The Day Man Lost: Hiroshima, 6 August 1945

by The Pacific War Research Society, Kazutoshi Hando (Preface), John Toland (Foreword)

This work offers deep and original research into events in Hiroshima on the 6 August, 1945. The story remains moving because the authors have not forgotten that this is a human story and that it must be visualized in human terms.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II

312 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1981

Reviews

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summed up as “The story of the race to build and use the bomb, and its climax on August 6, 1945” (back cover), this three-part, nineteen-chapter paperback written by The Pacific War Research Society would intimidate its readers with chilling horror and distressingly compassion while reading such a cold-blood countdown year by year (Part I 1941-1944), month by month (Part II 1 January-5 August 1945) and on 6 August 1945 itself (Part III) divided into seven timeframes: 8:00 a.m., 8:17-12:00 noon, Morning, All Day: The Citizens, All Day: The Military, Noon to Evening, and, Aftermath. Interestingly, the 14-member Society has taken their sources and methodology into account in terms of their “three years’ work to this book, drawing on many sources (both German and English, as well as Japanese and American), including diaries and personal reminiscences.” (p. 1)

In the meantime, the following extracts I posted may help you get some ideas on those ultimate plight in Hiroshima doomed by such an unknown fate:

One of the sights of Hiroshima was the great Industry Promotion Hall, built in 1913 by the Czech architect, Jan Letzel. With its soaring dome and its brilliant and (...) unique lighting system, it had for thirty years been a landmark of the city. When, in good weather, the people of Hiroshima strolled along the banks of the Motoyasu River, beside which the hall stood, they would pause for a moment ... (p. 96)

But all was in vain. The impetus that had, for a time, inspired the emperor and the men around him to move in the direction of peace now appeared stagnant; everyone was still waiting for a reply from the Kremlin; no one seemed able to credit that the Potsdam Proclamation meant exactly what it said: "We shall brook no delay. ... The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."
... (p. 226)

At eight seconds past 8:16, the Little Boy had exploded. Fifty-one seconds previously it had been dropped from the bomb bay of the Enola Gay at a height of almost six miles. ... The explosion occurred at a height of 1,850 feet and less than two hundred yards from the target point, the T-shaped Aioi Bridge ... The Little Boy had released the equivalent of 13,500 tons of TNT over the center of the city. (pp. 236-237)

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book on the events leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima, and the bombing itself. I'll just cover a few of the points that the book makes.

Oddly enough, the book starts out attacking another book.

”I must conclude that Japan's Imperial Conspiracy is not a history but an unfounded character assassination based on one man's fantasy.”

Japan's Imperial Conspiracy is a massive two-volume work and, from what I have read in it, in my opinion, at least, it seems to be far from a “fantasy,” but a book that is backed up by a very great deal of evidence.

The author says that the Japanese people seemed to be united in their desire to fight to the end, although the air raids were “undermining that intention.”

The author says that several groups were working towards peace secretly since they did not want to be caught since Japan did not have freedom of speech at the time.

The author says that the neighborhood associations were extremely important in keeping the population under proper thought control.

The people of Hiroshima were depending on their rivers to help protect them from firebombing. They had heard stories from people from other cities that had been firebombed, but it was not safe to tell such stories since the thought control police, the Kempai tai, acted strongly against anyone saying anything bad about the situation.

The author notes that, as far as the “home guard” goes, not only were they going to use bamboo spears, but they were going to be given bows and arrows, sickles, and old-fashioned rifles (which sound like the flintlock muskets used in the US in the 1700's and early 1800's.)

There was also a plan to put people in holes with a two-day supply of food. They would have a bomb, and their duty was to run out and hurl the bomb at a tank. The bomb had only a three-second delay, so it was a suicide mission.

[John Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique book with a Japanese perspective on the lead up to the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima. Recommend.

[Brooke Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly thorough in its account of the design of the atomic bomb, the political motivations of its use, and its ultimate impact on the people of Hiroshima.

[Craig Bolton]

"The Day Man Lost: Hiroshima, 6 August 1945 by Pacific War Research Society (1981)"

[Napie Husin · Rating 2 out of 5]

best

[SM Leong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did my US history II reseach paper based on it in 1988.