This is a description of a few seconds of horror as told by Tomoyasu, a victim of the Hiroshima bombings: "There was a flash[...] It pierced my eyes. My mind went black. The glass from the windows was shattering all around me."
The atomic detonation over Hiroshima and fire-bombing Dresden are related for obvious reasons. Both are examples of those historical tragedies that are the ultimate results of war and the products of a breakdown of diplomacy and communication.
INTERVIEWER. You were holding her in your arms all that time?
TOMOYASU. Yes, I held her in my arms. She said, 'I don't want to die.' I told her, 'You're not going to die.' She said, 'I promise I won't die before we get home.' But she was in pain and she kept crying, 'Mother.'
INTERVIEWER. It must be hard to talk about these things.
TOMOYASU. When I heard that your organization was recording testimonies, I knew I had to come. She died in my arms, saying 'Idon't want to die.' That is what Death is like. It doesn't matter what uniforms the soldiers are wearing. It doesn't matter how good the weapons are. I thought if everyone could see what I saw, we wouldn't have war anymore.
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