“Imagine Peace.”
-Yoko Ono
76 years ago on this day, August 9, 1945 America detonated an atom bomb over Nagasaki, Japan. It was an implosion-type plutonium bomb called Fat Man. An estimated 80,000 people died, most of them civilians.
Three days earlier, on the morning of August 6, 1945, America detonated its first atom bomb on Hiroshima; it was different from the plutonium bomb they would drop on Nagasaki. This one was a gun-type uranium bomb, named Little Boy. It killed an estimated 140,000 people, also mostly civilians.
Present estimates of deaths caused by these bombings are inexact, as the deaths were not all instantaneous. The estimate now is 226,000 deaths, but this could be far short of the truth.
Yoko Ono was born in 1933 into a wealthy family in Tokyo. During the war, the family fled the city for safety from the bombings. During this time, they were impoverished, and she nearly starved. It instilled in her compassion for all people, especially children.
““Children have pride, too,” she said, ” so they don’t beg you, but they are in pain and they are starving.”
Three days ago on August 6, 2021, Yoko sent this message to the world which she wrote in 2015 regarding the bombing of Japan.
Videos by American Songwriter
Dear Friends,
The 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a tragedy of the greatest magnitude.
Even now, years later, many victims of the violence of atomic weapons are still suffering, physically, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
People make a point of it. They don’t want us to forget. Of course, we are not forgetting.
But when you actually visit Hiroshima as I did in 2011, you will be totally surprised by what you see and experience. Hiroshima now is a beautiful shining city with healthy people and great food!
How did they do it?
“All that we are is the result of what we thought.” – Buddha
Yes. It’s the thoughts of the Hiroshima people who brought this incredible recovery.
In 2011, the 3/11 tsunami hit us hard. And for us and for our planet it is important that we make the fastest recovery from it.
Let’s start with having good thoughts – especially about ourselves.
Don’t waste time being angry at greed-ridden corporate guys and lying-through-the teeth politicians.
We have to focus on what we can do, and do it.
Believe in the power of goodness which we all have.
Be an oasis for people who are suffering from spiritual thirst.
Have a vision of a society that has ridden itself of social injustices.
This time, we are challenged to make a mass enlightenment.
It’s not any different from other challenges we have had to take care of.
We always did take care of them, and came out of it.
The Human Race is a miracle race.
We can do anything we want.
Just focus on what to do, and how simple it is.
Look into people’s eyes.
They are your eyes.
They are beautiful.
They are smiling.
Let’s go!
I love you!
Yoko Ono
Hiroshima Day
6 August 2015
