The day they dropped the bomb
Survivor recalls hell the US visited upon Japan with atomic blast
A SURVIVOR of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, Japan, still remembers the tragic day which happened 74 years ago where about 74 000 people died.
On August 9, 1945, during World War II, the US dropped a large atomic bomb on Nagasaki City at 10.02am. The bomb was the second dropped on the country after the first was dropped three days earlier on August 6, 1945, on Hiroshima. The estimated death toll for the second attack was about 74 000.
One month before the 74th commemoration of the day, Inosuke Hayasaki, 88, retold the story of the tragic day at the Nagasaki Peace Park.
Hayasaki, who was aged 14 when the bomb dropped, was working at the Mitsubishi Arms Plant, about 1km north of the epicentre of the bomb. He said his boss had ordered him to go to another factory.
“There were 13 000 people working in the factory that day and there was no emergency alarm or alert, the bomb just dropped. The factory building collapsed and everyone was screaming because they were under the debris of the building.”
Hayasaki said he was saved because the large explosion threw him behind a large pillar which blocked the scorching heat rays of the fatal blast.
“Those who were injured looked like their skin was purple; it turned purple and their skin looked like it melted and it was sagging,” said the survivor.
“The glass from the windows also exploded and stabbed everyone so there was blood spilling everywhere.”
Hayasaki said his colleagues who were still alive after the blast were so badly injured they could not even scream for help.
“The reason they could not say anything was because of the heat from the blast. They inhaled the heat meaning they burnt their throats so even if they wanted to say something, they could not. The huge sound of the attack also caused their eardrums to burst.” After the attack, the victims were desperately looking for water. “Everyone kept saying, ‘Water. Can I have some water?’ I tried to speak to them and keep them alive until the rescue mission came. I tried my best,” he said.
Hayasaki, who is now associated with the Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace, said the rescue train only arrived at 5pm, almost six hours after the bomb was dropped.
“Everyone’s clothes were burnt or ripped by the blast so no one was even wearing their underwear. They were just naked,” he said.
Hayasaki said he was lucky because he only sustained a minor injury on his right arm and lost hearing in his left ear following the attack.
The first bomb dropped on the city of Hiroshima resulted in a death toll of about 135 000 and the second killed at least 74 000 people. The attacks effectively brought about the end of World War II.
“We lost the war because this was our second atomic bomb attack so the emperor announced that he accepted the declaration of ending the war,” said Hayasaki.
“We were so happy to hear the news even though we lost the war because nothing is scarier than war.”
Now Hiroshima and Nagasaki have returned to become fully functioning societies.
After the attacks, the national government provided specialised funding to assist in the rebuilding of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a prominent port city and has a population of about 42 000.
Hayasaki said that he lived “in hell” for many years following the attacks. However, despite the fact that he lost his work, home and family members, he still prayed for peace in the world.
“I sincerely hope everyone can live in a peaceful place,” he said.