An eyewitness account detailing the devastation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima has been published for the first time, coinciding with the 81st anniversary of the event. The memoir, written by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister, offers a personal and harrowing perspective on the August 6, 1945, attack.
Tanimoto, who had studied theology in Atlanta, described witnessing "a sharp flash of light" followed by a "strong blast of wind" and a "tremendous explosion." The manuscript, titled "Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir," was recently discovered among the archives of Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter John Hersey, who had previously chronicled the bombing's impact on Hiroshima residents. Tanimoto's grandson, Cannon Hersey, and Japanese filmmaker Taku Nishimae found the 400-page document while reviewing Hersey's files.
It remains unclear if John Hersey, who interviewed Tanimoto in 1946, ever read the pastor's complete memoir. Tanimoto's writings recount the immediate chaos following the blast, describing how he rushed to find his family amidst widespread destruction. "People seemed to be buried in the ground," he wrote, detailing his efforts to navigate over the dead and dying. "Nothing whatsoever could be done, with the strength of only one person, to help the people beneath those houses."
While Tanimoto himself emerged largely unharmed despite experiencing severe diarrhea and fever, his wife and infant daughter were initially buried under rubble. His wife, Chisa Tanimoto, managed to dig herself and their daughter out after the baby began crying.
The bomb's impact was catastrophic, claiming the lives of over 140,000 residents who succumbed to severe burns, injuries, and what Tanimoto termed "the atomic disease," now understood as radiation sickness. In the aftermath, Tanimoto described survivors with horrific injuries, including skin loss and suppurating burns, where maggots had to be removed. A severe shortage of medical personnel meant that many died while others received treatment.
Despite his experiences, Tanimoto, who went on to have four more children, became known as a "rescuing angel" for his dedicated efforts to help fellow survivors. He rejected this label, never viewing himself as a hero and expressing no resentment toward Americans for dropping the bomb. He attributed this stance to the immense destructive power of the weapon itself, stating, "Its great power caused the people of Hiroshima who suffered due to that power to embrace stamping out all wars from the surface of this earth."
Tanimoto's memoir is currently being adapted into a feature film, with "Shogun" actor Takehiro Hira slated to portray Tanimoto. The film is anticipated for release at the 2028 Cannes Film Festival.
