Hiroshima: 65th Atomic Bomb Anniversary

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HIROSHIMA, JAPAN (GaeaTimes.com)- Today marks that 65th year since the Japanese city of Hiroshima bore the brunt of an atomic bomb, an event that not played a significant role in changing the course of Second World War but also validated the fact that United States possessed the world’s most powerful weapon and was ready to use it when required. However, this is not the only catastrophe that Japan had to encounter as just three days later another atomic bomb was dropped in the city of Nagasaki, resulting in widespread loss to life and property while plaguing generations to come. Like every year, even this time around, the victims of the disaster were remembered through a special memorial ceremony that was held in Hiroshima Peace Park on Friday.

The memorial ceremony that was held in the Japanese city of Hiroshima today for the very first time witnessed the presence of a diplomatic representative of the United States, despite the fact that U.S. is known to have turned down the invitation of Japanese officials to attend the memorial ceremony on prior occasions. While shedding light into the decision of United States to send their representative for the memorial ceremony, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealed on Thursday that President Barack Obama thought “it would be appropriate to recognize this anniversary.”

US ambassador John Roos was accompanied by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon who was the first United Nations chief to attend the ceremony. The annual memorial event in Hiroshima also witnessed the presence of representatives of as many as 70 different countries which also included Britain and France who graced the occasion for the very first time.