Morishita Sensei is an incredible man. An atomic bomb survivor, he is missing an ear from a severe burn on one side of his body. He wears the bomb everywhere. Sensei means teacher. Morishita dedicated his life to teaching peace.
In 1964, Morishita traveled to the United States with a group of over 20 other Hibakusha and Barbara Reynolds, the founder of the World Friendship Center. This historic trip split groups of survivors into 3 tracks, some groups meeting the likes of Robert Oppenheimer and Malcolm X. Morishita's group met with none other than former president Harry Truman, the atomic bomber.
To this day, Morishita Sensei is still bothered by this meeting. Truman showed no regret and took no responsibility. All the delegation wanted was for him to apologize- to say gomen'nasai (I'm sorry). He wishes he could have met Malcolm X instead.
As a "mobilized student" Morishita and his fellow secondary school youths were put to work for the defense of Japan. On August 6th, Japan had endured significant incendiary Bombings and strafe attacks. The fire bombing of Tokyo is estimated to have killed nearly half a million people alone. Hiroshima had been left untouched, but the defenders knew not for long. Students were put to work dismantling houses to create clear fire-lanes, and on the morning of August 6th they were lined up to receive orders.
Morishita's story is best told by himself, and I'll link where to find it at the bottom of this post. There are some horrors too terrible to imagine, but that we must know from these witnesses as long as nuclear weapons and war can exist. When the bomb fell, young Morishita covered his eyes lest the pop out of his skull, and his ear drums lest they rupture. Not all of his classmates did the same. He was approached by a peer who asked him to describe his face, but there was no face left. It had melted off.
Morishita described the haunting sound of the city as a swarm of mosquitos. Thousands of cries of pain filled the air. Walls of immolation, spreading outwards began to silence them. There are things you don't think about, like that the fires would burn blue from the phosphorus in people's bones. That the heat from a nuclear weapon will turn you into a shadow if you're lucky, and a ruined, shambling, melted form if you're not.
I understand why the Tacoma Jesuit activist Father William "Bix" Bischell wanted so badly to apologize to the Japanese people. The more I learn, and the more time I spend here, the more I wish my country would finally give the Hibakusha the apology they deserve.
Morishita’s story: https://youtu.be/bzpSELYdPtM?feature=shared