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August 6, 2023, commemorates the dates August 6 and August 9, 1945, when the United States dropped nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, setting the stage for the end of World War II. 

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( Argus Courier August 6, 1954)

The complete destruction of these cities along with the atmospheric radiation fallout opened the world’s eyes to the horrific possibilities that nuclear war could bring. People immediately recognized that this was something beyond anything encountered before and that there must be some way to work together across the world to create a world free of nuclear weapons.

The Peace Crane Project was started by residents of Sonoma County who were concerned about nuclear weapons proliferation around the world. Their mission is to: “create a world free of nuclear weapons, where people can learn to live together in harmony and peace”, the group has been producing the annual August commemoration of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki since 1980.

Japanese folklore tells the story of how a crane lives for a thousand years and if one can fold 1,000 origami cranes – one for each year of a crane’s life – their wish would be granted. Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who at age 10 became ill with leukemia as a result of the radiation from the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, folded her thousand cranes and made her wish. Her wish was not granted, but she persevered and continued folding cranes until her death at age 12. After her death, classmates and family celebrated her optimism for the future by raising money to build a monument to her and the many others who died as a result of the bombing. Her memory stays with us today as we work towards creating a nuclear-free world. 

Origami cranes (Ellie Reimer)

To learn more about this history, the NPS's Manhattan Project National Historic Park hosts three sites that share the history of the work that went into the building of the atomic bomb; one in Washington State, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Oak Ridge Tennessee. These historical sites tell the stories behind the people who built the bomb and grappled with the science, the psychology, and the concern for the future with such a force unleashed. 

Explore Reflection & Remembrance on the National Park Service's Manhattan Project website to discover events that mark and recognize the historical trauma of the atomic bombings in Japan. With the new movie “Oppenheimer” out, there is much interest in learning more about this time in history. Come on down to the library and see what we have to jumpstart your interests.  Check out some of the movies on him –  available through the Hoopla app.