The Pearl Harbor attack occurred on December 7, 1941. It was in the morning (if I remember correctly, between 7 and 10 a.m.) and it was a surprise attack from the Japanese. The base was hit with bombs and torpedoes in two waves. At the end of it almost every ship was damaged or capsized; over 2 thousand people lost their lives. Some, like many on the USS ARIZONA, were killed initially from the explosion. Others were drowned when trapped on their boats. Many others lost their lives trying to find and rescue their shipmates. It was explained to us that it took nearly a year to return the base back to how it was, but Hawaii wasn’t the same after that. At least during the war. They were on blackouts for two years after the attack and was prepared for another invasion from the Japanese.
I don’t know if any of you guys remember but a few weeks back we got to spend a few days in Hiroshima. It was a beautiful slightly eerie city. A place with a dark history that never quite let the city grow out if its shadow. It, like Hawaii, was also affected very greatly by WW2 when we dropped the atomic bomb. It is very interesting that we got to see memorials from both sides of this war. It brings out the values exhibited in each and what each other lacks.
The memorial of the USS Arizona was really beautiful, very simple, with all the names of the deceased on a gold wall. It is stationed in the middle of the harbor right over the ship which I thought was very powerful. There was also a museum on the mainland that showed pieces of what happened and the war that followed. Peace Park in Hiroshima was a little different . There was also a museum that showed pieces of the war and what happened. There is also the dome, a building that survived the bomb doping (if only barely) left completely untouched as a tribute to that day, just as the Arizona. However, the similarities of these two places stops very early.
The major differences I saw were from the attitudes and the perspective these places held. Pearl Harbor was very much focused on honor, honoring those who died, regaining the honor of the Navy. Hiroshima said nothing of honor. Many people say it’s because Japan started it. They sort of got what was coming, where America was the victim. I very much disagree with that statement. When has America ever been a victim really? We are strong people with strong beliefs and willpower that allow us to conquer almost anything. We can defend ourselves. We can fight. But I think that’s the problem. I don’t think what happened at Pearl Harbor was right or excusable. But I don’t think we have any right to play victim after we ended the war. Because it was us that ended it, with two bombs that killed thousands and affected millions. Victims, are the innocent lives that were crushed by both prides, America and Japan. Those people that were lost all those years ago have no nationalism, many of them don’t even have names. They are just innocent people- men, women, children and soldiers- who lost themselves at wars unyielding hand.
I liked Peace Park better. Pearl Harbor looks back with a bitter taste, Hiroshima looks to the future. “Let all the souls rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil”