NextSharkNextShark.com

Rare Footage of Hiroshima Before the U.S. Dropped an Atomic Bomb Released

Rare Footage of Hiroshima Before the U.S. Dropped an Atomic Bomb Released

July 10, 2017
SHARE
Last week, the Hiroshima Peace Museum released newly digitized footage of Hiroshima in 1935, approximately ten years before the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the region
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

According to the Japan Times, the 16 mm film footage is “valuable data that clearly shows how Hiroshima looked before being atom-bombed,” a museum staff member said.
The black-and-white film itself is very short — a little over three minutes in length — but it paints a picture of a simpler time in the city. Citizens scurry about in the street, some in Western attire while others wear the traditional kimono, as they tend to their business. Children stare curiously at the camera, and a group of boys pass by, smiling as they make their way to an unknown destination. Cherry blossoms bloom, people row boats across the river, and a man can be seen fishing at the water’s edge.
Digitizing the film enabled museum staff to give a better estimate on the year it was shot. Before, it was thought to be filmed in 1936, but after improving the quality of the video through digitizing, the museum was able to read a previously illegible movie theater marquee, and the team estimates the year to be 1935 based off the movie playing at the time.
The film is a stark reminder of a bygone world unaware of what was to come — on August 6, 1945, ten years after this film, the U.S. would drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing an estimated 150,000 people. Three days later on August 9, the U.S. dropped another atom bomb on the city of Nagasaki, killing an estimated 50,000 people to force Japan into unconditional surrender and marking one of the most atrocious acts of war the world has not seen since.
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Heather Johnson Yu

      Heather Johnson Yu Born at a very young age; self-made thousandaire. Recommended by 4 out of 5 people that recommend things. Covered in cat hair. Probably the best sleeper in the world. Still haven't completed the civil war quest in Skyrim but I'm kind of okay with that. Too rad to be sad.

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.