Living with the Bomb: American and Japanese Cultural Conflicts in the Nuclear Age

by Laura Elizabeth Hein (Editor), Mark Selden

The development and use of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki number among the formative national experiences for both Japanese and Americans as well as for 20th-century Japan-US relations. This volume explores the way in which the bomb has shaped the self-image of both peoples.

Genres: History

310 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1996

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, the editors have compiled essays from both American and Japanese writers reflecting on the cultural impact of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From Americans, we hear everything from celebratory notes to feelings of regret that ours is the only nation to ever have used atomic bombs on people. From Japan, we hear everything from the expected sorrow over the pain and losses to the occasionally expressed unapologetic feeling that Japan had a right to go to war and should not be blamed for the eventual outcome. Quite the range of viewpoints and emotions.