Contributed by Jane Lestarchick

Japan after the Bombings of WWII

           Towards the end of World War II, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, followed by the dropping of a bomb on Nagasaki three days later. Both were prominent Japanese cities, now ravaged by the effects of this brand new form of warfare, and were destroyed. Originally, Hiroshima was the home to 90,000 buildings. After the dropping of the bomb, however, only 28,000 remained. Twenty of the city’s 200 doctors were left alive or capable of helping others. The city was perishing as more and more people were dying in the aftermath, lacking food and proper medical attention. The bomb dropped over Nagasaki killed anywhere from 60,000 to 80,000 people, exact numbers being unknown as bodies and records were obliterated in the blast. The mountainous region surrounding the city was able to contain damage to a smaller area, protecting the nearby areas from destruction.

Interview:

Below is an interview of James T. Byrnes about his time in Japan after the dropping of the atomic bombs.  Mr. Byrnes is 86 years old.  He was 17 years old and a member of the US Navy when he was in Japan.  Mr. Byrnes was married and had 9 children: Maureen 64, James 62, Thomas 59, William 56, Patrick 55, Jacqueline 54, John 52, Michelle 49, Allison 44.  He has several grandchildren and great grandchildren:  William 41, James 39, James 30, Jacqueline 25, Sean 23, Courtney 21, Dana 19, Evan 17, Jane 16, Kyle 15, Kathleen 15, Erin 13, Kaitlyn 12, Raymond 12, Tyra 7, Tucker 1. 

 

Q: When you were in World War II you were in the Navy correct?

A: Yes
 

Q: And you went to Japan?

A: Yes, went to Japan after the bombing. We were on the way to invade Japan when the bomb was dropped.
 

Q: So you were in Japan after the war was declared over?

A: Yes, it was about two weeks later.
 

Q: What was your initial reaction once you got to Japan?

A: The only thing that was left standing was a Temple, everything else had been bombed away. There were no people living in the town, then they started coming down from the hills. That’s where we had our picture taken with the kids.
 

Q: What town were you in?

A: Sasebo
 

Q: What was your job when you were there?

A: I was a store keeper, third class. We took care of all supplies and payroll.
 

Q: How did your time in Japan change your views on the war?

A: It didn’t change my views on the war; we wanted to get the Japanese for bombing Pearl Harbor and killing thousands of people.
 

Q: How many people from your ship went with you?

A: Half a dozen friends maybe, I really don’t remember.
 

Q: Do you have anything else to add?

A: We visited a lot of islands out in the Pacific, we were out there for two years. We went to Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, Okinawa, Philippines…couldn’t get into the Philippines because when we got there, we were in a typhoon and we couldn’t get off the ship, we just went into the harbor. 

James Byrnes pictured in the center with two other sailors on their ship 

Japanese people coming down from the hills to see the destruction after the bombing

James Byrnes in Panama

James Byrnes pictures as the sailor on the right with two other sailors and Japanese children; Temple is seen in background

 

 

For more information on the bombings of Japan, see...

“American bomber drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima.” 2013. The History Channel website. Feb 14 2013,   12:11 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-bomber-drops-atomic-bomb-on-hiroshima.

“Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki.” 2013. The History Channel website. Feb 14 2013, 9:01 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-nagasaki.