Documenting Hiroshima of 1945: August 23, death toll continued to rise as entire picture remained unclear
Aug. 23, 2024
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Senior Staff Writer
A big headline appeared in the Chugoku Shimbun’s August 23, 1945, edition, which was printed at the Asahi Shimbun’s West Headquarters. The headline read, “‘Atomic bomb’: extreme cruelty.” Based on the number of dead confirmed by the authorities and the fact that the death toll was still rising, the newspaper reported the extent of damage with the following words — “In the end, the death toll is estimated to be 70,000 to 80,000.” The first photograph showing the ruins of Hiroshima City was carried next to the headline. The photo was taken by Takashi Saeki of the Osaka Branch of the Domei News Agency, information that was introduced in this series on August 15.
According to a report dated August 21 from the Hiroshima Prefectural government to Japan’s national government and elsewhere, the police and military had been able to confirm 32,959 dead bodies by August 21. The detailed report on the damage caused by the August 6 air raid on Hiroshima City and on the countermeasures being taken also mentioned that, “Including the number of those buried under collapsed houses and buildings, burned to death, or turned to bones, the death toll is estimated to be more than 60,000.”
With the death toll continuing to rise as increasing numbers of survivors died from acute radiation damage, the entire picture of the damage was unclear.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is in possession of medical notes for Naoe Tsukuda, 17 at the time, who died on the evening of August 23. It was written by someone involved in her treatment in Hiroshima’s present-day Asakita Ward, where she had taken shelter. The notes serve as a record of her symptoms and treatment by physicians over the five days following her initial health examination on August 19.
Ms. Tsukuda was working for the health department of the prefectural government when she experienced the atomic bombing in the center of the city. According to the notes, “The patient has purple purpura spots caused by internal bleeding over her entire body.” She also suffered such symptoms as bleeding gums and hair loss. On August 22, her fever rose to 40.5 degrees Celsius. Despite receiving injections of glucose and vitamins, she died.
The notes conclude with the words, “I apologize,” because the writer had not been able to provide adequate treatment. Ms. Tsukuda’s illness was indicated to be “A-bomb disease (sepsis).”
(Originally published on August 23, 2024)
A big headline appeared in the Chugoku Shimbun’s August 23, 1945, edition, which was printed at the Asahi Shimbun’s West Headquarters. The headline read, “‘Atomic bomb’: extreme cruelty.” Based on the number of dead confirmed by the authorities and the fact that the death toll was still rising, the newspaper reported the extent of damage with the following words — “In the end, the death toll is estimated to be 70,000 to 80,000.” The first photograph showing the ruins of Hiroshima City was carried next to the headline. The photo was taken by Takashi Saeki of the Osaka Branch of the Domei News Agency, information that was introduced in this series on August 15.
According to a report dated August 21 from the Hiroshima Prefectural government to Japan’s national government and elsewhere, the police and military had been able to confirm 32,959 dead bodies by August 21. The detailed report on the damage caused by the August 6 air raid on Hiroshima City and on the countermeasures being taken also mentioned that, “Including the number of those buried under collapsed houses and buildings, burned to death, or turned to bones, the death toll is estimated to be more than 60,000.”
With the death toll continuing to rise as increasing numbers of survivors died from acute radiation damage, the entire picture of the damage was unclear.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is in possession of medical notes for Naoe Tsukuda, 17 at the time, who died on the evening of August 23. It was written by someone involved in her treatment in Hiroshima’s present-day Asakita Ward, where she had taken shelter. The notes serve as a record of her symptoms and treatment by physicians over the five days following her initial health examination on August 19.
Ms. Tsukuda was working for the health department of the prefectural government when she experienced the atomic bombing in the center of the city. According to the notes, “The patient has purple purpura spots caused by internal bleeding over her entire body.” She also suffered such symptoms as bleeding gums and hair loss. On August 22, her fever rose to 40.5 degrees Celsius. Despite receiving injections of glucose and vitamins, she died.
The notes conclude with the words, “I apologize,” because the writer had not been able to provide adequate treatment. Ms. Tsukuda’s illness was indicated to be “A-bomb disease (sepsis).”
(Originally published on August 23, 2024)
