Facets of Hiroshima Dr. Ron Klein

Hiroshima Jogakuin University

Pre-war Nakajima-cho

August 6

o As memorial ceremony?

o As peace festival?

o As local event? national event? international event?

Peace Tower—May, 1946

First anniversary—Aug. 5-6, 1946

A “Peace Restoration Festival”

A “Hiroshima Citizens' Rally” for the Restoration of Peace was held on August 5 at what had previously been the Gokoku Shrine. Exactly at 8:15 on August 6, sirens were sounded all over the city. Streetcars, buses and people all stopped moving and those in offices stood, leaving their pens and abacuses on their desks, and paid silent tribute to the victims for one minute.

First anniversary-1946

Second Anniversary—Aug. 6, 1947

April, 1947 - First Post-War Election: Shinso Hamai was elected mayor by popular vote.

Mayor Hamai established the Hiroshima Peace Festival Association (Mayor’s Office, Chamber of Commerce, NHK Hiroshima) and decided to hold a Peace Festival on August 6 every year to demonstrate the “Spirit of Hiroshima.”

(The generic name of this ceremony had been the 'Peace Memorial Ceremony' since 1965. However, its name was changed to the 'Ceremony to Pray for Peace' in 1968 and again to the 'Peace Memorial Ceremony' in 1975.

Second Anniversary—Aug. 6, 1947

City declared August 6 declared an official holiday

Two main events: 1) Peace Ceremony and Memorial Service 2) Peace Festival plus side-events

Mayor rang Peace Bell brought from Etajima Naval Academy and read Peace Declaration

Camphor trees planted; doves released

Peace Festival sponsored costume parade, floats, stages for song and dance (Chamber of Commerce wanted a festive atmosphere to revive economy)

Mayor Hamai reads Peace Declaration

Note from Gen. MacArthur Aug 6, 1947

“The atomic bomb has given a new meaning to war. The suffering of Hiroshima serves as a warning to all people everywhere. That is to say, a warning that the ability to harness the power of nature for war will quickly develop until we have the power to annihilate humankind and destroy all its structures. Please God, do not let us ignore this warning.”

Emperor Showa Visits Hiroshima December, 1947

Third anniversary—Aug. 6, 1948

Mayor Hamai’s Peace Declaration: 'We pray in sincerity that there may never be another Hiroshima in any part of the world,” written on the Peace Tower in huge letters.