Visualizing the devastation

 I think that the way that the peace park and museum show the dedication the Japanese people have to remembering those that died or suffered from the bomb while also standing as a firm advocate against nuclear weaponry. Something like the aftermath of war or a bomb as devastating as an atomic bomb is hard to fully understand and conceptualize for a generation that has grown up largely untouched by war. We've learned about these events in our history classes all growing up and learning about it on paper is so much different than seeing the aftermath through the artifacts and exhibitions in the museum. Having things like clothes, a bento box, and other everyday items makes the event more personal. It is no longer just a bunch of numbers on a page, instead it is real stories, pictures, and pieces of past lives. One of the parts of the museum that was impactful to me was at the very beginning when they had the two giant walls with the before and after pictures. To go from seeing an every day life picture with little cars driving by and people enjoying a stroll on the bridge to seeing the leveled aftermath helped me to realize really how devastating the bomb was. It was crazy to think that in such a short time the city was completely leveled. Next to the walls there was a model of the city where it played out the stretch of the fire across the city. I felt like seeing that also helped me to better understand really how much area that initial blast covered in an instant. I think that these types of displays are really important because they help us really see the breadth of these nuclear weapons and it takes things out of the textbook and puts it in a way that is easier to understand really what happened. I really effects you and going through the whole museum then having the exhibit at the end that talks about nuclear weaponry and advocates is a really effective way to advocate against nuclear war and weaponry.