Essay on John Herseys Hiroshima - 723 Words

John Herseys Hiroshima In John Herseys Hiroshima, he based his book upon the one perspective that, the bombing of Hiroshima was an act of inhumanity. What Hersey failed to do was to give the perspective of the Americans. Hersey did not account for the Pearl Harbor bombing of 1941 or the death march in the Japanese Bataan Camps in 1942. Without giving both perspectives, Hersey does not give the reader a fair chance to form their own opinion; instead, the reader is swayed into Herseys bias beliefs of the event. Herseys Hiroshima was originally an article written for The New Yorker Magazine in order to help a reader identity with deceased and survivors of the Hiroshimas bombing (The New Yorker). He accomplished this by†¦show more content†¦One scientist from the Manhattan Project, the creators of the atomic bomb, in response to Herseys article in the New Yorker wrote, I am filled with such shame to recall the whoopee spirit, at the announcement of bombing Hiroshima (The New Yorker). This type of reaction, after reading Herseys vivid work on the Hiroshima bombing, is understandable and expected. What Hersey failed to do was to give the other perspective, of why America took these actions against Hiroshima? The two major historic events that Hersey failed to mention were the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the death march at the Bataan Camps. These two instances show the attacks that Japan made against America. December 7, 1941, Japan performed a surprise attack on America at Pearl Harbor. According to Japanese feudal code of honor, the idea of a surprise is recommended and it raises no moral problems (Sulzberger 146). During Japans attack, they broke the seal of trust. Japans Ambassador and Diplomatic agent were in Washington pretending to have been seeking a negotiated settlement between the two countries (Sulzberger 146). America lost over 3,000 service men from this bombing. This type of betrayal could only cause anger and determination to strike back. The death march at the Japanese Bataan Camp, of April 1942, Japanese officers enslaved about 75,000 men, 12,000 of which were American soldiers (Bergamini 1168). The soldiers were forced to march sixty miles withShow MoreRelated John Herseys Hiroshima Essay623 Words   |  3 PagesJohn Herseys Hiroshima John Herseys Hiroshima is a factual account about the day the United States government dropped the first atom bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. John interviewed six survivors and reported their stories in a factual but interesting fashion. He gives a brief description of each person and tells of his or her daily activities both before and after the explosion. 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