Harrowing Accounts from Hiroshima Survivors

Smithsonian Channel
20 Aug 201504:24

Summary

TLDRThe harrowing script depicts the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Survivors, their bodies burned and disfigured, wander through a city reduced to ruins. Yashi, a witness, describes the ghostly procession of injured, with one soldier revealing a 'new type of bomb.' Amidst the chaos, a local photographer documents the devastation, while a young boy is saved from his burning school. Yashi, in shock, communicates the city's annihilation to regional headquarters, highlighting the introduction of nuclear warfare.

Takeaways

  • πŸŒ‘ The script describes a scene of extreme darkness caused by smoke and dust, creating a mushroom cloud.
  • πŸ‘» It mentions ghostly figures of people who appear unrecognizable due to severe burns and injuries.
  • πŸ”₯ Survivors are depicted with hair standing up, bodies burned and swollen, and missing parts.
  • 🏭 The city is in ruins, with a soldier on the ground suffering from burns, indicating a catastrophic event.
  • πŸ“Έ A local photographer finds people trying to treat their wounds with cooking oil on the morning of August 6th.
  • πŸ‘Ά A 7-year-old boy, Tekashi Tanori, is rescued from the ruins of his school by a soldier.
  • πŸ—£οΈ A man, unrecognizable due to burns, pleads for water amidst the chaos.
  • πŸš‹ Tetsushi Yanazawa and his mother survive near Ground Zero, shielded in a crowded tram, while others around them are killed.
  • πŸ“ž Yashi AA, upon returning to her post, manages to find a working phone to communicate the devastation in Hiroshima.
  • πŸ’₯ The communication officer struggles to convey the scale of the disaster, mentioning a 'new type of bomb'.

Q & A

  • What is the description of the scene immediately after the explosion as described in the script?

    -The scene is described as extremely dark due to smoke and dust, with people appearing ghostly, their hair standing up towards the sky, bodies burned black and swollen, parts missing, and covered in blood with tattered clothes.

  • What does the term 'mushroom cloud' refer to in the context of the script?

    -The 'mushroom cloud' refers to the distinctive cloud formation that results from a nuclear explosion, characterized by a large, flat base and a stem topped with a bulbous cloud.

  • Who is Yashi AKA and what does she witness upon reaching the door of the communications bunker?

    -Yashi AKA is a character who, upon reaching the door of the communications bunker, witnesses her city in ruins and a soldier on the ground suffering from burns.

  • What does the soldier on the ground tell Yashi AKA about the cause of the devastation?

    -The soldier tells Yashi AKA that they have been hit by a new type of bomb, which is later understood to be a nuclear bomb.

  • What did the local photographer find on the morning of August 6th, and how were the people trying to treat their wounds?

    -The local photographer found a group of burned people trying to soothe their wounds with cooking oil.

  • How was 7-year-old Tekashi Tanori saved from the burning school?

    -Tekashi Tanori was pulled from the ruins of his burning school by a soldier and carried into the city.

  • What was the condition of the man that the soldier found clutching 11-year-old Tetsushi Yanagisawa?

    -The man was unrecognizably burned, with scars and marks, and was pleading for water.

  • How close were Tetsushi Yanagisawa and his mother to Ground Zero, and what protected them from the blast?

    -Tetsushi Yanagisawa and his mother were only 750 yards from Ground Zero and were shielded from the blast by being surrounded by other people in a crowded tram.

  • What was Yashi AKA's role after the explosion, and what did she do to communicate the news?

    -Yashi AKA returned to her post in the communications bunker and, after finding a working phone, reached an officer in Regional headquarters to communicate that Hiroshima had been annihilated by a new type of bomb.

  • What was the initial reaction of the officer in Regional headquarters when Yashi AKA reported the destruction of Hiroshima?

    -The officer did not understand what Yashi AKA was saying and asked for clarification on what she meant by 'annihilated.'

  • How did Yashi AKA explain the situation to the officer in Regional headquarters?

    -Yashi AKA explained the situation by recalling what the soldier on the embankment had said about being hit by a new type of bomb.

Outlines

plate

This section is available to paid users only. Please upgrade to access this part.

Upgrade Now

Mindmap

plate

This section is available to paid users only. Please upgrade to access this part.

Upgrade Now

Keywords

plate

This section is available to paid users only. Please upgrade to access this part.

Upgrade Now

Highlights

plate

This section is available to paid users only. Please upgrade to access this part.

Upgrade Now

Transcripts

plate

This section is available to paid users only. Please upgrade to access this part.

Upgrade Now
Rate This
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
HiroshimaNuclear BombSurvivor StoriesWWIIHistorical EventTragedyWar ImpactJapanese HistoryDisasterMemorial