As the monster Gojira came lumbering over the buildings of Tokyo on the big screen in 1954, director Ishiro Honda saw his dream of seeing a film focused on the devastation of nuclear weapons play out. Although, his film could not clearly be about the devastation, his symbolism of the monster as the atomic bomb was clear to all Japanese, even if it was not clear to foreigners viewing the film. The film, Gojira, and its many reiterations over the years, is a result of the atomic attacks that took place almost a decade previous, the following occupation and continued use of nuclear weapons by the United States, the lingering anxieties had towards these nuclear weapons and the censorship that encased Japan after the United States occupation. As …show more content…
Both these events rocked the country and its citizens, leaving many with lingering anxieties over the threat of atomic bombs. These anxieties were not helped by the United States continued use and testing of these weapons in Japan. Just a couple years before the film was released, the United States dropped their first H-bomb on a small Japanese island. Additionally, in 1954 the United States dropped another H-bomb, that exposed a boat, Daigo Fukuryū Maru, and its crew to high amounts of radiation. (Noriega 1987:65) This disaster is shown in the opening scene of Gojira, a scene that would be recognizable to all Japanese watching the film. Honda, like many Japanese shared these anxieties over the devastation of atomic weapons, but he recognized that he could not make a film explicitly about these weapons. (also about the guilt of americans by showing tis scene.)This was due to the censorship laws under the occupation. This censorship did not allow media to criticize the United States, (Rosenfeld 2002:86) and if Honda had explicitly made a film of the aftermath of the United States attack on Japan, it would be a criticism. There was no outlet for these concerns because this, which lingered even after they left the country, hence why Honda posed the atomic threat as a monster in his
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a turning point in WWII. They led to the surrender of the Japanese and the victory to the Allies. The day that the Japanese surrendered will forever be remembered. However, the destruction and casualties in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki cannot be forgotten. Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced massive destruction, and it led to years of disease and misery for the Japanese people following the war. After WWII and the creation of the atomic bomb, the world lived in fear of a nuclear attack ("The Atomic Bombings"). George Orwell’s 1984 references to the atomic bomb and to the society and life after WWII. Nevertheless, one must fully know and understand the bombings and the destruction
Have you ever questioned why and how the US government decided to drop those two nuclear bombs in Japan in the World War II? It is still a universal concern while many disapproval have made toward its humanity. In a book that I’ve read recently, from the point of view of an eyewitness, Yamaoka Michiko, the author of story “Eight hundred meters from the Hypocenter”, shows how humanity was exchanged with the ambition of a nation by reviving a heartbroken experience when she witnessed her hometown was destroyed by such a terrific violence in the war.
The filmmakers’ main ideas are that the government misled and lied to the people of the U.S. so that they would believe that the atomic bomb would have no effect on their health and security, that we should question if the government should have lied to the American people, and to make us question whether or not the citizens of the U.S. would continue to be as naive as the people of the 1950’s.
In 1945, two atomic bombs were dropped over Japan on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and a detrimental impact on the environment.
After victory in Europe and defeating the Third Reich Nazis, World War II was not yet over. Japan was still a threat, their persistence and ability to fight really annoyed America. As a propaganda poster from World War II exclaimed, “Shall we let him get away with it,” (Document B). The United States needed to punish Japan for attacking American territories such Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and Wake Island. Dropping the bombs would send a message
When the Soviet Union came into possession of a nuclear bomb, the realization that the horrific aftermath, much like the one in Hiroshima, could happen in America struck fear into Americans.
They came, unwarned. On the 7th of December 1941, the Japanese executed a full-fledged attack on Pearl Harbor. They mercilessly created havoc, with attacks that caused the sinking of eighteen American ships, as well as 170 aircrafts. The casualties were dreadful, with 1,177 of those lost lives had been of the crewmen. The very next day, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan, and thus the United States’ involvement of World War II. Americans of every state were absolutely enraged and bent on their will for vengeance against the Asian country. Within the shadows of galvanized America, Robert Oppenheimer had set his infamous Manhattan Project into action. This project was so disclosed that only a limited number of men truly knew of its purpose. The clandestine project held prior securities to the point in which famous scientists had to use codenames in order to visit Los Alamos, even wives were kept in the dark, and only key scientists could bring their wives along with them. (Source D) This project had been the discreet creation of the Atomic Bombs. Time and time again, this topic had never really dissipated, its controversial who, what and whys prompting generations to debate its palpable purpose. Was the aim really focused for the “good of all?” Was it for America’s self-preservation and wish to promptly put an end to all of the suffering? Many Americans to this day still believe and argue for the usefulness of the atomic bombings, that the droppings were justified.
“We have to protect our Earth, so our children and grandchildren will never suffer like that,’ she said. And she looked ahead. ‘Maybe nuclear weapons won’t be abolished while I’m alive,’ she said. ‘But I will never give up.” (Hanley, NBC News). August 6, 1945 at 8:16 in the morning, the United States dropped the world's first atomic bomb on thousands of unsuspecting people in Hiroshima, Japan. Not only did this catastrophic event kill thousands of civilians, but it also resulted in other nations obtaining and learning how to create these deadly weapons, weapons that we still have today. In the book Hiroshima by John Hersey he gives readers a new look at that day, through the eyes of six victims who survived the horrific attack on Hiroshima, he shows how the entire city of Hiroshima suffered, and were left alone to fend for themselves.The book Hiroshima by John Hersey, sheds light on the immense dangers of nuclear warfare, and the government's responsibility for its people, affected by a war they aren’t fighting in.
In 1945, World War Two was coming to an end. Following Adolf Hitler’s suicide, and Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945, the war in Europe was finally over. The allies began began postwar planning for future, as well as establishment of post-war order and peace treaties issues. America’s war wasn’t done yet as they were still fighting Japan, eventually pushing them back to their main island. The Japanese’ plans of defending themselves was a group of final decisive battles on the Japanese mainland utilizing all people in Japan to fight to death against the Americans. Fearing costly land battles,
On August 6th, 1945, the Japanese woke up to their hometowns and country filled with flames and radioactive material. This event changed warfare as we know it, and will forever have an effect on the Japanese and American culture. These two bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man, killed thousands of people and in total, took a huge toll on the world then and today.
In World War II, Japan has been one of the biggest threat to the Allies. As the war goes on, the atomic bomb has been discovered and the U.S decided to bomb it surprisingly in Hiroshima, Japan, that had been one of Japan’s largest cities during late 1600’s. It became a horrible situation to the people who got bomb on August 6, 1945. America stated that they have a lot of reasons on why did they dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, like to save more of their people and lessen their casualties, to make Japan surrender as quickly as possible and according to President Truman, the main reason of it was to end World War II. Others were not convinced with their reasons and said that the bomb has been dropped on Hiroshima because America wanted to see how
Atomic bombs can hurt about 100,000 people. They can get burns, radiation sickness, or even die from just one drop of this bomb. America and Japan have fought for four years, and Japan wouldn’t surrender. To make them surrender, America’s scientists created an atomic bomb, and dropped it onto Japan, and they finally surrendered. This nuclear weapon was needed to end war. The bombs did stop war and ended the rivalry between the two countries. Although, the bombs would pass along to other nations, ruin America’s reputation, and it affected a lot of people.
Hiroshima is an outstanding recreation of the complete annihilation and devastation of during the aftermath and the year following the United States’ dropping of the atomic bomb. As the war in the east carried on, many thought this desolated war might last a lifetime, all the while hoping for an end and praying it not mean their own end. To end the war, Americans had to pick a target that would leave the Japanese government with nowhere to retreat, allowing for a crippling effect that would essentially cause their collapse and surrender. In his writings, John Hersey proclaims that Hiroshima was a “… inviting target - mainly because it had been one of the most important military command and communications centres in Japan …” (HERSEY, P. 107). In the minds of American strategists, this must have seemed a flawless method to force the Japanese military into a corner, not allowing withdrawal without laying down of arms. There was surely no doubt that dropping this bomb of god-like destructive power would, at a minimum, tear into the souls of Japanese, causing catastrophic devastation.
After the Japanese dropped the bomb on Pearl Harbor, the United States took serious offense to it. The Americans dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki because of them dropping the bomb on Pearl Harbor. America dropped the bomb because President Harry Truman commanded that if the Japanese made any attack on us, we would attack them. This bomb badly affected Japan. At least 140,000 Japanese people died, including 20,000 soldiers by December of 1945. At least 90% of the deceased were killed within two weeks of the bomb being dropped. 92% of 76,000 buildings were destroyed. (“Hiroshima Committee”)
From the Japanese standpoint, their destiny began with two planes (pika) and an extraordinary sound (don). This great massacre killed millions but for those who survived, it left a traumatizing memory.9 “The foremost characteristic of the physical damages caused by the Nagasaki atomic bombing was the tremendous, instantaneous destruction wreaked by the blast wind and the subsequent fires”.10 According to researchers, it is claimed to be that the Japanese suffer from historical amnesia. They find it ultimately impossible to confront their past that would in turn bring back their horrifying memories caused by the atomic bomb.11 The Japanese are trying to come to some kind of understanding as to why the Americans allowed this bombing to occur. Some think it is nothing less than a war crime. The truth of the matter is that the bomb