Film: White Light/Black Rain

1931 Japan in Manchuria

"Make no mistake, we shall completely destroy Japan's ability to make war."

July 16 1945 first atomic bomb tested

Aug 6 & 9 Hiroshima and Nagasaki
pictures suppressed for 25 years

75% of the population were born after '45


reverence for the Emperor looked like worship

Japan considered 2000 years out of date

excitement at the beginning of war

sons began dying, people soon realized Japan couldn't win

"we had nothing, we needed everything"


water kills; too dehydrated
radioactive black rain


Biggest Christian (Catholic) church in Asia

It hurt so much people begged to be killed

"atomic bomb disease"

two kinds of courage
courage to live
courage to die

it was rumered that nothing would grow for 100 years, but plants soon returned

"pika don" name for the bomb
pika don people were untouchables


Catholics aren't allowed suicide

built an airstrip for the Americans
the bones were crushed into dust


1947 Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) to study 100,000 survivors


160,000 additionaly deaths from radiation exposure

examined but not treated

Since Japan started the war they should be responsible for the victims of the bombs.


"Hiroshima Maidens Project"

Television spots in America
Capt. Lewis, of the bombing mission

Many survivors look fine on the outside but suffer the effects of the bombing daily.
In Japan if people find out you're an atomic bomb survivor "nothing good will happen"
discrimination
can't get jobs, marriage leading to deformed children

one woman has had 6 miscarriages
another told she can't have children
another woman has had many turmors including colon cancer, pancreas, thyroid, back
their children will be discriminated against.

(Survivors now receive gov't medical treatment.)

"They're just waiting for us to die. Soon the Japanese gov't won't have to worry about us."

I've shown you my wounds because I want you to know this can't happen again.


US wrote Japanese constitution
No navy. No army. No air force. No weapons production.

"Die in" at the Peace park

Any country that wants to have nuclear weapons will have nuclear weapons.

The pain in our hearts and bodies must end with us.

Now enough nuclear weapons in the world to equal 400,000 Hiroshimas.

Articles [35]

Uganda: Anti-gay minister of ethics and integrity resigns
Posted: 16 March 2011
Source: Afrik News
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