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Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir
A newly discovered firsthand account of the Hiroshima bombing and its aftermath from one of the survivors—bringing unprecedented immediacy to our understanding of this world-changing event.
"A stunning historical discovery and a heartrending testimony." —Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize–winning coauthor of American Prometheus
At approximately 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945, Kiyoshi Tanimoto was on the outskirts of Hiroshima when a flash in the sky signaled the birth of a horrifying new world. In an instant, tens of thousands of Hiroshima residents had been vaporized or crushed to death.
As Tanimoto, a thirty-six-year-old Methodist minister, raced back to the city center in search of his wife and infant daughter, he encountered unimaginable structures leveled; fires everywhere; uncountable injured suffering from burns, broken bones, and the effects of radiation. In the days, weeks, and months that followed this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, he invested body and soul in helping his living congregants obtain food, shelter, and medical care, as well as identifying and burying with as much dignity as possible those who had perished. He dedicated himself to rebuilding not only his church, but his city and his nation.
Tanimoto went on to gain renown as one of the survivors featured in John Hersey's New Yorker piece and book, Hiroshima, which changed the American public's understanding of the event. But Tanimoto also wrote his own story. Hiroshima, 8:15 is Tanimoto's never-before-published firsthand account of the bombing of Hiroshima, written in the immediate aftermath, in his own words.
This singular memoir is both an invaluable addition to the historical record and an urgent eyewitness testimony of one of the most calamitous events to befall humanity. At a time when the threat of nuclear war still looms, Tanimoto's message of peace, and his vision of a better path forward for humankind, is of vital importance.
"A stunning historical discovery and a heartrending testimony." —Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize–winning coauthor of American Prometheus
At approximately 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945, Kiyoshi Tanimoto was on the outskirts of Hiroshima when a flash in the sky signaled the birth of a horrifying new world. In an instant, tens of thousands of Hiroshima residents had been vaporized or crushed to death.
As Tanimoto, a thirty-six-year-old Methodist minister, raced back to the city center in search of his wife and infant daughter, he encountered unimaginable structures leveled; fires everywhere; uncountable injured suffering from burns, broken bones, and the effects of radiation. In the days, weeks, and months that followed this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, he invested body and soul in helping his living congregants obtain food, shelter, and medical care, as well as identifying and burying with as much dignity as possible those who had perished. He dedicated himself to rebuilding not only his church, but his city and his nation.
Tanimoto went on to gain renown as one of the survivors featured in John Hersey's New Yorker piece and book, Hiroshima, which changed the American public's understanding of the event. But Tanimoto also wrote his own story. Hiroshima, 8:15 is Tanimoto's never-before-published firsthand account of the bombing of Hiroshima, written in the immediate aftermath, in his own words.
This singular memoir is both an invaluable addition to the historical record and an urgent eyewitness testimony of one of the most calamitous events to befall humanity. At a time when the threat of nuclear war still looms, Tanimoto's message of peace, and his vision of a better path forward for humankind, is of vital importance.
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First published August 4, 2026
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May 27, 2026I received this book through NetGalley.
Hiroshima 8:15 was a smooth and impactful read, with subject matter that is incredibly heavy. August 6, 1945 is one of the saddest days in world history, and reading a firsthand account makes that feel even heavier.
What stayed with me most was the helplessness. The suffering, the injured people looking for loved ones, and the exhaustion of everyone trying to survive something so devastating was hard to sit with. It is one thing to know the history, but reading the personal details makes the human cost feel impossible to ignore.
I also thought the book did a strong job showing that the impact did not end that day. There was grief, loss, trauma, illness, rebuilding, remembrance, and the complicated way people tried to process what happened. The reflections on war, sacrifice, revenge, cruelty, and guilt were especially memorable.
The parts about how Hiroshima remembered August 6 afterward also stood out. Some wanted it treated as a solemn memorial, while others turned it into a Peace Day event. Reading that alongside the grief of survivors and families makes you understand how complicated the aftermath truly was.
Overall, Hiroshima 8:15 is a powerful and sobering firsthand account. I’d recommend it to readers interested in World War II history, Hiroshima, survivor testimony, historical nonfiction, and books that focus on the human cost of war and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
Hiroshima 8:15 was a smooth and impactful read, with subject matter that is incredibly heavy. August 6, 1945 is one of the saddest days in world history, and reading a firsthand account makes that feel even heavier.
What stayed with me most was the helplessness. The suffering, the injured people looking for loved ones, and the exhaustion of everyone trying to survive something so devastating was hard to sit with. It is one thing to know the history, but reading the personal details makes the human cost feel impossible to ignore.
I also thought the book did a strong job showing that the impact did not end that day. There was grief, loss, trauma, illness, rebuilding, remembrance, and the complicated way people tried to process what happened. The reflections on war, sacrifice, revenge, cruelty, and guilt were especially memorable.
The parts about how Hiroshima remembered August 6 afterward also stood out. Some wanted it treated as a solemn memorial, while others turned it into a Peace Day event. Reading that alongside the grief of survivors and families makes you understand how complicated the aftermath truly was.
Overall, Hiroshima 8:15 is a powerful and sobering firsthand account. I’d recommend it to readers interested in World War II history, Hiroshima, survivor testimony, historical nonfiction, and books that focus on the human cost of war and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
August 1, 2026
I appreciated this memoir for its Japanese centric POV on the bombing in Hiroshima and its aftermath. Seeing the more contemporaneous perspective was interesting and also made me think so much about distance from events when it comes to history. The intro from the authors daughter was excellent and made me a little weepy.
September 7, 2026
5 stars for the people who were so affected by this awful happening.
2 stars for the writing and author.
I guess it's easy to tell that I was disappointed in this story. I so wanted to know of the survivors of this horrific incident, but instead seemed to get a man who was so interested in his church and its reestablishment. He often left his wife and daughter to go off on extended missions to cement the church's hold on his people.. Even with the bomb being dropped, he seemed to be more interested in religion than his family who I am sure with the devastation could have used him there with them.
I know belief in God is often tantamount to many, but his writings seemed to be trying ever so hard to make people realize that acquiring money to rebuild was what was most important.
Granted, he did endeavor to begin a movement to end nuclear war and its devastating outcome. Living in Hiroshima or Nagasaki was like living in hell at that time, 150,000 to 246,000 deaths were said to have occurred, most of them civilians. Even today we see the effects of nuclear fallout. Was there another way for us to win, as it was estimated that over half a million men would die in invading Japan?
One would think the Japanese would hate us but, oftentimes the reverse was true.
2 stars for the writing and author.
I guess it's easy to tell that I was disappointed in this story. I so wanted to know of the survivors of this horrific incident, but instead seemed to get a man who was so interested in his church and its reestablishment. He often left his wife and daughter to go off on extended missions to cement the church's hold on his people.. Even with the bomb being dropped, he seemed to be more interested in religion than his family who I am sure with the devastation could have used him there with them.
I know belief in God is often tantamount to many, but his writings seemed to be trying ever so hard to make people realize that acquiring money to rebuild was what was most important.
Granted, he did endeavor to begin a movement to end nuclear war and its devastating outcome. Living in Hiroshima or Nagasaki was like living in hell at that time, 150,000 to 246,000 deaths were said to have occurred, most of them civilians. Even today we see the effects of nuclear fallout. Was there another way for us to win, as it was estimated that over half a million men would die in invading Japan?
One would think the Japanese would hate us but, oftentimes the reverse was true.
June 6, 2026
Early copy courtesy of Modern Library (PRH) and NetGalley.
Before I read this, I knew astonishingly little about what happened in Hiroshima after the bomb fell.
Like many, I understood the historical event in broad strokes, but I’m sure I couldn’t have even recited the date. I knew the basic scale of the destruction and the political and military significance, of course. But I knew very little about what it actually looked and felt like for the people who survived it, which is exactly what makes this newly published ‘lost memoir’ so valuable.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a Methodist minister living in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. In the aftermath, he spent months both struggling to survive and helping other survivors find food, shelter, medical care, and, when possible, dignity for the dead. His account is detailed, methodical, and often heartbreaking. This is not a typical memoir as we would call it today — this is a personal account and the devastation it delivers is not because it reaches for dramatic effect, but because it doesn't.
There is a sometimes stoic, matter-of-fact quality to much of the narration that makes the horrors all the more impactful. Tanimoto focuses on what needs to be done, who needs help, where resources can be found, and how people might survive another day. The scale of the suffering, both collectively and his own, comes through quietly through his efforts. This firsthand account is one of recovery, grief, confusion, rebuilding, and the long, clawing shadow cast by a single morning.
Sometimes a new book prompts an old purchase.
Before I had even finished Tanimoto's account, I ordered John Hersey's Hiroshima, both because I wanted to know more, and I felt like it was important to do so. It’s not just another book about the same event: Tanimoto was one of the six survivors whose experiences Hersey followed in his landmark 1946 work.
And, naturally, that sent me down another little rabbit hole.
Hersey's Hiroshima originally appeared in the August 31, 1946 issue of The New Yorker, which devoted its entire editorial space to the piece rather than publishing it as the originally planned four-part series. The issue sold out almost immediately. And the Book of the Month Club at the time understood Hersey's work was important enough to mail a special book-form edition FREE to its entire membership, calling it a "Pro Bono" selection.
An invaluable historical document and a deeply human one as well.
Before I read this, I knew astonishingly little about what happened in Hiroshima after the bomb fell.
Like many, I understood the historical event in broad strokes, but I’m sure I couldn’t have even recited the date. I knew the basic scale of the destruction and the political and military significance, of course. But I knew very little about what it actually looked and felt like for the people who survived it, which is exactly what makes this newly published ‘lost memoir’ so valuable.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a Methodist minister living in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. In the aftermath, he spent months both struggling to survive and helping other survivors find food, shelter, medical care, and, when possible, dignity for the dead. His account is detailed, methodical, and often heartbreaking. This is not a typical memoir as we would call it today — this is a personal account and the devastation it delivers is not because it reaches for dramatic effect, but because it doesn't.
There is a sometimes stoic, matter-of-fact quality to much of the narration that makes the horrors all the more impactful. Tanimoto focuses on what needs to be done, who needs help, where resources can be found, and how people might survive another day. The scale of the suffering, both collectively and his own, comes through quietly through his efforts. This firsthand account is one of recovery, grief, confusion, rebuilding, and the long, clawing shadow cast by a single morning.
Sometimes a new book prompts an old purchase.
Before I had even finished Tanimoto's account, I ordered John Hersey's Hiroshima, both because I wanted to know more, and I felt like it was important to do so. It’s not just another book about the same event: Tanimoto was one of the six survivors whose experiences Hersey followed in his landmark 1946 work.
And, naturally, that sent me down another little rabbit hole.
Hersey's Hiroshima originally appeared in the August 31, 1946 issue of The New Yorker, which devoted its entire editorial space to the piece rather than publishing it as the originally planned four-part series. The issue sold out almost immediately. And the Book of the Month Club at the time understood Hersey's work was important enough to mail a special book-form edition FREE to its entire membership, calling it a "Pro Bono" selection.
An invaluable historical document and a deeply human one as well.
August 27, 2026
Reading a first-hand account of a Hiroshima bombing survivor is a harrowing experience. It is unimaginable how people must have suffered and yet, this book gives you a small glimpse in what it must've been like. That alone makes this a work of great value, and I'm humbled and grateful to have read it.
That said, Tanimoto was a Christian pastor, and much of the account is told through the lens of his faith and his work with the church. That's an entirely valid perspective, and clearly central to who he was, but I'll admit it wasn't quite what I came to the book for. At times the focus drifted toward his ministry and the work he devoted himself to, and I found myself wishing it had stayed closer to the bombing itself and the raw human experience of surviving it. Of course, this says more about what I was hoping to find than about the book he chose to write.
I did enjoy the parts about how the Japanese viewed the Americans during the occupation. What surprised me most was that, according to Tanimoto, many didn't resent the bomb: some felt it was pointless to resent losing a war Japan had recklessly started and couldn't win; others felt they couldn't condemn American conduct after their own forces' atrocities in China. This showed a side of the story I hadn't known, and I found it interesting.
That said, Tanimoto was a Christian pastor, and much of the account is told through the lens of his faith and his work with the church. That's an entirely valid perspective, and clearly central to who he was, but I'll admit it wasn't quite what I came to the book for. At times the focus drifted toward his ministry and the work he devoted himself to, and I found myself wishing it had stayed closer to the bombing itself and the raw human experience of surviving it. Of course, this says more about what I was hoping to find than about the book he chose to write.
I did enjoy the parts about how the Japanese viewed the Americans during the occupation. What surprised me most was that, according to Tanimoto, many didn't resent the bomb: some felt it was pointless to resent losing a war Japan had recklessly started and couldn't win; others felt they couldn't condemn American conduct after their own forces' atrocities in China. This showed a side of the story I hadn't known, and I found it interesting.
June 30, 2026
“Memory is our hope for survival as human beings, and for the survival of the beautiful world we inhabit. The famous inscription on the Hiroshima Memorial reads： “安らかに眠って下さい過ちは繰返しませぬから” "Please rest in peace, the error shall not be repeated."
.
We must never forget. Yet it is hard not to feel anxious now. We have a sitting US president threatening to wipe out an entire civilisation. Hatred of others and a distrust of peace seem to be on the rise, and one can’t help but fear what the future holds. We should read this and do everything we can to prevent such horrors from happening again.
.
I know this reads as a bland blandishment on Instagram, virtue-signalling in the parlance of those who seem only to live their lives in hate and division, but really, each of us should, in our small and likely inconsequential ways, live lives that encourage peace and love, even towards those with whom we disagree. If we cannot extend that grace to one another in our everyday lives, then we should not be surprised when hatred takes root on a far greater scale. The sobering image of a burnt mother continually holding on to her dead baby in the hope that her husband will return to say his final goodbye will forever remain in my mind. It is an image that should remain in the minds of those who commit war.
.
Tanimoto, in a calm and dignified manner, outlines his experience of surviving the bomb. In a detached way, he describes the hellscape of a completely ruined city: the masses of victims who lay dead, those wandering with no clothes and skin hanging from their bodies, the kindness of strangers, and, importantly, Tanimoto’s own heroic efforts to help others survive. This is a powerful book about what it means to survive, to believe in peace, and to believe in humanity.
.
Thank you to Ebury publishing and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
.
We must never forget. Yet it is hard not to feel anxious now. We have a sitting US president threatening to wipe out an entire civilisation. Hatred of others and a distrust of peace seem to be on the rise, and one can’t help but fear what the future holds. We should read this and do everything we can to prevent such horrors from happening again.
.
I know this reads as a bland blandishment on Instagram, virtue-signalling in the parlance of those who seem only to live their lives in hate and division, but really, each of us should, in our small and likely inconsequential ways, live lives that encourage peace and love, even towards those with whom we disagree. If we cannot extend that grace to one another in our everyday lives, then we should not be surprised when hatred takes root on a far greater scale. The sobering image of a burnt mother continually holding on to her dead baby in the hope that her husband will return to say his final goodbye will forever remain in my mind. It is an image that should remain in the minds of those who commit war.
.
Tanimoto, in a calm and dignified manner, outlines his experience of surviving the bomb. In a detached way, he describes the hellscape of a completely ruined city: the masses of victims who lay dead, those wandering with no clothes and skin hanging from their bodies, the kindness of strangers, and, importantly, Tanimoto’s own heroic efforts to help others survive. This is a powerful book about what it means to survive, to believe in peace, and to believe in humanity.
.
Thank you to Ebury publishing and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
September 6, 2026
The August 31, 1946 issue of The New Yorker was dedicated to the lives of six individuals in the aftermath of Hiroshima. The author was John Hersey, who visited Hiroshima months after the bombing. There were no cartoons, no calendar of events going on in the town. One of those survivors, Kiyoshi Tanimoto, kept a diary of the days after the bombing. This book is a publication of that diary, recently rediscovered among Hersey's papers at Yale. The style is simple and clinical, mostly just observations of what he saw, felt, and smelled. It is gut-wrenching. I could only read it in short spurts to avoid ruining my day.
My observations
- The beginning chapters show no emotion other than fatigue and the symptoms of the atomic disease (radiation poisoning). Survival and helping others consumed his mind. The ending chapters focus on how the bombing affected him and other hibakusha (survivors). In the later chapters he had time to process, and much of the text is about how he and most others saw this as the awakening of a new Japan. He was deeply spiritual (a Methodist minister) and saw it as an opening to everlasting peace. There was no animosity toward America; it was hatred of the Japanese emperor and his war machine. To some, the bomb was payback for all the sins Japanese soldiers committed in foreign conflicts (100,000 civilians murdered in Manila alone).
- The government of Japan continued lying to the public about the state of the war and the small bomb that went off in Hiroshima, until it could no longer hide the truth and was forced to surrender.
- It was the great physicist Max Planck who observed that progress happens one funeral at a time. he was suggesting that old ideas take time to die, even when newer ideas are better. This is somewhat the opposite. If no one is left to remember the horror of Hiroshima, then we will return to aggression with terrible weapons.
- I encourage everyone to read this. If you think you have had a bad day/month/year/life, this resets your perspective. It is no piece of great literature or memoir of a movie star, it is just the observations with little interpretation.
My observations
- The beginning chapters show no emotion other than fatigue and the symptoms of the atomic disease (radiation poisoning). Survival and helping others consumed his mind. The ending chapters focus on how the bombing affected him and other hibakusha (survivors). In the later chapters he had time to process, and much of the text is about how he and most others saw this as the awakening of a new Japan. He was deeply spiritual (a Methodist minister) and saw it as an opening to everlasting peace. There was no animosity toward America; it was hatred of the Japanese emperor and his war machine. To some, the bomb was payback for all the sins Japanese soldiers committed in foreign conflicts (100,000 civilians murdered in Manila alone).
- The government of Japan continued lying to the public about the state of the war and the small bomb that went off in Hiroshima, until it could no longer hide the truth and was forced to surrender.
- It was the great physicist Max Planck who observed that progress happens one funeral at a time. he was suggesting that old ideas take time to die, even when newer ideas are better. This is somewhat the opposite. If no one is left to remember the horror of Hiroshima, then we will return to aggression with terrible weapons.
- I encourage everyone to read this. If you think you have had a bad day/month/year/life, this resets your perspective. It is no piece of great literature or memoir of a movie star, it is just the observations with little interpretation.
September 14, 2026
Like The Diary of Anne Frank, this should be required reading for everyone to understand the horrors of war and what common people went through everywhere. Written by an inspiring man who did so much for his community when suffering was unimaginable.
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August 21, 2026very powerful 1st person account. it was an abridged Radio 4 book of the week so I feel i can't rate it fairly.
September 7, 2026
Absolutely brilliant book of the week on Radio 4. The story of the atom bomb on Hiroshima as told
it was written almost 80 years ago by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, who witnessed the city’s destruction after the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. It was so compassionately told that I feel I have to read the whole book now to do it justice.
it was written almost 80 years ago by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, who witnessed the city’s destruction after the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. It was so compassionately told that I feel I have to read the whole book now to do it justice.
August 20, 2026
This is the memoir of Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister who saw first-hand the devastation that the bomb dropped from the Enola Gay on the morning of August 6, 1945. It happened at 8:15. Kiyoshi Tanimoto was working just outside the immediate impact zone in Hiroshima that morning.
The memoir provides a first-hand account from someone who was there and wrote down what he saw, felt, and experienced, which became the memoir. His immediate thought was for his family, but also his parishioners who were desperate for food, water and shelter. The memoir is a harrowing account of the people he saw, those he could not recognise and those who died.
There are a lot of history books about WWII, and this one is a valuable witness account of history. Not just of that morning, but of the days and years that followed. One morning Hiroshima was a city of life; then it wasn't.
If you like accounts of personal experiences in history, then this is a good book to sit down with. It is not always easy reading, as the event was such an awful thing to have happened. It is an interesting account and shows things that can be learnt from the most harrowing experiences and how it can set you on a life journey. I would be very happy to recommend this book.
The memoir provides a first-hand account from someone who was there and wrote down what he saw, felt, and experienced, which became the memoir. His immediate thought was for his family, but also his parishioners who were desperate for food, water and shelter. The memoir is a harrowing account of the people he saw, those he could not recognise and those who died.
There are a lot of history books about WWII, and this one is a valuable witness account of history. Not just of that morning, but of the days and years that followed. One morning Hiroshima was a city of life; then it wasn't.
If you like accounts of personal experiences in history, then this is a good book to sit down with. It is not always easy reading, as the event was such an awful thing to have happened. It is an interesting account and shows things that can be learnt from the most harrowing experiences and how it can set you on a life journey. I would be very happy to recommend this book.
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September 3, 2026There is an important distinction between recognizing a book’s historical significance and finding it successful as a piece of writing. I have tremendous respect for what Hiroshima accomplishes as a historical document. The book preserves testimony that deserves to be read, remembered, and taken seriously.
At the same time, historical importance does not necessarily translate into literary effectiveness, and this is where Hiroshima fell short for me. Despite the enormity and horror of what is being described, the clinical reporting style made it so I often felt strangely removed from the people and events on the page rather than drawn into them.
Ultimately, I found Hiroshima more compelling for what it documents than for how it tells its story. Its historical value is undeniable, and I am glad I read it because of the perspective it preserves. But appreciation and enjoyment are different measures. I can believe that Hiroshima is an important book—even an essential one—while also recognizing that, from a literary perspective, it did not particularly engage me.
At the same time, historical importance does not necessarily translate into literary effectiveness, and this is where Hiroshima fell short for me. Despite the enormity and horror of what is being described, the clinical reporting style made it so I often felt strangely removed from the people and events on the page rather than drawn into them.
Ultimately, I found Hiroshima more compelling for what it documents than for how it tells its story. Its historical value is undeniable, and I am glad I read it because of the perspective it preserves. But appreciation and enjoyment are different measures. I can believe that Hiroshima is an important book—even an essential one—while also recognizing that, from a literary perspective, it did not particularly engage me.
August 20, 2026
Only evil and/or stupid men could have created the atomic bomb. However, good resulted: a terrible war was brought to a quicker end by the profound horror of Hiroshima at 8:15 A.M. that August morning. Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a Japanese Methodist minister serving in Hiroshima, and a survivor of the blast. He was one of six Japanese interviewed by John Hersey for his book, “Hiroshima.” Only recently re-discovered, this is a memoir upon which part of Hershey’s book is based. If you would like to experience an unvarnished view of Hell, this is the book for you. … Unfortunately, every word is true. … absolutely stellar …
by
John Hersey
by
John Hersey
September 6, 2026
With a beautiful foreword by the author's daughter [that is as moving as her father's memoir], this is a must-read, if for nothing but being a huge reminder of what ultimate weapons [like the atomic bomb] of war CAN do, and the aftermath that few seem to ever talk about.
Very timely, very sad, yet also filled with hope [and eventually joy], this was a very moving read and I am so grateful I got the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kiyoshi Tanimoto, Koko Tanimoto Kondo - Foreword, David Corn - Introduction, and Random House/Modern Library for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Very timely, very sad, yet also filled with hope [and eventually joy], this was a very moving read and I am so grateful I got the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kiyoshi Tanimoto, Koko Tanimoto Kondo - Foreword, David Corn - Introduction, and Random House/Modern Library for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
August 17, 2026
A truly humbling book from a very inspirational minister.
This first hand account of survivor and minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto is outstanding. To hear how the people of Hiroshima pulled together to support each other on this day and thereafter; is so humbling.
I visited Hiroshima two years ago and this book really brings home the horror of nuclear weapons and the atrocities caused.
This first hand account of survivor and minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto is outstanding. To hear how the people of Hiroshima pulled together to support each other on this day and thereafter; is so humbling.
I visited Hiroshima two years ago and this book really brings home the horror of nuclear weapons and the atrocities caused.
September 13, 2026
I don't want to say I enjoyed this considering it's subject matter, but it was definitely worth the read. I especially took a lot from Koko Tanimoto's foreword. Unfortunately, David Corn's introduction just tells the same story with a few extra details. This is a moving story of faith in the face of the horrors of war but it is not told in a flowery style. Instead it is given to you as-is and let's you make your own decisions. 3.5 stars.
August 13, 2026
Lesson from the book: How a society chooses to remember its suffering will determine whether the next generation learns reflection from that suffering, or hatred from it. And how its leaders invoke that suffering may determine whether history is remembered—or repeated. This is why the Japanese is one of the best races of the world.
August 12, 2026
This was a very powerful and interesting listen. I don't think I've ever read a first hand account of someone who survived the atomic bombing. Tanimoto worked tirelessly to help survivors and his parishioners who lost loved ones, even when his family was suffering from radiation poisoning. This is a very important listen and a reminder (if we even need one) that we need to avoid nuclear war at all costs.
August 15, 2026
In the days immediately following Aug 6, when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima, Tanimoto, a Methodist minister, kept a diary. The horrors of thousands of bodies, struggles for food/shelter and basic medical care in a ruined city are deftly recounted. It was sobering and unexpected to read such a factual diary - no recriminations, no hatred. Thought provoking in the best kind of way...
August 28, 2026
It’s important not to forget the effects of the atomic bombings, & eyewitness accounts like this remind us of that.
August 24, 2026
So glad I read it. Thought provoking in reflection of 71 years. Would love to know Rev. Tanimoto's thoughts today in light of everything. Interesting to read through his Christian lens.
“I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” – Albert Einstein.
“I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” – Albert Einstein.
August 23, 2026
Extraordinary and harrowing in equal parts, this firsthand account presents the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in a way that nothing else could. This was difficult to read at times, but presented such powerful human courage and resilience I was compelled to read on.
August 30, 2026
this thing devolved quickly in the final chapters. summary 1) japan deserved the atomic bomb bc the leaders were perpetrating violently-evil imperialism [excusing what was done by western powers] 2) japanese people deserved to suffer after being bombed bc too few were empowered thru Christianity. fuck this guy
August 17, 2026
I am grateful for the rediscovery of this memoir and that I had the chance to read it. Toward the end, the author makes one comment that may have influence on my thinking about the bombings.
He wonders and concludes Japan would have used the atomic weapon on the US at that moment if it had possessed one. So strong was the hatred between the governments of the two nations.
Because the atomic bomb was brand new, the horrific devastation caused to the people and city of Hiroshima probably had to be experienced once for the world to know not to do it again.
And yet we (the US) did use it again in Nagasaki. That to me is where the moral questions of our behavior most arise. We flew post-bomb assessments over Hiroshima following the bomb. We knew the harm we had inflicted.
This book lays clear the experience of surviving such a blast. I found myself. With the idea of the bomb’s novelty needing to be proven/demonstrated for the world, and that Japan might have done the same the author suspects if in our shoes, I suddenly and since finishing am feeling a double impact of each scene he describes, for the pain and suffering and loss happened in Hiroshima AND Nagasaki.
And I wonder if we would have dropped a third bomb had Japan not capitulated. I fear we might have.
He wonders and concludes Japan would have used the atomic weapon on the US at that moment if it had possessed one. So strong was the hatred between the governments of the two nations.
Because the atomic bomb was brand new, the horrific devastation caused to the people and city of Hiroshima probably had to be experienced once for the world to know not to do it again.
And yet we (the US) did use it again in Nagasaki. That to me is where the moral questions of our behavior most arise. We flew post-bomb assessments over Hiroshima following the bomb. We knew the harm we had inflicted.
This book lays clear the experience of surviving such a blast. I found myself. With the idea of the bomb’s novelty needing to be proven/demonstrated for the world, and that Japan might have done the same the author suspects if in our shoes, I suddenly and since finishing am feeling a double impact of each scene he describes, for the pain and suffering and loss happened in Hiroshima AND Nagasaki.
And I wonder if we would have dropped a third bomb had Japan not capitulated. I fear we might have.
August 12, 2026
What can I say? As a kid in junior high I read HIROSHIMA by John Hersey. I have never forgotten the graphic descriptions of horror, the images of skin sloughing off. Now I read a first hand survivor account and feel,I dunno, annoyance? Mr. Tanimoto experienced the awfulness yet his account of ' first I did this, then I did that' rings more of religious fervor than humanitarian concern. Perhaps the fact that this is a recounting rather than observation is what makes this so much less effective nor affective. I recommend the Hersey book instead.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this new memoir by a man whose entire life was shaped by the events of one horrible day, a day when he found the capacity to help others, a day when he found a calling, a day he found the strength in both mind body and soul, and a day that shaped the rest of his efforts to bring peace to a world, that sometimes seems not to deserve it.
I have been reading history for quite a long time, and in that time I have become inured to the many things that humanity does to itself. However there are times that I am surprised and made hopeful about the things that humans to to help others in time of crisis. The helpers as Mr. Rogers told us all to look for. The bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki means different things to people. The end of the world, the end of a way of life, both physically and emotionally. The end of a lot of innocent lives. This is the true account of the moments after the flash, and what came after, both in surviving, recovering, and even more importantly in the efforts to make sure no one ever had to deal with this again. A tale that still resonates, even as the world continues to bomb and maim with apathy from people on all sides. Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir is by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a lost tale of survival, recovery and finding a path, after one of the most horrible events in human history, a moment that is being forgotten as those who remember leave us.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a man who stood out in the Japan at war with most of the world. Tanimoto was a Methodist minister whose belief in his faith had caused a rift with his family. Tanimoto was educated in America, and had traveled quite a bit, seeing the world, before returning to a Japan, to the town of Hiroshima to oversee the Methodist community in the town, one vibrant and strong, but full of fears about the war. On August 5, 1945, Tanimoto was in the suburbs outside the city, moving furniture and items in case of bombing by the Allies. There was a flash as the first nuclear bomb was dropped on the mostly civilian population. Tanimoto was knocked to the ground, but saved by the terrain he was in. Being both a neighborhood leader and minister, Tanimoto ran to the city for his family his neighbors and his congregation. What he found was a city on fire, dust filling the air, with smoke, heat, and of course lots of injured and dead. After finding his family, Tanimoto began to organize help for those wounded, acquiring fod and water, ferrying those to safety, and being surprised by how overwhelmed everything was. As the days past, survival became a day-to-day thing, as well as plans for the future. To help others and make sure this never happened again.
Tanimoto was one of the sources for John Hersey's Hiroshima, but there are elements of the story that did not make the finished book. Tanimoto wrote this and gave it to Hersey, where it remained in his archives. Time has not softened the book. What is amazing is how Tanimoto writes about life in wartime, moving furniture, going about life kind of normal. Until things go horrendously bad. The writing is really well done. There is a pain, and immediacy to the writing, a you are there feeling, that really comes through. Tanimoto is honest, sometimes brutally. Feeling bad his wife survived while a visiting neighbor might have died when the house collapsed. Blaming doctors, blaming others for incompetence. Even worse blaming himself for those Tanimoto could not save.
A rough book to read, but one that should be shared. America tends to ignore the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or try to couch it in terms of a necessary evil. We are seeing this necessary evil more and more, and hiding behind patriotic language does not make it right. Books like this remind us that the people who die in war were just trying to get by. Move items, fix building, go to school. A really powerful book, one I hope will not be ignored.
I have been reading history for quite a long time, and in that time I have become inured to the many things that humanity does to itself. However there are times that I am surprised and made hopeful about the things that humans to to help others in time of crisis. The helpers as Mr. Rogers told us all to look for. The bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki means different things to people. The end of the world, the end of a way of life, both physically and emotionally. The end of a lot of innocent lives. This is the true account of the moments after the flash, and what came after, both in surviving, recovering, and even more importantly in the efforts to make sure no one ever had to deal with this again. A tale that still resonates, even as the world continues to bomb and maim with apathy from people on all sides. Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir is by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a lost tale of survival, recovery and finding a path, after one of the most horrible events in human history, a moment that is being forgotten as those who remember leave us.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a man who stood out in the Japan at war with most of the world. Tanimoto was a Methodist minister whose belief in his faith had caused a rift with his family. Tanimoto was educated in America, and had traveled quite a bit, seeing the world, before returning to a Japan, to the town of Hiroshima to oversee the Methodist community in the town, one vibrant and strong, but full of fears about the war. On August 5, 1945, Tanimoto was in the suburbs outside the city, moving furniture and items in case of bombing by the Allies. There was a flash as the first nuclear bomb was dropped on the mostly civilian population. Tanimoto was knocked to the ground, but saved by the terrain he was in. Being both a neighborhood leader and minister, Tanimoto ran to the city for his family his neighbors and his congregation. What he found was a city on fire, dust filling the air, with smoke, heat, and of course lots of injured and dead. After finding his family, Tanimoto began to organize help for those wounded, acquiring fod and water, ferrying those to safety, and being surprised by how overwhelmed everything was. As the days past, survival became a day-to-day thing, as well as plans for the future. To help others and make sure this never happened again.
Tanimoto was one of the sources for John Hersey's Hiroshima, but there are elements of the story that did not make the finished book. Tanimoto wrote this and gave it to Hersey, where it remained in his archives. Time has not softened the book. What is amazing is how Tanimoto writes about life in wartime, moving furniture, going about life kind of normal. Until things go horrendously bad. The writing is really well done. There is a pain, and immediacy to the writing, a you are there feeling, that really comes through. Tanimoto is honest, sometimes brutally. Feeling bad his wife survived while a visiting neighbor might have died when the house collapsed. Blaming doctors, blaming others for incompetence. Even worse blaming himself for those Tanimoto could not save.
A rough book to read, but one that should be shared. America tends to ignore the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or try to couch it in terms of a necessary evil. We are seeing this necessary evil more and more, and hiding behind patriotic language does not make it right. Books like this remind us that the people who die in war were just trying to get by. Move items, fix building, go to school. A really powerful book, one I hope will not be ignored.
July 17, 2026
With a Foreword by Koko Tanimoto Kondo his daughter this is a memoir of Kiyoshi Tanimoto a Christian minister living in Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bomb landing on August 6th 1945. Koko was just months old at the time and is now one of a handful of living survivors. As a survivor herself, one of the hibakusha, Koko believes:
‘Memory is our hope for survival as human beings, and for the survival of the beautiful world we inhabit.’ As few survivors remain she hopes the memoir will help keep collective memory alive.
This is not only a personal memoir but an account of the many human casualties of one of the most atrocious human activity of the twentieth century. Tanimoto had such detailed knowledge of local families, most members of his church but not all. His memoir written within a couple of years of the occurrences describes the bodies, injuries, ashes discovered and ashes buried, cremations and how radiation sickness affected so many months and years later. It is almost an audited account of the fate of many families within the centre and surrounding areas around Hiroshima. His memoir was archived away in America where a US journalist papers were archived John Hersey. Tanimoto’s papers were not rediscovered until 2023.
Tanimoto devoted his life to peace and through his evangelical Christian work persuading others that this sort of atrocity should never happen again. Tanimoto himself remarks when asked about his attitude towards the Americans responsible for the atomic bombing:
‘I had never thought about the ethical issue concerning the use of the atomic bomb […] I was too busy dealing with issues of survival.’
A remarkable story of humanity and resilience and doing positive work towards the rebuilding of Japan. He never considered revenge against the Americans and was respectful of their occupying personnel even when he was denied the opportunity to translate a journalistic piece into Japanese so that his fellow countrymen could read John Hersey’s 1946 New Yorker edition detailing the experiences of 6 of the Hiroshima survivors.
Aside from the infrastructure, the many buildings and dwellings that collapsed during the bombing this is a human account. Never giving up Tanimoto mentions his being able to salvage a bicycle to do some of his travelling around - he used fire fighting hose as tyres and these were thus sturdy enough for the terrain he had to travel along. He also spoke at many venues in America and Japan and fundraised for the rebuilding of Christian churches in his home country. He also fundraised for plastic surgery for women badly affected by radiation damage to have plastic surgery.
As largely a first hand account this memoir is recommended for anyone wanting to find out about the human impact of nuclear weapons and for anyone who denies their devastating impact for humankind’s survival. Four stars.
‘Memory is our hope for survival as human beings, and for the survival of the beautiful world we inhabit.’ As few survivors remain she hopes the memoir will help keep collective memory alive.
This is not only a personal memoir but an account of the many human casualties of one of the most atrocious human activity of the twentieth century. Tanimoto had such detailed knowledge of local families, most members of his church but not all. His memoir written within a couple of years of the occurrences describes the bodies, injuries, ashes discovered and ashes buried, cremations and how radiation sickness affected so many months and years later. It is almost an audited account of the fate of many families within the centre and surrounding areas around Hiroshima. His memoir was archived away in America where a US journalist papers were archived John Hersey. Tanimoto’s papers were not rediscovered until 2023.
Tanimoto devoted his life to peace and through his evangelical Christian work persuading others that this sort of atrocity should never happen again. Tanimoto himself remarks when asked about his attitude towards the Americans responsible for the atomic bombing:
‘I had never thought about the ethical issue concerning the use of the atomic bomb […] I was too busy dealing with issues of survival.’
A remarkable story of humanity and resilience and doing positive work towards the rebuilding of Japan. He never considered revenge against the Americans and was respectful of their occupying personnel even when he was denied the opportunity to translate a journalistic piece into Japanese so that his fellow countrymen could read John Hersey’s 1946 New Yorker edition detailing the experiences of 6 of the Hiroshima survivors.
Aside from the infrastructure, the many buildings and dwellings that collapsed during the bombing this is a human account. Never giving up Tanimoto mentions his being able to salvage a bicycle to do some of his travelling around - he used fire fighting hose as tyres and these were thus sturdy enough for the terrain he had to travel along. He also spoke at many venues in America and Japan and fundraised for the rebuilding of Christian churches in his home country. He also fundraised for plastic surgery for women badly affected by radiation damage to have plastic surgery.
As largely a first hand account this memoir is recommended for anyone wanting to find out about the human impact of nuclear weapons and for anyone who denies their devastating impact for humankind’s survival. Four stars.
August 21, 2026
So here's the tricky thing about memoirs - I honestly believe that all memoirs are important, even if some of them should have been marinating in the sauce a lot longer. (Generally these are celebrity memoirs or people who are young but experienced a significant event in their lives and wrote about it without the reflection of someone who's lived with Life for years). This specific memoir isn't the underbaked kind - it's more the opposite, a very dry, almost clinical accounting of what happened on the date the United States dropped the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, and the days and weeks and months afterward. It's an accounting of lives author Kiyoshi Tanimoto knew and cared for as a rare Christian Methodist minister in his community. It's a graphic, no-nonsense accounting, very, "Just the facts ma'am."
And that makes it really dry. I'm definitely not asking for sensationalism (we get that enough with horrific events.....) but this short memoir took me much longer to get through than others of its length/subject because it was so dry. We know from the informative notes beforehand (from journalist David Corn) that this memoir was sort of "lost to time," tucked away and only found recently, and having read it I wonder if it was tucked away because it was meant as part of something and not to be published by itself like this (like, for the details to be taken out and used in a conglomeration sort of thing like the Hiroshima article/book Tanimoto had prior been part of) or what. Either way, mixed feelings - it's a very important accounting and it's so fortunate that it was un-lost. But as a read-memoir.... I think it's less a memoir (to me) and more a sort of journalistic reporting tinged with personal biases.
Similarly, there were some things about this book that had me double taking - a few romanizations of some names, and some choices in translation (reading a fair amount of translated work honestly I roll my eyes when a translator keeps the original, simple word, and then translates it immediately (things like 'thank you'; that kind of simplicity). Additionally, Tanimoto's wish in the months following the bomb as, "oh good, now perhaps can build Japan into a Christian Nation now that these guys don't think the Emperor is as heavenly as he says anymore," (while still calling him "Tenno" aka "Heavenly"). And, there's so much detail into "guys I really have to rebuild my CHURCH despite so many around me starving and dying, but, need a church," that had my mouth kind of sideways.
In short - an important read but not a particularly "great" one and more voices from people who actually experienced big events is always a good thing. Maybe better on audio? Thank you to Random House (Modern Library) for the eARC for review.
And that makes it really dry. I'm definitely not asking for sensationalism (we get that enough with horrific events.....) but this short memoir took me much longer to get through than others of its length/subject because it was so dry. We know from the informative notes beforehand (from journalist David Corn) that this memoir was sort of "lost to time," tucked away and only found recently, and having read it I wonder if it was tucked away because it was meant as part of something and not to be published by itself like this (like, for the details to be taken out and used in a conglomeration sort of thing like the Hiroshima article/book Tanimoto had prior been part of) or what. Either way, mixed feelings - it's a very important accounting and it's so fortunate that it was un-lost. But as a read-memoir.... I think it's less a memoir (to me) and more a sort of journalistic reporting tinged with personal biases.
Similarly, there were some things about this book that had me double taking - a few romanizations of some names, and some choices in translation (reading a fair amount of translated work honestly I roll my eyes when a translator keeps the original, simple word, and then translates it immediately (things like 'thank you'; that kind of simplicity). Additionally, Tanimoto's wish in the months following the bomb as, "oh good, now perhaps can build Japan into a Christian Nation now that these guys don't think the Emperor is as heavenly as he says anymore," (while still calling him "Tenno" aka "Heavenly"). And, there's so much detail into "guys I really have to rebuild my CHURCH despite so many around me starving and dying, but, need a church," that had my mouth kind of sideways.
In short - an important read but not a particularly "great" one and more voices from people who actually experienced big events is always a good thing. Maybe better on audio? Thank you to Random House (Modern Library) for the eARC for review.
August 13, 2026
Dude I’m officially against nuclear weapons. I just read a first hand account of Hiroshima by a methodist minister who was featured in John Hersey’s book Hiroshima. This one is called Hiroshima 8:15. Which is interesting because it is about Hiroshima before and after 8:15AM
I read Hiroshima in one day and then continued with reading this. That was on Tuesday and it is Thursday. I haven't read much, maybe a book a month lately. and lots of commentaries and theology for work lol. I'm a Methodist pastor, I'm 36, and I help people move much like Tanimoto. But other than that our similarities end. I have worked with UMCOR and understand disaster response.
Tanimoto's narrative is older than my parents! And to see it edited and published is interesting. I'd like to see this as assigned reading for Putin, Trump, Netanyahu, Xi, Modi, Macron, Shebaz Sharif, Kim, Khamenei. Seriously I want a book report from each other them.
nuclear weapons give everyone diarrhea. And they die from it. The radiation. It’s awful. It’s awful. In Hersey’s Hiroshima which featured Kiyoshi Tanimoto, it references GI distress. But in Tanimoto’s telling the diarrhea is so prominent. He at times describes diarrhea as being so bad he wanted to die.
Something about that visceral description just makes it realer. Especially reading Hersey's Hiroshima in the same day.
Navigating diarrhea while going through the rubble. I have assisted in disaster response. But that people were hurt and then dealt with the radiation. It is really harsh. I've been at terrorist attacks.
I think Reverend Tanimoto so much for bearing witness to what happened.
I will say, as a Methodist pastor, I'd love to talk to other Methodists about it. Aspects of what he shares and says, about church governance and running a church I really relate to. I hope my parish knows how much I love them and care about them. It's something I think everyone can feel. I just related a lot and it's interesting to read something that speaks of that specific type of love and care and relationship. That is why it was recommended to me. I'm sure many other clergy can relate to the love of ones parishioners in the way Tanimoto says.
I would love to reach out to David Corn and see what parts he notes he removed that were too specific about running church affairs. I felt like there was a lot left in there that maybe not everyone could relate to. there were some interesting passages about church polity that I think resonate for methodists today and christians today. thank you reverend Tanimoto.
I read Hiroshima in one day and then continued with reading this. That was on Tuesday and it is Thursday. I haven't read much, maybe a book a month lately. and lots of commentaries and theology for work lol. I'm a Methodist pastor, I'm 36, and I help people move much like Tanimoto. But other than that our similarities end. I have worked with UMCOR and understand disaster response.
Tanimoto's narrative is older than my parents! And to see it edited and published is interesting. I'd like to see this as assigned reading for Putin, Trump, Netanyahu, Xi, Modi, Macron, Shebaz Sharif, Kim, Khamenei. Seriously I want a book report from each other them.
nuclear weapons give everyone diarrhea. And they die from it. The radiation. It’s awful. It’s awful. In Hersey’s Hiroshima which featured Kiyoshi Tanimoto, it references GI distress. But in Tanimoto’s telling the diarrhea is so prominent. He at times describes diarrhea as being so bad he wanted to die.
Something about that visceral description just makes it realer. Especially reading Hersey's Hiroshima in the same day.
Navigating diarrhea while going through the rubble. I have assisted in disaster response. But that people were hurt and then dealt with the radiation. It is really harsh. I've been at terrorist attacks.
I think Reverend Tanimoto so much for bearing witness to what happened.
I will say, as a Methodist pastor, I'd love to talk to other Methodists about it. Aspects of what he shares and says, about church governance and running a church I really relate to. I hope my parish knows how much I love them and care about them. It's something I think everyone can feel. I just related a lot and it's interesting to read something that speaks of that specific type of love and care and relationship. That is why it was recommended to me. I'm sure many other clergy can relate to the love of ones parishioners in the way Tanimoto says.
I would love to reach out to David Corn and see what parts he notes he removed that were too specific about running church affairs. I felt like there was a lot left in there that maybe not everyone could relate to. there were some interesting passages about church polity that I think resonate for methodists today and christians today. thank you reverend Tanimoto.
August 21, 2026
A previously undiscovered account written by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Tanimoto's story was featured in John Hersey's "Hiroshima," published in English in 1946. Notably, as Tanimoto's memoir notes here, when it was suggested that he translate Hersey's book into Japanese, he was told that it would not be approved for Japanese publication.
Tanimoto's previously unknown account is heavily focused on his story, along with the stories of the the victims and survivors of the church he ministered to, as shortly after regaining his bearings, his thoughts turned towards assisting members of the church. In some cases, the entire families were burned to death or crushed in their houses; Tanimoto also found many families where only one family member survived, or children were left orphaned.
For days (and weeks and it seems, even months) afterward, Tanimoto trekked on foot, on a broken bicycle with firehoses as makeshift tires, and eventually on jammed trains, in order to call on members of his congregation and eventually attempt to assist them in rebuilding their homes, lives, and the church.
Tanimoto also discusses his thoughts about the Japanese military. He admits that he knew nothing about the atrocities being committed overseas, and was shocked and horrified to learn about them. He reflects on this when recalling an encounter he had with a member of the Occupied Forces, who spat angrily when Tanimoto (responding to being asked what he felt about the Japanese military) after the author essentially said he felt they were doing their best.
Tanimoto's memoir is particularly interesting because of his Christian background. Tanimoto received warm welcomes by the Occupied Forces own church members, who gave him supplies and bags of candies when he visited. At one point, he was asked to speak after a service, and he quotes the statement he gave in this memoir--
"During the war we experienced unhappiness, sorrow and bitterness, and we have been humiliated by our defeat. It is the love of Christ that will save Japan from His solemn judgement and will redeem our sins. Christianity is the real hope for Japan. I hope that you will pray for Japan to be saved by overcoming her past sentiments."
Tanimoto's thoughts on reconstruction and the aftermath of the war are, as one might expect, heavily influenced by his religious beliefs. It is a unique perspective that makes this a valuable primary source if you are interested in reading firsthand accounts of the atomic bombings.
Tanimoto's previously unknown account is heavily focused on his story, along with the stories of the the victims and survivors of the church he ministered to, as shortly after regaining his bearings, his thoughts turned towards assisting members of the church. In some cases, the entire families were burned to death or crushed in their houses; Tanimoto also found many families where only one family member survived, or children were left orphaned.
For days (and weeks and it seems, even months) afterward, Tanimoto trekked on foot, on a broken bicycle with firehoses as makeshift tires, and eventually on jammed trains, in order to call on members of his congregation and eventually attempt to assist them in rebuilding their homes, lives, and the church.
Tanimoto also discusses his thoughts about the Japanese military. He admits that he knew nothing about the atrocities being committed overseas, and was shocked and horrified to learn about them. He reflects on this when recalling an encounter he had with a member of the Occupied Forces, who spat angrily when Tanimoto (responding to being asked what he felt about the Japanese military) after the author essentially said he felt they were doing their best.
Tanimoto's memoir is particularly interesting because of his Christian background. Tanimoto received warm welcomes by the Occupied Forces own church members, who gave him supplies and bags of candies when he visited. At one point, he was asked to speak after a service, and he quotes the statement he gave in this memoir--
"During the war we experienced unhappiness, sorrow and bitterness, and we have been humiliated by our defeat. It is the love of Christ that will save Japan from His solemn judgement and will redeem our sins. Christianity is the real hope for Japan. I hope that you will pray for Japan to be saved by overcoming her past sentiments."
Tanimoto's thoughts on reconstruction and the aftermath of the war are, as one might expect, heavily influenced by his religious beliefs. It is a unique perspective that makes this a valuable primary source if you are interested in reading firsthand accounts of the atomic bombings.
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