My grandfather was in the navy during World War II and he published a book about his experiences as a prisoner of war for four years. Even still, I have limited understanding of such a tremendous event and I have been ill-informed about steps leading up to the creation and the dropping of the atomic bomb. With this lacking of background, the film shook me. We will call it a brief overview or a skimming of the surfaces, for it left many unanswered questions and a desire to know more. At the same time, I would rather shut my eyes to the horrific travesties that we, as a country, condoned and deemed necessary for our survival. But that is not an option for me, I must know more, so that I can help facilitate the end of passing down of hate and ignorance from generation to generation.
I type this, with the knowledge that right now, there are 150,000 bombs equivalent in strength to the bomb that was responsible for devastating Hiroshima, residing around this planet, and it makes me sick. U.S. propaganda has focused on the healing power of the atom, but reports from radiation being the cause of healing are far outweighed by reports of the detrimental effects of radiation poisoning. For some victims of nuclear activity, it is as if we are living on the planet of the apes. Strange mutations have occurred to their genetic codes and they have been unsuccessful in the reproduction of healthy children. Changes have taken place within humans, plants, animals, water, air, soil and still unknown entities that have the power to markedly affect what has been considered normal life. Nuclear energy is touted as a reliable and affordable energy source, but the U.S. has spent in the trillions of dollars to develop a product, that has yet to yield a profit and the waste of which is a seemingly insurmountable task to dispose of.
I now choose to revisit the imagery previously mentioned. I have never seen an unrecognizable person. I hope to never see a face with eyeballs hanging below the jaw line. Yet these images exist and are very real memories for some survivors who have spoken out about their experiences of nuclear weaponry. We have yet to see the full effects of what radiation poisoning will do to our future generations. The three eyed fish from The Simpsons television show may very well become a reality.
It is said that the war with Japan would have ended without the need to drop the atomic bomb, but for whatever reason, our politicians felt it necessary to not only drop but continue production of atomic missilery. This continued production has been a large factor in political and geographical feuding for much of the second half of the last century. While this can not be erased, the future threat of nuclear holocaust can and must be eliminated. There is no safe level of radiation. Our lives and planet depend on decisive and responsible decision making, we must say, "Yes we can", stand up and let our voices be heard.
Public awareness of this need has declined with the declination of testing, but the damage remains. Nuclear power plants and the nuclear waste that they create remain on this planet, changing the global processes that have sustained the bio-diversity inherent to our world. Viewing, The Forgotten Bomb, I am reminded that, their are forces for good, they are powerful and moving, and easily joined. New technology has made these forces available to a much larger group. It has risen awareness and offered a certain level of safety through exposure to those parties speaking out about injustice. I turn an optimistic eye toward the future and hope this voice among the many, is heard.
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