democracynow--2020-08-05--"Despair and Destruction": Doctor in Beirut Describes Harrowing Scenes After Massive Port Explosion

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, Democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
A warning to our listeners and viewers—we ’ ll be describing graphic scenes as we turn now to Beirut , Lebanon , where more than 100 people have died after a massive explosion at the city ’ s port .
Videos of the explosion show rapidly expanding shockwave engulfing entire high-rise buildings , leaving behind a pink mushroom cloud rising far above Beirut ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been injured .
Hundreds remain missing .
The blast leveled buildings , overturned cars , shattered windows miles from the blast site .
An estimated 300,000 people have lost their homes .
Lebanon ’ s prime minister , Hassan Diab , called the explosion a national catastrophe .
He said it was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate , inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years .
An investigation has been launched to determine what triggered the blast .
The explosion carried the force of a 3.5 magnitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away as Cyprus , more than 100 miles off Lebanon ’ s coast .
Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi said Beirut looks like a war zone .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi .
The explosion completely destroyed the port of Beirut , a main economic lifeline to Lebanon .
The blast occurred at a time when Lebanon was already facing an economic , political and public health crisis with COVID-19 cases on the rise .
We go now to Beirut , where we ’ re joined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pediatrician and writer who treated her own daughter who was injured in the blast .
Seema was able to share with us this tragic video that her husband filmed from inside a crowded ambulance as she cradled her daughter and sang to keep her calm .
AMY GOODMAN : The scenes and sounds from inside an ambulance in Beirut after Tuesday ’ s blast where you can see and hear our guest , Dr. Seema Jilani , who joins us now on the phone from a hospital where her daughter is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us where you were when the blast occurred and what happened next ?
DR. SEEMA JILANI : I was on Armenia Street , which is a large thoroughfare , the street on which I live , in a little area called Mar Mikhael , full of shops and restaurants , bustling , a lot of nightlife on a usual day .
It was extremely packed , because we were just coming out of a four-day lockdown , from Friday through Monday .
And so everybody was out , abnormally , even more traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were at home .
We have floor to ceiling windows .
The explosion knocked out completely all of the windows .
He went to protect her , and shards of glass flew into her legs and her arms , much deeper upon second inspection than I originally thought .
I was in the car .
I heard the blast and immediately crouched down into a fetal position .
Time lapses and means nothing in these moments , so I have no idea how much time passed .
But the driver came and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
I realized I left my keys , went back to get my keys .
And the scenes that I saw walking from that one block to my home were people in confusion , dusted with debris and detritus , overturned doors and glass everywhere .
A young woman approached me to use my phone and when I looked at her the second time around , her ear was falling off .
So I immediately got into my sort of doctor mode , as we do , tried to find out if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tried to make phone calls for her and stabilize her .
But in the meantime , I had gotten in touch with my husband .
My husband said , “ Come home now .
Come home now .
Your daughter needs you.
” And for the first time in my career— I have never done this and it feels so antithetical to everything I am—and I told the young lady , I said , “ I ’ m really sorry , ” I stabilized her , and I had to go .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stairs , to scenes in my apartment complex—we live on the third floor—of completely open , shattered doors , windows , glass everywhere .
People bleeding on stairs , blood dipping down the stairs .
An unconscious woman .
And all I was screaming was , “ Is my daughter OK ?
Is my daughter OK ?
” I run into an apartment that I don ’ t recognize , and our things look as if they ’ ve been in an earthquake .
And there she is , naked in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure to two very deep wounds that I can see at first .
We then go downstairs after a lot of chaos , downstairs to catch an ambulance .
And we are packed into the ambulance that you just saw .
One of the last people to luckily to get on that ambulance .
And we ’ re not moving anywhere for about at least ten minutes , because everything is at a standstill .
So there ’ s just despair and destruction , nothing is moving and people are just in complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so for me , I turn into half mother , half doctor , which you saw , and half of that means calming and singing your daughter to sleep or whatever , and half of it means waking her up when she goes to sleep to make sure she ’ s not going unconscious .
So you ’ re on this [ inaudible ] balancing tiptoe .
AMY GOODMAN : And how old is your daughter , Seema ?
DR. SEEMA JILANI : She is four years old .
AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you brought her there ?
DR. SEEMA JILANI : We went to a hospital called Hôtel-Dieu de France and we found utter chaos .
They were doing the best under the circumstances , and their circumstances include coming out of a revolution from September onward which was then halted by coronavirus , which was then toppled by a rising and looming economic failure , which is now leading to what I might describe—I ’ m not an analyst—but as an almost failed state .
So they ’ re overworked , underfunded and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bronchiolitis , flu , none of which is detectable or can be differentiated from COVID .
And so at this hospital , you are seeing extreme trauma , layers of trauma within the hospital staff who are actually calling to see if their own kids and family members are all right , and people that are trying to volunteer off the street .
Their own hospital has been hit , so there ’ s rafters hanging , electrical wires everywhere .
It looks like a scene that ’ s under construction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So everybody is also trying to shield themselves .
Then you get to the actual people and patients , and they ’ re everywhere .
You ’ re stepping over people .
You ’ re bumping—I was carrying my daughter , so I was trying to make sure her legs , at one point , weren ’ t getting in the way of a doctor suturing in the hallway .
There ’ s patients within the doctor ’ s areas , which is almost never seen .
I mean , just bodies upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dead , but certainly they have blood , wounds , gaping wounds , shards of glass , children crying .
My daughter thinks she recognized a little girl from her school .
But a lot of perspective in that moment where we say , “ OK , my daughter has some wounds and some gashes , and we can get that treated , but please first go do CPR on the next patient.
” AMY GOODMAN : Dr. Seema Jilani , I want to thank you so much for being with us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-year-old daughter , Iman and of course to everyone right now in Beirut .
More than 4,000 people injured , hundreds are missing , 100 at least confirmed dead .
We will continue to cover this situation after the break , when we are joined by Rami Khouri .
Dr. Seema Jilani is a pediatrician and writer based in Beirut .
She treated her own daughter injured in the blast , joining us from the hospital .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: A warning to our listeners and viewers: We’ll be describing graphic scenes, as we turn now to Beirut, Lebanon, where more than 100 people have died after a massive explosion at the city’s port. Videos of the explosion show a rapidly expanding shock wave engulfing entire high-rise buildings, leaving behind a pink mushroom cloud rising far above Beirut’s skyline. Over 4,000 people have been injured. Hundreds remain missing. The blast leveled buildings, overturned cars, shattered windows miles from the blast site. An estimated 300,000 people have lost their homes.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a “national catastrophe.” He said it was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years. An investigation has been launched to determine what triggered the blast. The explosion carried the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake and was felt as far away as Cyprus, more than 100 miles off Lebanon’s coast. Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi said Beirut looks like a war zone.
PHILIPPE ARACTINGI: I’ve seen war. I’ve filmed war. In 2006, I went to the South Lebanon to see this. But it took 30 days to do the same destruction. We had it in one explosion. It is a catastrophe. I’ve never seen something like that.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi.
The explosion completely destroyed the Port of Beirut, a main economic lifeline to Lebanon. The blast occurred at a time when Lebanon was already facing an economic, political and public health crisis with COVID-19 cases on the rise.
We go now to Beirut, where we’re joined by Dr. Seema Jilani. She’s a pediatrician and writer who treated her own daughter, who was injured in the blast. Seema was able to share with us this tragic video that her husband filmed from inside a crowded ambulance as she cradled her daughter and sang to keep her calm.
DR. SEEMA JILANI: [singing with voices and sirens in background]
AMY GOODMAN: The scenes and sounds from inside an ambulance in Beirut after Tuesday’s blast, where you can see and hear our guest, Dr. Seema Jilani, who joins us now on the phone from a hospital where her daughter is being treated.
Seema, can you tell us where you were when the blast occurred, and what happened next?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: I was on Armenia Street, which is a large thoroughfare, on the street on which I live, in a little area called Mar Mikhael, full of shops and restaurants, bustling, a lot of nightlife on a usual day. It was extremely packed, because we’re just coming out of a four-day lockdown, from Friday through Monday, and so everybody was out, abnormally, even more traffic than usual. My husband and daughter were at home. We have floor-to-ceiling windows. The explosion knocked out completely all of the windows. He went to protect her, and shards of glass flew into her legs and arms, much deeper upon second inspection than I originally thought.
I was in a car. I heard the blast, immediately crouched down into fetal position. And, you know, time lapses and means nothing in these moments, so I have no idea how much time passed. But the driver came and said I can get out. I got out. I realized I left my keys, went back to get my keys. And the scenes that I saw walking from that one block to my home were people in confusion, dusted with debris and detritus, overturned doors, glass everywhere.
A young woman approached me to use my phone, and when I looked at her the second time around, her ear was falling off. So I immediately got into my sort of doctor mode, as we do, tried to find out if there were any other sources of bleeding, and tried to make phone calls for her and stabilize her. But in the meantime, I had gotten in touch with my husband. My husband said, “Come home now. Come home now. Your daughter needs you.” And for the first time in my career — I have never done this, and it feels so antithetical to everything I am — and I told the young lady, I said, “I’m really sorry.” I stabilized her, and I had to go.
I ran up the stairs — I ran a block, ran up the stairs to scenes in my apartment complex — we live on the third floor — of completely open, shattered doors, windows, glass everywhere, people bleeding on stairs, blood dripping down the stairs, an unconscious woman. And all I was screaming was, “Is my daughter OK? Is my daughter OK?”
I run into an apartment that I don’t recognize, and our things look as if they’ve been in an earthquake. And there she is, naked in a towel, and my husband is applying pressure to two very deep wounds that I can see at first.
We then go downstairs after a lot of chaos, downstairs to catch an ambulance. And we are packed into the ambulance that you just saw, one of the last people to luckily get on that ambulance. And we’re not moving anywhere for about at least 10 minutes, because everything is at a standstill. So there’s just despair and destruction. Nothing is moving. And people are just in complete chaos within the ambulance itself.
And so, for me, I turn into half-mother, half-doctor, which you saw, and half of that means calming and singing your child to sleep or whatever, and half of it means waking her up when she goes to sleep to make sure she’s not going unconscious. So you’re on this [inaudible] balancing tiptoe.
AMY GOODMAN: And how old is your daughter, Seema?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: She’s 4 years old.
AMY GOODMAN: What did you find at the hospital when you brought her there?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: We went to a hospital called Hôtel-Dieu de France, and it is — we found utter chaos. They were doing the best under the circumstances, and their circumstances include coming out of a revolution, from September onward, which was then halted by coronavirus, which was then toppled by a rising and looming economic failure, which is now leading to what I might describe — I’m not an analyst — but as an almost failed state. So they’re overworked, underfunded.
And now we’re coming into the season of bronchiolitis, flu, and none of which is detectable or can be differentiated from COVID. And so, at this hospital, you’re seeing extreme trauma, layers of trauma within the hospital staff, who are actually calling to see if their own kids and family members are all right, and people that are trying to volunteer off the street. Their own hospital has been hit, so there’s rafters hanging, electrical wires everywhere. It looks like a scene that’s under construction. And there’s dust and rafters, so everybody is also trying to shield themselves.
Then you get to the actual people and patients, and they’re everywhere. You’re stepping over people. You’re bumping — you know, I was carrying my daughter, so I was trying to make sure her legs, at one point, weren’t getting in the way of a doctor suturing in the hallway. There’s patients within the doctor’s areas, which is almost never seen. I mean, just bodies upon bodies. And not all of them are dead, but certainly they have blood, wounds, gaping wounds, shards of glass, children crying. My daughter thinks she recognized a little girl from her school. But a lot of perspective in that moment, where you say, “OK, my daughter has some wounds and some gashes, and we can get that treated, but please first go do CPR on the next patient.”
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Seema Jilani, I want to thank you so much for being with us. All our best to your 4-year-old daughter, Iman.
DR. SEEMA JILANI: Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: And, of course, to everyone right now in Beirut. More than 4,000 people injured, hundreds are missing, 100 at least confirmed dead. We will continue to cover this situation after the break, when we’re joined by Rami Khouri. Dr. Seema Jilani is a pediatrician and writer based in Beirut. She treated her own daughter, injured in the blast, joining us from the hospital. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-08-05--Headlines for August  5, 2020

Headlines for August  5, 2020

Lebanon ’ s Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a “ national catastrophe.
” He said it was triggered @ @ @ @ @ explosive ammonium nitrate , inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years .
The @ @ @ @ @ of Beirut — a main economic lifeline to Lebanon .
Even before Tuesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ economy was in crisis , exacerbated by U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration .
@ @ @ @ @ President Trump told reporters that U.S. military generals believed the explosion was caused by a @ @ @ @ @ : “ They would know better than I would , but they seemed to think @ @ @ @ @ It was a bomb of some kind .
Yes.
” Trump offered no evidence for @ @ @ @ @ not supported by intelligence agencies .
The Pentagon declined to comment and referred all press @ @ @ @ @ .
After the explosion , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called former Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ to the Lebanese people , not the current prime minister Hassan Diab .

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a “national catastrophe.” He said it was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years. The explosion completely destroyed the Port of Beirut — a main economic lifeline to Lebanon. Even before Tuesday’s disaster, Lebanon’s economy was in crisis, exacerbated by U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
At the White House, President Trump told reporters that U.S. military generals believed the explosion was caused by a bomb.
President Donald Trump: “They would know better than I would, but they seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind. Yes.”
Trump offered no evidence for his claim, which was not supported by intelligence agencies. The Pentagon declined to comment and referred all press questions to the White House.
After the explosion, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to offer assistance to the Lebanese people, not the current prime minister, Hassan Diab.


democracynow--2020-08-06--Revealed: How U.S. Gov't & Hollywood Secretly Worked Together to Justify Atomic Bombings of Japan

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
This is The Quarantine Report .
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the U.S. dropping the bomb , the atomic bomb , on Hiroshima , 75 years ago today , ushering in the Atomic Age , August 6 , 1945 .
This is J. Robert Oppenheimer , the scientist credited with coordinating the creation of the atomic bomb , head of the Manhattan Project , describing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history lit up the Trinity blast site in New Mexico , the test site , on July 16th , 1945 .
AMY GOODMAN : “ Now I am become Death , the destroyer of worlds.
” That ’ s the scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer quoting the Bhagavad Gita .
Well , we turn now to look at how the U.S. government controlled the narrative about the race to build and use the first atomic bomb , especially by controlling how that story was portrayed in the media .
This is the focus of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the End : How Hollywood — and America — Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb .
The Beginning or the End is also the name of a 1947 movie by MGM .
We ’ ll learn more about that and so much more with journalist Greg Mitchell , who ’ s written extensively on Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings , also the author of Atomic Cover-up and Hiroshima in America , with Robert J. Lifton , and former editor of Nuclear Times magazine .
It ’ s great to have you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the 75th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb , ushering in the Nuclear Age .
Greg , before we talk about the film , The Beginning or the End , that started to recreate a narrative about what happened , for people who are not familiar with what happened then , the significance of J. Robert Oppenheimer , President Truman ’ s decision to drop the bomb ?
Tell us why the bomb was dropped , and the criticism at that time through to today , that was not so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MITCHELL : Yes .
Thank you .
Happy to be here .
Well , you know , the stated reason for dropping the bomb , which has become what I call the official narrative , really , to this day , as we ’ ve seen again with the media coverage of the past month , was that it was the only thing that could end the war , it saved a million American lives , the Japanese would not have surrendered , we would have had a costly invasion of Japan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bomb , it was the only thing that worked .
This came out in Truman ’ s initial statement , where he called Hiroshima a military base .
So , from the beginning , it was important to communicate to the American people that this was a decent and necessary act .
And , of course , evidence has emerged over the decades which shows that there were alternatives .
For example , Truman had just gotten Russia to declare war on Japan , to promise to declare war on around August 9th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that Japan — including Truman — believed that Japan would have surrendered quickly after the Russian declaration of war .
And so , there ’ s all sorts of evidence that has emerged that the use of the bomb was not necessary , could have been delayed or not used at all .
But what was important was to set this narrative of justification .
And it was set right at the beginning , and by Truman and his allies , and with a very willing media , and then , following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Nagasaki , confiscation of film footage , photographs , censorship office in Tokyo .
My book picks up carrying the story to Hollywood .
And I think it tells the whole story of this period and what happened in this crucial turning point , oddly , through this rather entertaining story about this movie , because the way that Truman and the military intervened to make — to adjust the movie and totally get revisions in the script to reflect this official narrative , rather than raise questions about the bomb .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie came out , it was nothing more than propaganda .
And so , really , the story of this movie , and as I tell in the book , it really reflects so much about this turning point in America , where we are set on this path to endorsing the use of the bomb , by most in the media and by many among the public , right to this day .
AMY GOODMAN : Greg , a very quick thing , before we talk about the film , that other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government secretly filmed the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , not just from the sky , but the devastation on the ground , brought that film back to the scientists at Los Alamos , who did the Manhattan Project , made the bombs .
And the reports are that these scientists threw up .
They were vomiting as they saw this film , horrified , not understanding this would ever be used on Japan .
Can you talk about everyone from Albert Einstein to J. Robert Oppenheimer , and how they ultimately felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classified for decades — AMY GOODMAN : — obviously not incriminating , not sharing nuclear secrets , but because of its huge effect .
GREG MITCHELL : Yeah .
Well , in fact , as the book shows , the MGM movie , The Beginning or the End , was actually inspired by one of these scientists .
And there were so many of the atomic scientists who were appalled by what had happened with the use of the bomb and the dangers for the future .
And so , one of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Oak Ridge contacted his former chemistry student , the actress Donna Reed , oddly , and Donna Reed set in motion MGM making this movie .
But it was — AMY GOODMAN : This is Donna Reed , the famous actress .
GREG MITCHELL : Her high school chemistry teacher ended up in the Manhattan Project .
He wrote her a letter two months after the bombing , saying that she must get Hollywood to make a big-budget movie that would warn the world about the dangers of remaining on this nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you mentioned , Albert Einstein was very much allied with that , was probably the leading spokesman for that .
And , you know , Donna Reed set in motion where MGM did start — did launch this movie .
At Paramount , they launched a competing movie , with Ayn Rand , of all people , as the screenwriter .
So , the book talks a good deal about that .
Ayn Rand ’ s script was ultimately too wacky even for Hollywood , and so Paramount then threw in with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrible movie .
But in any case , the scientists did — a large number of them did very much turn against the bomb .
And partly for their troubles , they were — the leading scientists were surveilled and followed , and their phones tapped , by the FBI .
You mentioned the confiscation of this footage .
Just very , very briefly , both the Japanese — a lead Japanese newsreel team and then a U.S. military team filmed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the weeks and months after the bombing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage .
It was probably all — whenever you see any color footage from Hiroshima and Nagasaki , it comes from this U.S. military team .
And I told this story first in Atomic Cover-up , a book I wrote a few years ago , and now I ’ ve just directed a film , also called Atomic Cover-up , that explores how both the Japanese footage and the American footage was suppressed for decades , because it just — it showed too much of the human effects of the bombing .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story to my current book , because Hollywood essentially did the same thing .
It was different , but it was taking a movie script , completely revising it , changes ordered by even the White House .
A costly scene had to be reshot on orders from Truman and the White House , that would explain his decision to use the bomb more favorably , you might say , which MGM did .
So , I mean , it ’ s quite incredible , just that one example , among many , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studio to reshoot the key scene in a movie to reflect more favorably on him and what he did .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Greg Mitchell , I want to turn to the present day and where the U.S. now stands on the use of nuclear weapons , not just 75 years ago .
But today you write that 75 years after the first use of nuclear weapons , it ’ s still supported by a majority of Americans .
You cite a recent survey conducted by YouGov and The Bulletin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third would support a nuclear strike on North Korea , if North Korea tested a long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S. , even if that meant the death of a million civilians .
GREG MITCHELL : Yeah .
I mean , what ’ s really driven my work for almost four decades now is , you know , people say , “ Why does Hiroshima matter today ?
” or , you know , “ You can ’ t change history , even if you could.
” But the simple fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s called a first-use policy .
It means any president is enabled to order a preemptive nuclear strike — in other words , in response to a conventional war or , as you just mentioned , a threat , a perceived threat , from a rival or an enemy .
I think most people still think America would only launch in retaliation , but that ’ s not true .
We ’ ve had a first-use policy or first-strike policy .
And there have been efforts to change it .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a first-use president .
Now we have a president in the White House who , you know , many people are very fearful of what he might do in a crisis , or in response to a tweet even .
He ’ s not exactly the “ stable genius ” that he claims to be .
And so , we have this policy still in effect .
And that ’ s why I keep coming back to Hiroshima every year and in books and articles , is because the media , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then .
Certainly , no president has really come out against it .
Top officials continue to endorse it .
And the fact that we ’ re making — you know , on the one hand , we ’ ll say , “ We must never use nuclear weapons again .
They ’ re too terrible , ” and so forth .
But the two times we already used them , you know , was “ necessary.
” And so it ’ s this endorsement of the use of the bomb then .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if we launched another nuclear attack , the same defenses would come out .
We have this in our background .
We have this in our history .
The world largely condemns it , but it is in our history .
And it has been judged — AMY GOODMAN : And at that time , Greg Mitchell , the number of people who died , believed to be over 200,000 , the two atomic bombs that were dropped ?
GREG MITCHELL : Yes , 200,000 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki .
AMY GOODMAN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave it there , on this 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima .
Thanks so much for joining us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. This is The Quarantine Report.
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the U.S. dropping the bomb, the atomic bomb, on Hiroshima, 75 years ago today, ushering in the Atomic Age, August 6, 1945. This is J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist credited with coordinating the creation of the atomic bomb, head of the Manhattan Project, describing his feelings as the first nuclear explosion in history lit up the Trinity blast site in New Mexico, the test site, on July 16th, 1945.
J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER: We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed. A few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the prince that he should do his duty, and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.
AMY GOODMAN: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” That’s the scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer quoting the Bhagavad Gita.
Well, we turn now to look at how the U.S. government controlled the narrative about the race to build and use the first atomic bomb, especially by controlling how that story was portrayed in the media. This is the focus of a new book called The Beginning or the End: How Hollywood — and America — Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The Beginning or the End is also the name of a 1947 movie by MGM.
We’ll learn more about that and so much more with journalist Greg Mitchell, who’s written extensively on Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, also the author of Atomic Cover-up and Hiroshima in America, with Robert J. Lifton, and former editor of Nuclear Times magazine.
It’s great to have you with us, Greg. Terrible anniversary, the 75th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb, ushering in the Nuclear Age. Greg, before we talk about the film, The Beginning or the End, that started to recreate a narrative about what happened, for people who are not familiar with what happened then, the significance of J. Robert Oppenheimer, President Truman’s decision to drop the bomb? Tell us why the bomb was dropped, and the criticism at that time through to today, that was not so much heard at the time.
GREG MITCHELL: Yes. Thank you. Happy to be here.
Well, you know, the stated reason for dropping the bomb, which has become what I call the official narrative, really, to this day, as we’ve seen again with the media coverage of the past month, was that it was the only thing that could end the war, it saved a million American lives, the Japanese would not have surrendered, we would have had a costly invasion of Japan, and we really needed to drop the bomb, it was the only thing that worked. This came out in Truman’s initial statement, where he called Hiroshima a military base. So, from the beginning, it was important to communicate to the American people that this was a decent and necessary act.
And, of course, evidence has emerged over the decades which shows that there were alternatives. For example, Truman had just gotten Russia to declare war on Japan, to promise to declare war on around August 9th. And there are many people who believe that Japan — including Truman — believed that Japan would have surrendered quickly after the Russian declaration of war. And so, there’s all sorts of evidence that has emerged that the use of the bomb was not necessary, could have been delayed or not used at all.
But what was important was to set this narrative of justification. And it was set right at the beginning, and by Truman and his allies, and with a very willing media, and then, following that, suppression of evidence from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, confiscation of film footage, photographs, censorship office in Tokyo.
My book picks up carrying the story to Hollywood. And I think it tells the whole story of this period and what happened in this crucial turning point, oddly, through this rather entertaining story about this movie, because the way that Truman and the military intervened to make — to adjust the movie and totally get revisions in the script to reflect this official narrative, rather than raise questions about the bomb. And then, ultimately, when the movie came out, it was nothing more than propaganda. And so, really, the story of this movie, and as I tell in the book, it really reflects so much about this turning point in America, where we are set on this path to endorsing the use of the bomb, by most in the media and by many among the public, right to this day.
AMY GOODMAN: Greg, a very quick thing, before we talk about the film, that other film you talk about. The U.S. government secretly filmed the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, not just from the sky, but the devastation on the ground, brought that film back to the scientists at Los Alamos, who did the Manhattan Project, made the bombs. And the reports are that these scientists threw up. They were vomiting as they saw this film, horrified, not understanding this would ever be used on Japan. Can you talk about everyone from Albert Einstein to J. Robert Oppenheimer, and how they ultimately felt? That film would be then highly classified for decades —
GREG MITCHELL: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: — obviously not incriminating, not sharing nuclear secrets, but because of its huge effect.
GREG MITCHELL: Yeah. Well, in fact, as the book shows, the MGM movie, The Beginning or the End, was actually inspired by one of these scientists. And there were so many of the atomic scientists who were appalled by what had happened with the use of the bomb and the dangers for the future. And so, one of these scientists from Los — excuse me, from Oak Ridge contacted his former chemistry student, the actress Donna Reed, oddly, and Donna Reed set in motion MGM making this movie. But it was —
AMY GOODMAN: This is Donna Reed, the famous actress.
GREG MITCHELL: Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: Her science teacher?
GREG MITCHELL: Her high school chemistry teacher ended up in the Manhattan Project. He wrote her a letter two months after the bombing, saying that she must get Hollywood to make a big-budget movie that would warn the world about the dangers of remaining on this nuclear path. And, of course, as you mentioned, Albert Einstein was very much allied with that, was probably the leading spokesman for that.
And, you know, Donna Reed set in motion where MGM did start — did launch this movie. At Paramount, they launched a competing movie, with Ayn Rand, of all people, as the screenwriter. So, the book talks a good deal about that. Ayn Rand’s script was ultimately too wacky even for Hollywood, and so Paramount then threw in with MGM on their movie, on their terrible movie.
But in any case, the scientists did — a large number of them did very much turn against the bomb. And partly for their troubles, they were — the leading scientists were surveilled and followed, and their phones tapped, by the FBI.
You mentioned the confiscation of this footage. Just very, very briefly, both the Japanese — a lead Japanese newsreel team and then a U.S. military team filmed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the weeks and months after the bombing. The U.S. footage was all color footage. It was probably all — whenever you see any color footage from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it comes from this U.S. military team. And I told this story first in Atomic Cover-up, a book I wrote a few years ago, and now I’ve just directed a film, also called Atomic Cover-up, that explores how both the Japanese footage and the American footage was suppressed for decades, because it just — it showed too much of the human effects of the bombing.
But that’s kind of a related story to my current book, because Hollywood essentially did the same thing. It was different, but it was taking a movie script, completely revising it, changes ordered by even the White House. A costly scene had to be reshot on orders from Truman and the White House, that would explain his decision to use the bomb more favorably, you might say, which MGM did. So, I mean, it’s quite incredible, just that one example, among many, of a sitting president ordering a movie studio to reshoot the key scene in a movie to reflect more favorably on him and what he did.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Greg Mitchell, I want to turn to the present day and where the U.S. now stands on the use of nuclear weapons, not just 75 years ago. But today you write that 75 years after the first use of nuclear weapons, it’s still supported by a majority of Americans. You cite a recent survey conducted by YouGov and The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists that found that more than a third would support a nuclear strike on North Korea, if North Korea tested a long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S., even if that meant the death of a million civilians.
GREG MITCHELL: Yeah. I mean, what’s really driven my work for almost four decades now is, you know, people say, “Why does Hiroshima matter today?” or, you know, “You can’t change history, even if you could.” But the simple fact is that America continues to have what’s called a first-use policy. It means any president is enabled to order a preemptive nuclear strike — in other words, in response to a conventional war or, as you just mentioned, a threat, a perceived threat, from a rival or an enemy. I think most people still think America would only launch in retaliation, but that’s not true. We’ve had a first-use policy or first-strike policy. And there have been efforts to change it. It’s not happened. So we still have a first-use president.
Now we have a president in the White House who, you know, many people are very fearful of what he might do in a crisis, or in response to a tweet even. He’s not exactly the “stable genius” that he claims to be. And so, we have this policy still in effect.
And that’s why I keep coming back to Hiroshima every year and in books and articles, is because the media, particularly, continues to endorse the use back then. Certainly, no president has really come out against it. Top officials continue to endorse it. And the fact that we’re making — you know, on the one hand, we’ll say, “We must never use nuclear weapons again. They’re too terrible,” and so forth. But the two times we already used them, you know, was “necessary.” And so it’s this endorsement of the use of the bomb then. I think we could all rather easily see if we launched another nuclear attack, the same defenses would come out. We have this in our background. We have this in our history. The world largely condemns it, but it is in our history. And it has been judged —
AMY GOODMAN: And at that time, Greg Mitchell, the number of people who died, believed to be over 200,000, the two atomic bombs that were dropped?
GREG MITCHELL: Yes, 200,000 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, I’m going to leave it there, on this 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Thanks so much for joining us.


democracynow--2020-08-06--"The Beginning of Our End": On 75th Anniversary, Hiroshima Survivor Warns Against Nuclear Weapons

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Seventy-five years ago today at 8:15 in the morning , the U.S. dropped the world ’ s first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima .
Destruction from the bomb was massive .
Shock waves , radiation and heat rays took the lives of some 140,000 people , ultimately .
Three days later , the U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki , killing another 74,000 people .
President Harry Truman announced the attack on Hiroshima in a nationally televised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AMY GOODMAN : Today , 75 years later , at 8:15 this morning , a temple bell tolled in Hiroshima to commemorate the world ’ s first nuclear attack .
Tens of thousands normally gather to commemorate the bombing anniversary , but this year ’ s ceremony at Hiroshima ’ s Peace Memorial Park was kept small due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui addressed a group of survivors and public officials .
AMY GOODMAN : For more , we ’ re joined by a survivor of the atomic bombing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was 10 years old when the bomb was dropped .
Her memoir recounting the moment is titled One Sunny Day : A Child ’ s Memories of Hiroshima .
She ’ s a retired psychiatric social worker , founder of One Sunny Day Initiatives , a peace education organization .
She ’ s joining us from Medford , Oregon .
We welcome you to Democracy Now !
It ’ s an honor to have you with us , Hideko Tamura Snider .
Can you go back 75 years ago , 8:15 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hiroshima ?
Tell us where you were and what happened next .
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER : Thank you , Amy , for inviting me .
Yes , I remember , even though over 75 years , just like yesterday .
I was the happiest child , just home from country haven from night before , thinking so fortunate to be home .
The morning was very sunny .
Birds were chirping , butterflies over flowers .
And I was leaning over in my own house with my back to the garden , reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was a warning siren , but the radio I turned on said the planes , three planes , came and turned around and went away .
“ It ’ s safe now .
Go back to work .
It was safe now .
Go back to work.
” So , we could resume our daily affairs .
And suddenly there was a flash in my peripheral vision .
I jumped on my feet and turned around .
And simultaneously , practically , with the flash came a humongous , deafening sound — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever heard — and went on , just resounding with a huge sound .
And luckily , my mother had taught me what to do if something akin to a bomb hitting our house or garden directly , to try to find very sturdy furniture and place myself between , which I did .
She said , likely , even if the house collapsed on top of us , there will be a small room left .
And tried to hang on , but I couldn ’ t even squat .
The shaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and thermal wind from the explosion was so violent , everything was hitting me , even if I was between two sturdy furniture .
So , I was under the wreckage .
I think it was pitch dark .
I could not see anything .
And I think the sound of it — I did not pass out .
I wish that I did .
So I remember the sensation , the color and the smell like yesterday .
I think it went on , in the pitch dark , almost 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound subsided , I found myself under the debris .
The house was well built with large pillars , so the roof did not come down flat on top of me .
But I was not able to get out .
And there was an effort , try to move towards where there was a light coming , and somehow crawl to get from under the debris .
And I was sure that it was one bomb hit our yard .
But when we came out — it was a household , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandfather , who had passed away by that time , was the chair of a multinational corporation , and Tamura Industry name , I noticed that in the map of the Allied forces , American military map had Tamura Industry clearly marked .
I suppose , for all incendiary attacks and so forth , they would mark factories , you know , to aim .
And so , we were one of them , and our house was fairly close to it .
When I came up outside , I found myself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my foot .
And , you know , I was an only child , not given to efficient self-care .
The smallest scar , I would run to my mother .
You know , “ Help me , mother !
” — a little bruise .
So I had no idea what to do .
I was just terribly frightened .
You couldn ’ t walk around with it .
So , our Tamura household was filled with Tamura family extended relations .
I asked an aunt , “ Oh , Auntie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this horrible thing on my foot !
” She was not able to help me .
Everyone was scarred , bruised .
And my father ’ s older brother , Uncle Hisao , who took over the Tamura Industry , had barely made it back to the house and was sitting and screaming to us , “ It is the end !
End has come !
” And gashing cuts from the middle of his throat , I think he had more glass shards than everybody in the factory .
The glasses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over his body , and he was bleeding from it , and bleeding all over .
It was really a very scary sight , as was when I mustered my courage — “ Nobody is going to help me .
I am the only one who can do ” — and , with trembling hand , washed around it , after I very slowly picked this huge glass out of my leg , realizing it ’ s the first time I had to do something this awful and this scary , and knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the last day of my childhood .
It ’ s a really long story , leaving the scene by myself , because the heat of radiation was so strong , you know , multiplied by it from the heat that will melt steel , so much more , and turned the woods on fire and turned buildings on fire .
And across the street went , with a huge sound , the block full of flame , and I realized we ’ re going to be surrounded and burned to death if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mother ’ s instruction was , “ Get away from under the debris , go to the river , and save yourself .
Stay by the river , and escape along the river.
” And Hiroshima had several rivers — seven — from a major river coming in and pouring into the inland sea .
So that ’ s where I headed .
In front of the gate were women on the ground , reaching out to me .
And these first ladies I saw on the ground bleeding , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Korean .
But I could understand from the gesture .
But I was only a child .
I ’ ve never been hurt the way I was , or seen anything like this , or the house come down .
You know , a child has this feeling your parents are always going to be there , and your room is going to be there , and , you know , all your books and your world .
You don ’ t picture it to change , even though we had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , and I know the B-29 — hundreds would go over our sky — and we were in a war .
But the child , you know , can ’ t imagine anything changing that drastic , and people dying and bleeding and reaching , raising hands and begging , “ Please help !
” And there was nothing I could do .
I was needing help myself .
I don ’ t know how much you ’ d like to know , because it ’ s a long story about fleeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms. Hideko Tamura Snider , thank you so much for that extremely powerful account .
We wanted to know if you could say a little about what happened to your mother and to your siblings , and also the ongoing health impact of radiation , of the dropping of this nuclear bomb on Hiroshima .
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER : OK .
I never wanted to accept it , but the last she was seen was screaming as the heavy concrete , a part of the building , falling on her .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely 30 years of age , a beautiful woman , and very loving .
I was an only child , therefore no sibling , but I had a sibling-like playmate , beloved cousin — I lived under the same — Cousin Hideyuki .
The last he was seen , he was with over 8,000 children at ground zero , barely being able to walk .
But a classmate of his , months after the explosion , told us he caught up with him .
“ Aren ’ t you Tamura ?
” Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are burned and skin hanging , but the shape of his head , he sort of kind of recognized it must be my cousin .
And he said yes .
And so , the two started to walk a little bit .
My cousin was barely making it .
Then the plane came back , and we all thought that they came to shoot , like in the other kinds of attack .
AMY GOODMAN : Hideko Tamura , you suffered radiation sickness .
Can you describe what that was like ?
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SNIDER : Oh , yes , yes .
I was caught up with my cousin ’ s story .
I ’ m sorry .
I loved him so much , that I just slow down .
I was covered with boils in August , afterwards .
And then , suddenly , I started to run a very high fever , off the chart .
Hair falling , stomach trouble .
And I think I bordered life and death for weeks , and then finally it came down , but followed with jaundice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ yellowed .
And you could tell , even though Asian skin tends toward golden , I was totally yellow , in a sort of much yellowish hue .
And I was exhausted , like liver trouble , you know , jaundiced .
I had no energy to even walk around .
And I would sit where I was with my relations , where we took refuge .
I was not able to go to a school .
I missed most of my school days because of that .
It was in a sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of a place , in a town called Kabe , quite a bit away from Hiroshima .
And I noticed , where I was , you know , exhausted and ailing , some of the people who had been in Hiroshima were dying , with thyroid blowing up , high fever , and then bleeding from orifices and having red spots all over .
We didn ’ t know , you know .
We were even worried about mosquito bites , if it was a start of the radiation sickness .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We didn ’ t know it was atom bomb-related , because only those people who barely survived , but not really .
It was like you were not well .
People suddenly then died .
Even those who came to look for their kins entered the city , had the similar kind of reaction .
AMY GOODMAN : Astoundingly , you would ultimately come to the United States to go to college , Bennett College in North Carolina , and you then got training as a psychiatric social worker .
You live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago today , as you have told your story to people , to students , to community groups .
What message do you have for President Trump today , as many fear the beginning of a new nuclear arms race ?
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER : Well , you know , I came to a conclusion — all survivors did — the people of Hiroshima now would like to issue message that this is a horrific bomb , so harmful and inhumane that the human race can not live with it .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone .
And my way , as a former clinical social worker , is to encourage , to former enemies especially , to come closer , in what I call collective healings , because there seems to be still anger tied up about the Pacific War against Japanese .
And that means they ’ re not healed , either .
And in our attempt to heal , we have to promote : “ Don ’ t let this happen to you .
This is horrible.
” I chair One Sunny Day Initiatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring that which would encourage seeking solutions and seeking treaties and seeking collective approach to be able to live in peace in the world .
However , if you are especially pointing me to speak something to President Trump , I would say the same thing .
Mr. President , this is unallowable weapon on this Earth .
Please help us .
Talk it out through treaties , rather than intimidating , intimidating and pushing , because throughout the history it ’ s not the intimidator that will start a war and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimidated that would study any of their chances , and if they thought there was nothing , they would strike back with everything possible .
And should they have their hand in nuclear weapon , please be prepared .
It is the beginning of our end .
AMY GOODMAN : Hideko Tamura Snider , I want to thank you so much for being with us , survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima .
The memoir recounting that moment is titled One Sunny Day : A Child ’ s Memories of Hiroshima .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker , founder of One Sunny Day Initiatives , peace education organization .
She lives in Medford , Oregon .
When we come back , we ’ ll be joined by Greg Mitchell , author of many books on Hiroshima , including his latest , The Beginning or the End : How Hollywood — and America — Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Seventy-five years ago today at 8:15 in the morning, the U.S. dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Destruction from the bomb was massive. Shock waves, radiation and heat rays took the lives of some 140,000 people, ultimately. Three days later, the U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing another 74,000 people. President Harry Truman announced the attack on Hiroshima in a nationally televised address, August 6, 1945.
PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN: A short time ago, an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy. That bomb has more power than 20,000 tons of TNT.
AMY GOODMAN: Today, 75 years later, at 8:15 this morning, a temple bell tolled in Hiroshima to commemorate the world’s first nuclear attack. Tens of thousands normally gather to commemorate the bombing anniversary, but this year’s ceremony at Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park was kept small due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui addressed a group of survivors and public officials.
MAYOR KAZUMI MATSUI: [translated] On August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima. Rumor at the time had it that nothing will grow here for 75 years. And yet, Hiroshima recovered, becoming a symbol of peace, with many people from all over the world visiting the city.
AMY GOODMAN: For more, we’re joined by a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Hideko Tamura Snider. She was 10 years old when the bomb was dropped. Her memoir recounting the moment is titled One Sunny Day: A Child’s Memories of Hiroshima. She’s a retired psychiatric social worker, founder of One Sunny Day Initiatives, a peace education organization. She’s joining us from Medford, Oregon.
We welcome you to Democracy Now! It’s an honor to have you with us, Hideko Tamura Snider. Can you go back 75 years ago, 8:15 in the morning, in your city of Hiroshima? Tell us where you were and what happened next.
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER: Thank you, Amy, for inviting me.
Yes, I remember, even though over 75 years, just like yesterday. I was the happiest child, just home from country haven from night before, thinking so fortunate to be home. The morning was very sunny. Birds were chirping, butterflies over flowers. And I was leaning over in my own house with my back to the garden, reading a book.
First, at 7:30, was a warning siren, but the radio I turned on said the planes, three planes, came and turned around and went away. “It’s safe now. Go back to work. It was safe now. Go back to work.” So, we could resume our daily affairs.
And suddenly there was a flash in my peripheral vision. I jumped on my feet and turned around. And simultaneously, practically, with the flash came a humongous, deafening sound — so huge, I had never, ever heard — and went on, just resounding with a huge sound.
And luckily, my mother had taught me what to do if something akin to a bomb hitting our house or garden directly, to try to find very sturdy furniture and place myself between, which I did. She said, likely, even if the house collapsed on top of us, there will be a small room left. And tried to hang on, but I couldn’t even squat. The shaking was so huge, in whichever way, and thermal wind from the explosion was so violent, everything was hitting me, even if I was between two sturdy furniture.
So, I was under the wreckage. I think it was pitch dark. I could not see anything. And I think the sound of it — I did not pass out. I wish that I did. So I remember the sensation, the color and the smell like yesterday. I think it went on, in the pitch dark, almost 10 or 15 minutes. And when the sound subsided, I found myself under the debris. The house was well built with large pillars, so the roof did not come down flat on top of me. But I was not able to get out. And there was an effort, try to move towards where there was a light coming, and somehow crawl to get from under the debris.
And I was sure that it was one bomb hit our yard. But when we came out — it was a household, the family of the Tamura Industry. My grandfather, who had passed away by that time, was the chair of a multinational corporation, and Tamura Industry name, I noticed that in the map of the Allied forces, American military map had Tamura Industry clearly marked. I suppose, for all incendiary attacks and so forth, they would mark factories, you know, to aim. And so, we were one of them, and our house was fairly close to it.
When I came up outside, I found myself, huge shards of glass were stuck in my foot. And, you know, I was an only child, not given to efficient self-care. The smallest scar, I would run to my mother. You know, “Help me, mother!” — a little bruise. So I had no idea what to do. I was just terribly frightened. You couldn’t walk around with it. So, our Tamura household was filled with Tamura family extended relations. I asked an aunt, “Oh, Auntie, please help me! There’s this horrible thing on my foot!” She was not able to help me.
Everyone was scarred, bruised. And my father’s older brother, Uncle Hisao, who took over the Tamura Industry, had barely made it back to the house and was sitting and screaming to us, “It is the end! End has come!” And gashing cuts from the middle of his throat, I think he had more glass shards than everybody in the factory. The glasses, when it was destroyed, stuck all over his body, and he was bleeding from it, and bleeding all over.
It was really a very scary sight, as was when I mustered my courage — “Nobody is going to help me. I am the only one who can do” — and, with trembling hand, washed around it, after I very slowly picked this huge glass out of my leg, realizing it’s the first time I had to do something this awful and this scary, and knew, looking back on it, it was the last day of my childhood.
It’s a really long story, leaving the scene by myself, because the heat of radiation was so strong, you know, multiplied by it from the heat that will melt steel, so much more, and turned the woods on fire and turned buildings on fire. And across the street went, with a huge sound, the block full of flame, and I realized we’re going to be surrounded and burned to death if we don’t escape.
And my mother’s instruction was, “Get away from under the debris, go to the river, and save yourself. Stay by the river, and escape along the river.” And Hiroshima had several rivers — seven — from a major river coming in and pouring into the inland sea. So that’s where I headed.
In front of the gate were women on the ground, reaching out to me. And these first ladies I saw on the ground bleeding, and not even sitting, crawling, were speaking in Korean. But I could understand from the gesture.
But I was only a child. I’ve never been hurt the way I was, or seen anything like this, or the house come down. You know, a child has this feeling your parents are always going to be there, and your room is going to be there, and, you know, all your books and your world. You don’t picture it to change, even though we had been evacuated, and my mother had told me, and I know the B-29 — hundreds would go over our sky — and we were in a war. But the child, you know, can’t imagine anything changing that drastic, and people dying and bleeding and reaching, raising hands and begging, “Please help!” And there was nothing I could do. I was needing help myself.
I don’t know how much you’d like to know, because it’s a long story about fleeing that day.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Ms. Hideko Tamura Snider, thank you so much for that extremely powerful account. We wanted to know if you could say a little about what happened to your mother and to your siblings, and also the ongoing health impact of radiation, of the dropping of this nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER: OK. I never wanted to accept it, but the last she was seen was screaming as the heavy concrete, a part of the building, falling on her. She was buried alive and burned alive at barely 30 years of age, a beautiful woman, and very loving.
I was an only child, therefore no sibling, but I had a sibling-like playmate, beloved cousin — I lived under the same — Cousin Hideyuki. The last he was seen, he was with over 8,000 children at ground zero, barely being able to walk. But a classmate of his, months after the explosion, told us he caught up with him. “Aren’t you Tamura?” Because, you know, all his clothes are burned and skin hanging, but the shape of his head, he sort of kind of recognized it must be my cousin. And he said yes. And so, the two started to walk a little bit. My cousin was barely making it. Then the plane came back, and we all thought that they came to shoot, like in the other kinds of attack.
AMY GOODMAN: Hideko Tamura, you suffered radiation sickness. Can you describe what that was like? You’re a child.
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER: Oh, yes, yes. I was caught up with my cousin’s story. I’m sorry. I loved him so much, that I just slow down.
I was covered with boils in August, afterwards. And then, suddenly, I started to run a very high fever, off the chart. Hair falling, stomach trouble. And I think I bordered life and death for weeks, and then finally it came down, but followed with jaundice. My white of my eyes were completely yellowed. And you could tell, even though Asian skin tends toward golden, I was totally yellow, in a sort of much yellowish hue. And I was exhausted, like liver trouble, you know, jaundiced.
I had no energy to even walk around. And I would sit where I was with my relations, where we took refuge. I was not able to go to a school. I missed most of my school days because of that. It was in a sort of like a top of the mountain type of a place, in a town called Kabe, quite a bit away from Hiroshima.
And I noticed, where I was, you know, exhausted and ailing, some of the people who had been in Hiroshima were dying, with thyroid blowing up, high fever, and then bleeding from orifices and having red spots all over. We didn’t know, you know. We were even worried about mosquito bites, if it was a start of the radiation sickness. We didn’t have that word. We didn’t know it was atom bomb-related, because only those people who barely survived, but not really. It was like you were not well. People suddenly then died. Even those who came to look for their kins entered the city, had the similar kind of reaction.
AMY GOODMAN: Hideko Tamura Snider —
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER: Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: Astoundingly, you would ultimately come to the United States to go to college, Bennett College in North Carolina, and you then got training as a psychiatric social worker. You live in Portland. It’s 75 years ago today, as you have told your story to people, to students, to community groups. What message do you have for President Trump today, as many fear the beginning of a new nuclear arms race?
HIDEKO TAMURA SNIDER: Well, you know, I came to a conclusion — all survivors did — the people of Hiroshima now would like to issue message that this is a horrific bomb, so harmful and inhumane that the human race cannot live with it. And we want to get that message out to everyone.
And my way, as a former clinical social worker, is to encourage, to former enemies especially, to come closer, in what I call collective healings, because there seems to be still anger tied up about the Pacific War against Japanese. And that means they’re not healed, either. And in our attempt to heal, we have to promote: “Don’t let this happen to you. This is horrible.” I chair One Sunny Day Initiatives to do that, and I try to bring that which would encourage seeking solutions and seeking treaties and seeking collective approach to be able to live in peace in the world.
However, if you are especially pointing me to speak something to President Trump, I would say the same thing. Mr. President, this is unallowable weapon on this Earth. Please help us. Talk it out through treaties, rather than intimidating, intimidating and pushing, because throughout the history it’s not the intimidator that will start a war and do unwise things. It’s the intimidated that would study any of their chances, and if they thought there was nothing, they would strike back with everything possible. And should they have their hand in nuclear weapon, please be prepared. It is the beginning of our end.
AMY GOODMAN: Hideko Tamura Snider, I want to thank you so much for being with us, survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The memoir recounting that moment is titled One Sunny Day: A Child’s Memories of Hiroshima. She’s a retired psychiatric social worker, founder of One Sunny Day Initiatives, peace education organization. She lives in Medford, Oregon.
When we come back, we’ll be joined by Greg Mitchell, author of many books on Hiroshima, including his latest, The Beginning or the End: How Hollywood — and America — Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-08-06--Headlines for August  6, 2020

Headlines for August  6, 2020

In Lebanon , the death toll from Tuesday ’ s massive explosion at the Port of Beirut has risen to @ @ @ @ @ missing and over 5,000 injured .
The explosion completely leveled Lebanon ’ s largest grain @ @ @ @ @ with less than a month ’ s reserve of grain .
Beirut ’ s city @ @ @ @ @ people lost their homes to the explosion , compounding a humanitarian crisis that followed economic @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases across Lebanon .
Officials say the blast was triggered by over 2,700 tons @ @ @ @ @ a warehouse at Beirut ’ s port .
The highly explosive industrial fertilizer was reportedly @ @ @ @ @ ship bound for Mozambique in 2013 but never properly secured .
The Lebanese government says @ @ @ @ @ officials under house arrest .
Public outrage at government officials is exploding across Lebanon with @ @ @ @ @ ” trending on social media .

In Lebanon, the death toll from Tuesday’s massive explosion at the Port of Beirut has risen to 137, with dozens still missing and over 5,000 injured. The explosion completely leveled Lebanon’s largest grain silo, leaving the country with less than a month’s reserve of grain. Beirut’s city governor says up to 300,000 people lost their homes to the explosion, compounding a humanitarian crisis that followed economic collapse and a surge of coronavirus cases across Lebanon.
Officials say the blast was triggered by over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at Beirut’s port. The highly explosive industrial fertilizer was reportedly seized from a Russian-leased cargo ship bound for Mozambique in 2013 but never properly secured. The Lebanese government says it has placed several port officials under house arrest. Public outrage at government officials is exploding across Lebanon with the hashtag “#HangUpTheNooses” trending on social media.