This film has inspired me to become a more globally-minded and peace-minded citizen. Mr Mori, the A-bomb survivor featured in the film, is one of those rare human beings who has been able to look past the horrors he experienced in war and see the human beings on the other side of the battle. Definitely recommend, especially for young people and students!
2 Reviews
Difficult to fathom
evening17 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Shigeaki Mori saw unspeakable horror when as an eight-year-old he survived the atomic-bomb drop on Hiroshima. More than 100,000 fellow countrymen perished in the blast, along with 12 US prisoners of war.
Mori made it his life work to learn the backstory of the dozen fighters whose plane went down in a dogfight. He traveled the backroads of America in an effort to bring closure to their survivors.
We're told that Mori believes "all should be acknowledged, regardless of nationality."
"At all costs, I want to pay tribute to these Americans who died," says the 80ish Mori, who walks with two canes.
Shocking footage comes by way of Mori's memories of surviving the bomb ("Wow, I'm still alive") and paintings of the carnage supplied by a Hiroshima museum.
Along the way we meet a couple POW survivors who meet up with Mori in Japan and are moved by his generous spirit.
"He spent his life trying to help us out," says the nephew of a flier who survived the blast, only to die shortly afterwards of radiation poisoning.
The documentary leaves one with questions, and Mori's efforts to explain aren't entirely satisfying.
"I've always darted about in the darknesses of history, intent on trying to shed some light," he says.
The film makes no reference to any objection from any of Mori's countrymen. One marvels at the lack of attention to this matter.
If an American wanted to establish a memorial at Pearl Harbor to the families of kamikaze pilots, I imagine it would create quite a stir.
Mori made it his life work to learn the backstory of the dozen fighters whose plane went down in a dogfight. He traveled the backroads of America in an effort to bring closure to their survivors.
We're told that Mori believes "all should be acknowledged, regardless of nationality."
"At all costs, I want to pay tribute to these Americans who died," says the 80ish Mori, who walks with two canes.
Shocking footage comes by way of Mori's memories of surviving the bomb ("Wow, I'm still alive") and paintings of the carnage supplied by a Hiroshima museum.
Along the way we meet a couple POW survivors who meet up with Mori in Japan and are moved by his generous spirit.
"He spent his life trying to help us out," says the nephew of a flier who survived the blast, only to die shortly afterwards of radiation poisoning.
The documentary leaves one with questions, and Mori's efforts to explain aren't entirely satisfying.
"I've always darted about in the darknesses of history, intent on trying to shed some light," he says.
The film makes no reference to any objection from any of Mori's countrymen. One marvels at the lack of attention to this matter.
If an American wanted to establish a memorial at Pearl Harbor to the families of kamikaze pilots, I imagine it would create quite a stir.
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