Nine Who Survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki

by Robert Trumbull

1 HARDCOVER BOOK(ex-library)(no dust cover)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Japan, World War II

148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of individuals who personally experienced the effects of the atomic bombings of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is the 37th book I have read about these bombings and not resorting to any revisionist history, while I understand the arguments and justification of dropping the first atomic bomb, I do not feel there was any need to drop the second. We could have afforded to wait more than 72 hours to allow the Japanese to fully comprehend the impact of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. I believe this single bombing and fear of subsequent bombings, coupled with Russia's declaration or war against Japan two days after Hiroshima would have led to their surrender. No invasion of Japan's home islands would have been necessary.

The Japanese were our most hated enemies in WWII. Racism certainly played a part in this. American public opinion supported the bombing of Japanese cities with little concern for the loss of civilians. In an opinion poll conducted in the U.S. in December 1944, one in three agreed that Japan should cease to exist as a country when the war ended, and one in eight said that the entire Japanese population should be exterminated.

Cynically, I think the bombing of Nagasaki was simply to test a more powerful atomic bomb.

[erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biggest shout-out to the UCLA Library system for having this book because I searched high and low and had such a difficult time finding it. I was drawn to this book because I am doing a Japanese history research paper, and a big part of it has been looking into Tsutomu Yamaguchi's experience surviving the A-bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some aspects of the book are, obviously, dated, but I do think that it provided a good glimpse into the experiences that he (and others) went through in Aug. 1945. Very, very happy to have been able to read this!

[Dawn Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh.

[Lee Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a short book, but it contains a wide variety of first-hand accounts of what happened when the bombs fell -- stories from the nine, and stories told to them by the people they met as they searched for home and loved ones. There were people in Nagasaki who survived because of what the Hiroshima survivors told them to do when the bright light flashed -- lie flat, cover yourself as best you can. Seemingly, even the slightest of covers could be an enormous shield against radiation burns, especially light colored cover --women wearing figured clothing had burns where the dark of the print was.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1957 by an American man, this is an account given ten years after the events, by nine men who survived both (yes both!) bombings. It is a straightforward and unembellished account of the two cities, the events, and the experiences of the nine men interviewed. Nothing additional is required to make these stories sound more horrific than the reality.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clear, simply-written account of nine men who survived both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. The content is mostly translated interviews, along with some narrative facts about each city and each bomb.

The plain and direct way that such horrible information is relayed (by the men who experienced the blasts) is almost surreal.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the amazing story of 9 ordinary men who survived the bombing of Hiroshima only to go home to Nagaski and be bombed again. Trumbull also includes other pertinent information which enhances the stories. For the most part, well written.

[Oliver McNamee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. It brought you through the burning villages of hiroshima and nagasaki, It showed the true horrors of war.