa's animated series in nine episodes: [Click on any thumbnail to view the episode]
Below are some more drawings from the memories of other survivors. These are from the horrifying HBO documentary White Light, Black Rain: The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which is also highly recommended.
Those who support India's nuclear arsenal, should reconsider their "nationalism". Is it really in India's national interest not to be a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty? We share that dark distinction only with Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Is it really even sensible to keep nuclear weapons? If India were to become the first country to call for a voluntary disarmament program, beginning with herself, now that would make us proud. It might sound far fetched, but if there is enough political will behind the idea it can be done. Especially at a time when we enter into an agreement with the IAEA.
And yeah... Happy Independence day. Use it freely and intelligently.
