Thousands of Japanese Citizens gathered to mark the sixty-ninth anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki.  The atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9 1945, was the second atomic dropped on Japan, coming just three days after the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.  It’s estimated that more than 70,000 people were killed at Nagasaki when taking into account the initial explosion and the subsequent radiation released from the detonation.

The Japanese hold no ill will towards the United States and look to that time in history as the greatest teacher of why the world should be nuclear free.  The Mayor of Nagasaki, Tomihisa Taue spoke about peace and Japan’s need to hold steadfast to its oath of demilitarization.  This came on the heels of the Japanese government’s decision to allow its troops to go into battle in defense of its allies. Specifically, Taue said, “the oath prescribed in the Japanese Constitution that Japan shall renounce war is a founding principle for post war Japan and Nagasaki.”  Taue continued, “However, the rushed debate over collective self-defense has given rise to the concern that this principle is wavering.”  Most Japanese who were alive at that time are against Japan militarization.  However, as time passes that number is dwindling and Japan appears headed in a different direction.

One important note; after America dropped the A-bomb on Hiroshima, the outcome of the war was all but determined.  The Japanese knew they could not fight against such a devastating weapon.  Why therefore was the bomb on Nagasaki necessary?  The answer is, it wasn’t.  In fact, I have argued for years that at least one of those bombs should have been detonated right in the center of Berlin for being directly responsible for tens of millions of lives lost.  The only reason that didn’t happen, (most would argue timing), is because they were Caucasian.  Isn’t it interesting that despite the slaughter of millions, no Germans in the United States were gathered up and placed in internment camps.  But Americans of Japanese decent were gathered up and detained, herded like animals, despite their Nationalism and Patriotism for their country.  What was the difference?  Draw your own conclusions.