US Secretary of State John Kerry paid a visit to the Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial site on April 11. The visit is quite significant since this WAs the first official visit by such a high level US official since the atomic tragedy, seven decades ago.

Kerry was joined by Philip Hammond, UK foreign secretary, who will also be attending a G7 meeting in the city. In the company of the Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida, they laid wreaths at the memorial and Kerry wrote a note in the guest book that reads "Everyone should see and feel the power of this memorial." He described it as a "compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all our effort to avoid war itself".

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The site commemorates the utter destruction of the Japanese city after an atomic bomb was dropped by American forces on August 6, 1945, causing Japan to surrender and ultimately ending the Second World War.

The A-bomb dome, now a peace memorial park, stands at the site of the prefectural industry promotion building, the only standing structure after the atomic bomb devastated the Japanese city, killing 80,000 people immediately and leaving hundreds of thousands wounded and susceptible to radiation poisoning.

America has consistently maintained that dropping the atomic bomb was necessary to end the war and that it averted a catastrophic number of casualties on both sides. Whats more, the crew of the Enola Gay jet that dropped the bomb have been treated as heroes.

However, historians and war analysts have questioned America's claims and downplaying of the Hiroshima atomic tragedy. The fact that the bomb was dropped 500 meters above the city and at its very centre points towards an intent to create maximum destruction.

While it is debatable whether the use of the atomic bomb did actually avert any casualties, the brutality and gruesome images of victims of the tragedy walking like zombies with their flesh dripping off their bodies, remains a fact of history and a stark contrast to the narrative western super powers have to offer. Furthermore, had Japan not surrendered, America planned to drop seven more bombs in the months that followed.

The G7 meeting is significant for Japan and hosting it in Hiroshima makes sense since the country seems to be the epicentre of another nuclear war with North Korea is testing its missiles and countries like China beefing up their nuclear storehouses.

TagsHiroshima and Nagasaki bombing, hiroshima, Atomic Bomb!, atomic bombing, Hiroshima Bombing 70th Anniversary