Hiroshima John Hersey

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Recommended: What is hiroshima john hersey about

Lexie Schoenrock
Mr. Steven Koon
American History 202
24 April 2018 Hiroshima by John Hersey is a fictional book that tells the story of six survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. It describes in detail what each of these individuals, and Hiroshima as a whole, went through the day of the bombing and the years that followed. It also describes the statistics of the bombing, and it discusses the ethics of the atomic bomb and other nuclear weapons. Hiroshima by John Hersey gives an accurate historical description of how the bombing of Hiroshima affected six individuals and society as a whole.
Hiroshima begins on August 6, 1945, the day a United States airplane dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima …show more content…

It debates the ethics and morality of the use of nuclear weapons on civilians. He says the following: “It seems logical to me that he who supports total war in principle cannot complain of war against civilians. The crux of the matter is whether total war in its present form is justifiable, even when it serves a just purpose”(Hersey, 58). Hersey goes on to tell the opinions of the six main characters in the book. One felt hatred towards America for the use of the atomic bomb, some felt that it was in the same category as poisonous gas and were against its use on civilians, and others thought that the use of the bomb was justified by total war. The last chapter of the book discusses tests done by the National Academy of Sciences in order to calculate the effects of nuclear weapons on the environment. Hiroshima caused a debate on these issues after its release, and it has had a lasting effect on society. Considered one of the most important works of journalism in the 20th century, Hiroshima revealed to many the horrors of nuclear weapons and inspired several people around the world to peacefully protest the use of nuclear …show more content…

It tells what each of these individuals did the day of the bombing and what happened to them years later. It describes the events of the bombing in great detail, and it gives accurate information about the bombing and the aftermath. This book raises the ethical issue of the use of nuclear weapons, and it shows several opinions of this issue throughout the story. Hiroshima affected society in a huge way by showing the horrors of what happened in Hiroshima and encouraging people around the world to voice their opinions on the use of nuclear weapons. Hiroshima showed America in its early stages of establishing its power in the world, and American society has only improved since the bombing of Hiroshima. All in all, Hiroshima by John Hersey is an emotional yet informative story about an event that had a lasting impact on

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