U.S. veterans, now members of pacifist group, visit Hiroshima and meet A-bomb survivor
Nov. 19, 2016
by Gosuke Nagahisa, Staff Writer
Two members of Veterans For Peace visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park for the first time and met an A-bomb survivor on November 18. Veterans for Peace, a pacifist organization, is made up of American military veterans. The visitors said that, as veterans, they would like to extend their sincere apologies to the people of Hiroshima and remain fully committed to realizing peace in the world.
Rory Fanning, 39, served in Afghanistan, and Mike Hanes, 40, in the Iraq War. They offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and visited the Peace Memorial Museum, where they listened to Toshiyuki Mimaki, 74, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (for which Sunao Tsuboi serves as chair), recount his experience of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Fanning said that he wanted to make a proper apology because President Barack Obama did not offer one when he visited Hiroshima in May of this year. Mr. Hanes said that all Americans should visit Hiroshima and that a lot can be learned from history.
The two men also took part in an event organized by young people who are engaged in peace activities in Hiroshima. They also related their experiences of war in a lecture at Hiroshima City University.
(Originally published on November 19, 2016)
Two members of Veterans For Peace visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park for the first time and met an A-bomb survivor on November 18. Veterans for Peace, a pacifist organization, is made up of American military veterans. The visitors said that, as veterans, they would like to extend their sincere apologies to the people of Hiroshima and remain fully committed to realizing peace in the world.
Rory Fanning, 39, served in Afghanistan, and Mike Hanes, 40, in the Iraq War. They offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and visited the Peace Memorial Museum, where they listened to Toshiyuki Mimaki, 74, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (for which Sunao Tsuboi serves as chair), recount his experience of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Fanning said that he wanted to make a proper apology because President Barack Obama did not offer one when he visited Hiroshima in May of this year. Mr. Hanes said that all Americans should visit Hiroshima and that a lot can be learned from history.
The two men also took part in an event organized by young people who are engaged in peace activities in Hiroshima. They also related their experiences of war in a lecture at Hiroshima City University.
(Originally published on November 19, 2016)
