Barack Obama Honors Victims of Hiroshima Atomic Bombing

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, warned against technological advancements without ethical considerations during his visit to the memorial for the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. According to AFP, on Friday, June 7, he stated in front of the Japanese Prime Minister and a group of Hiroshima bombing survivors: "71 years ago, death rained from the sky, and the world changed." The U.S. Air Force bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan to surrender while Germany had already capitulated to the Allied forces, thus ending World War II. However, the atomic bombings resulted in approximately 200,000 casualties and marked one of the most horrific chapters in human history. Mr. Obama remarked: "Why have we come to Hiroshima and this place? We have come to reflect on a terrifying force that was unleashed not so long ago. We have come to mourn this death and annihilation. Their spirits speak to us and ask us to look within ourselves and think about who we are." He continued: "Technological advancement without equivalent progress in human ethics can lead us to ruin. The scientific revolution that led to nuclear fission also requires a moral revolution. That is why we are here, standing in the heart of this city, forcing ourselves to visualize that moment when the bomb fell. We force ourselves to feel the terror of those children who were stunned by what they had witnessed. We listen to the cry of silence." The U.S. President concluded by saying: "The world changed forever here, but today, the children of this city are building their days with peace. And what a precious thing that is." Barack Obama is the first sitting U.S. President to visit Hiroshima since the atomic bombing. Prior to this visit, there had been much speculation and calls for the U.S. President to apologize for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but Mr. Obama responded that he only pays respect to the victims of this bombing.