George Takei Remembers Hiroshima | Takei's Take Japan

[@agalgonzalez]

I was deeply shocked when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It is perhaps my strongest memory of my time in Japan other than the friendships I made there as a teacher. By spreading both the importance of acheiving an acceptance of of each other and the importance of peace, you honour your yourself and your ancestors, Mr. Takei.

[@howarthe1]

It's a beautiful thing for a city to take on a cause so noble as peace. it is especially beautiful that the city which has done so is the one that has lost so much to war.

[@miyubail]

Goerge Takei san...You are one of the very rare individuasl to speak and understand Japanese language and fathom what really happned there. . I am Japanese who has been living in the NW US for more than 40 years. I thank you so much for what you have done

[@raminudl]

Beautiful. It's a shame something like that happened, but it's heartwarming to see that some good has come out of it, that the city has risen like a phoenix into such a beautiful place committed to peace so something like that never happens again. If only other places in the world were so committed.

[@debrarosemaryjordan2138]

My mom and her family are from Hiroshima. Mom and her family did survive the horrible bombing. Her family members were also in interrment camp in California. My Uncle and family still live in HIroshima. We ( myself, sister Claire and my Mom Chieko) have gone to HIroshima/along with the Peace Park. One day we hope peace will be the norm and mot just a fading idea..... My family of Japanese and American members live in harmony.

[@thuringwethil93]

Beautiful, powerful and heart breaking. It's really breathtaking to see a city devoted to peace so completely.

[@OmegaWolf747]

Very moving piece, Mr. Takei. Thank you. I always love learning Japanese history.

[@CandysChannel]

Wow, that was so moving! I truly wish there was a longer version of this because it was so informative. Amazing

[@TakeisTake]

Thank you, Candy's Channel. This is the first of four episodes on Hiroshima. Subscribe to the channel to receive updates about new episodes.

[@YardleyFiske]

Informative? NOT! This was rather one-sided. No mention of the Japanese atrocities... the thousands (or more) Americans saved by using such power. Just look at the projections of America's dead if the war had been protracted.

[@DenverEight]

My one word for this: Touching.

[@TheDoctologist]

Powerful. As always--and especially on this subject--thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[@dsan5825]

Love this. Wish it was an hour long or more.

[@PrecambrianLullaby]

Mr. Takei, Uncle George, thank you Sir. For your insights and overall impact on the world. I can't speak for anyone else, but you have touched my life and outlook on the world for the better. Thank you.

[@ThePandorads9]

This was inspiring in its meaning and simplicity thankyou for doing this and thankyou to all the people of Hiroshima who never forget and work to help us xx

[@Zipa7]

A moving and heartfelt video Mr Takei, its a shame that Hiroshima's commitment and message of peace is not embraced by the wider world.

[@MrEdsster]

thank you for sharing something that you have a personal connection with during my time in the military, i had a chance to visit japan. the people there are wonderful. May we continue to learn from those horrible times. peace to you and yours

[@Shadowz596]

Amazing. I kinda teared up a bit while watching this.

[@daveh3997]

Before the war, my mother had a pen-pal in Hiroshima. Some kind of pen-pal exchange had been set up in her elementary school. After the war started, the letters stopped. Mom never heard from her again. Mom always said she hoped her friend survived. We'll never know. Thank you for taking us along with you and Brad

[@ChefMimsy]

It's so important to be reminded of what happened and why. But when will we learn?

[@larrygonzales2033]

The hateful aggressions of few creates horrific suffering for the innocent majority. Prayers and comfort to you, sir for your personal loss and to all victims of war.

[@maxx1000]

Thank you Mr Takei. Peace.

[@JD-zp4vn]

Dont cry Jeri T^T this was a touching story,thank you Mt Takei

[@Kellyannification]

This is a beautiful video George, I could listen to you talk all day! Looking forward to the others. X

[@Kevora92]

Thank you for dealing with subjects like Hiroshima and internment camps - subjects that most Americans tend to avoid! As a student of history, this isn't anything new for me, but then history must never be forgotten in order to prevent such terrible things from repeating themselves, especially the dark parts! George Takei is simply one of the most inspiring people around.

[@Molandria]

I have no family ties to Hiroshima, and it's one of those places I've always wanted to visit. One of the biggest shames of my country, long before my time. I don't want to forget when the generation of that time passes. Thanks for showing me some of there, some of the museum, and the historical impacts. Even though it is so real to me for someone that never lived it, just the simple act of you explaining where your Grandmothers house brought it all to a new level.

[@DominicLondon]

This was definitely my favourite episode.

[@AvelardoLopez]

This was a great video about Hiroshima, you presented things about modern day Hiroshima that I did not know about. Thank you for sharing.

[@michelemassa5247]

best episode so far

[@shaunern]

Thank you George

[@RodrigoKazuma]

Thanks George.

[@dennissmith5807]

Great video George. I went to Hiroshima in 2007. For years I was wanting go to. I was so excited when I got there I was almost crying. Those thing I saw in photos I finally got to see in real life…The A Bomb Dome, Shin's Tricycle, The bank wall. It was amazing. The only other place that has that effect on me is Dealey Plaza.

[@mudbug212]

loved it . wish i could go see it to enjoy it for myself . but was realy a great video

[@MrOphachew]

Has he visited Pearl Harbor? or Nanking, China? I'm anxiously waiting for him to show his visits there.

[@GESSO217]

As tragic as the lost of life at Pearl Harbor is , its nothing compared to the amount of Lives that were wiped out of existence at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[@MrOphachew]

Has he visited Pearl Harbor? or Nanking, China? I'm anxiously waiting for him to show his visits there.

[@rockyracoon3233]

@@GESSO217 . The Japanese killed about 3 million people at Nanking China.

[@jeffponchick]

what a fantastic piece!

[@ShikataGaNai100]

Ai to heiwa! Love & Peace

[@kellyarch]

I think that it is important to remember Hiroshima, because it reminds us just how important life and people are, not to mention the fact that there are always other and more better ways to solve the world's problems than with a nuclear weapon. Watching this makes me think about the animated movie "Grave of the Fireflies" of all the animated movies that I have seen, that one brought tears to my eyes. I was blessed to have met Mr. Takei in person at a Star Trek Convention when he came to Atlanta, Georgia, sadly though I was two people away from being able to get an autograph. He stayed as long as he could by the pool signing autographs, but he would have missed his flight had he stayed longer. I'm so grateful to him for sharing this with us. :)

[@ar910793]

Thank you, George. We should all mourn for the victims and remember the horrors of the atomic bombings. The residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki paid a horrible price for peace. Your connections to some of the most horrific things this country has done and your patriotism through it all is an inspiration.

[@Pharozos]

My heritage shames me watching this. May future generations find peace.

[@andygiffy]

Very thought provoking. Hiroshima is probably a place I will never get to visit. It does make one wonder if we the people will ever learn the lessons of our history or carry on fighting each other. I hope there comes a point when we see a world where all humans coexisted in peace and I hope that comes true one day. Great work and I look forward to more. Have subscribed also. All the best :)

[@HatSandwiches]

If George and Brad put together a documentary of WWII I would be one happy camper. I say George and Brad because what is one without the other.

[@scubarang]

As to a previous comment, what the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor can not and does not justify what we chose to do at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I keep hope in my heart that we, as a world, will learn someday and these bombs will be no more. Thank you, George, this was touching and I look forward to the next installments.

[@PhilipADitko]

Actually it does. American soldiers would have been forced to storm the beaches of Japan had we not drop those nukes. And remember back then our military was mostly composed of conscripts (aka drafted soldiers). When you have a drafted army, you have to prioritize their lives over enemy civilians, because conscripts are practically civilians themselves since you can't expect the same degree of brevity as you would with a volunteer.

[@ljmastertroll]

It is important to remember atrocities to keep them from happening again. The people of Hiroshima not only remember but they fight for peace and to keep this from happening to anyone else in the world.

[@YardleyFiske]

Did the museum mention the Japanese atrocities? I must have missed that...

[@andrewboyd8073]

I will admit that I feel a little bad for the civilians. That said, the simple fact remains that if Japan didn't want any of this, they should have just quit when it became obvious they'd lose the war.

[@fatcatco]

This was quite touching to see, but I feel like there's a lot to learn from this, even though it was about 70 years since it occured it's still a horrible act, I do not support weapons of mass destruction (nor war for that matter), and I think it's important to make sure that it never happens again. There are still some weapons that are under developement that could bring unquanifiable levels of destruction, I sincerely hope that they will never be armed, or even made for that part. I want every country that have arms to lay them down and to stop this nonsesne with war because war is never the solution, peace is the solution and without arms there won't be any wars. And I wish that we some day can have a United Earth Directorate, and a world without guns and fire arms where everybody can live in peace in a solid community.

[@CityofLight11]

A very touching video. So easy to rationalise one side as good, the other bad when in truth the soldiers, politicans and coconspirants in general are the minority. It is always the innocent who suffer most.

[@AmandeepTimeless]

Do the mayors of Hiroshima also each write a letter apologizing for the Nanking Massacre? Do they hold a ritual ceremony every December or January to mark the occurrence of the Nanking Massacre?

[@117shadowfang]

I have always wanted to visit Hiroshima but never have been able to because of time and or money. The closest I was ever able to get was Iwo Jima in Dec. of 98. I'v always felt a special connection to Japan herself and could never figure out why or how this is ever possible. When visited Okinawa I felt strange the first time I set foot on Oki. Like I had come home again for the first time. I still have no answers to any of the reasons why I have these feelings or what keeps calling me to come back to Japan. It's strange. When I was in California, I stood on the shoreline facing west. Hearing in my mind the voice of a lady, calling for me to come back and return. I know it sounds strange but I thought maybe you or someone else would understand and maybe know why I keep having the feeling I do. Anyway. Thank you for taking us all on your tech trips. They are so well informative and full of new knowledge. I'm old fashion in most cases, but I'm learning to catch up....Slowly. :)

[@Keltik0ne]

I got the chance to tour a lot of Japan a few years ago, it's a wonderful place and well worth doing. The Hiroshima museum is a stark monument to the devastation nuclear weapons could cause.

[@117shadowfang]

I wish I had the money to live there let alone tour all of Japan. Its frustrating at the least to feel what I do and not be able to return there. But I watch vids on the whole affair of the bomb and hiroshima to keep the reminder of it all in my mind. And to honor those how were affected by the events that took place that day. They're stories do not for on deaf ears here.

[@longhoang3096]

Not a single dislike!

[@ManoftheGap]

December 7, 1941.

[@danieb52]

August 6 and August 9, 1945

[@ManoftheGap]

Yup, those dates to. Decades of academic research have been spent to analyse the decision to use the Atomic Bomb, and the debate will likely outlast both of us. csis.org/blog/understanding-decision-drop-bomb-hiroshima-and-nagasaki

[@LordDavid04]

So the Japanese started it with their attack on Pearl Harbor, fine. But the US didn't need to drop those atomic bombs and kill 100,000's of innocent civilian lives. The argument is that such decisions saved the potential 1,000's to 100,000's of lives of Allied soldiers that would have been involved in an invasion of Japan. I disagree. The Soviet Union was already living up to their commitments and engaging Japan. The war in Europe was over. Yes they wanted to end the war sooner than later but still, all the pressure towards Japan would have gotten them to surrender eventually without such high military losses. Oh and what about the western betrayal of Poland in 1939? Perhaps if Hitler was defeated by the end of 1940, we might not have seen an eager Japan engage in any conflict with the US, knowing well that their key ally had been defeated so quickly.

[@wolfenstien13]

LordDavid04 The Allies want japan to surrender as fast as possible, for if the Soviet Union invaded them, it's the be full out war and once the dust has settled, Japan would be part of the USSR all the way till 1991. Japan is a proud nation to where it employed its citizens to fight in almost what would had been their vision of the greatest patriotic war, Just like the USSR, they would have fought to the end and Japan wouldn't truly exist today if that was the case.

[@LordDavid04]

Perhaps, but I'm certain that they would have had assured agreements (if the bomb wasn't in the equation), to have Japan in Allied hands, with China and North Korea remaining in the USSR's hands similar to what they did with partitioning Germany and allowing the USSR to have Eastern Europe, without having to resort to another war.

[@lillieannensorensen6512]

Possibly the Japanese shouldn't have bombed a sitting, peaceful, navy. That tends to piss people off. The bombing, by terrorists, of the towers, have resulted in endless innocent deaths, and I'm not sorry. A people must come to understand that their actions have consequences to people who are completely separate from the controversy.

[@drewliedtke2377]

Incredible video. Thank you. Such incredible destruction.

[@JohnSmith-kv6yl]

The Bomb was the best option

[@JackHorner69]

They should have dropped it on some place uninhabited, then said if you don't surrender we will drop one on you... but the American government wanted to test it on people... sick fucks.

[@ar910793]

JackHorner69 We dropped one on an inhabited city and they still didn't surrender. Then we dropped a second one leveling Nagasaki and the military still tried to mutiny rather than surrender. That was all the bombs we had. A demonstration would have been a waste and probably led to a devastating invasion which would have led to far more deaths of both Americans AND Japanese. As horrible as it was, this was almost certainly the best option.

[@samuelbrown5068]

James Evans You do realise that we had no other viable option. we had to stop the imperial army, we had limited time, and we were coming up with estimates in the millions of deaths just on the american side for an invasion. Many many more innocents would have died in the crossfire.

[@ar910793]

James Evans Everyone here knows more about this than you, troll. Dropping the bombs wasn't a great option but it was the best of a bunch of bad options for the US (which is most important) and the best option for the Japanese as a whole. We should take a moment and remember the people who died, but we shouldn't forget the millions of people on both sides, military and civilians, who were saved because we didn't have to invade a country determined to fight to the very last man, woman and child. You know nothing, James Evans.

[@howarthe1]

At the time, the U.S. government sold the plan as the best available option. It was argued long and hard that dropping these two bombs killed fewer people than a more conventional invasion. MIn hindsight, a more thorough evaluation of the facts reveals that the primary concern which drove the decision to drop the bomb was timing. We had to win right away or Russia would have time to advance through China which would positioned them much better for the post war period. It was a cold and calculated excision that had nothing to do with saving lives and had everything to do with consolidating power. War is Hell, and otherwise reasonable men do beastly things to one another.

[@SuperBigDog2U]

It's very sad that mankind would ever find a need to use such a devastating weapon against another human being. I pray we never see this happen again. Even though Japan attacked the United States provoking war, such devastation to civilian life is just horrible and one can only hope that mankind remembers this tragedy and learns to work towards peace and never turn to such a devastating weapon ever again.

[@MrEnforcer204]

It's amazing how Hiroshima has this message of peace for the world. I wonder how the United States would've reacted if it were them instead of Japan to be bombed. Would a memorial still try to advocate peace for the world, or be a simple site of remembrance?

[@TheIntJuggler]

I believe the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was an example of the end justifying the means. Otherwise Japan might resemble North Korea today.

[@MGBguy72]

Just ponder "Hiroshima"; what was learned? Anything? We, as individuals, never get to make such decisions for such destruction. Those that do, bare the burden of guilt and sorrow.

[@Zeldaschampion]

The Japanese people for thousands of years was taught the emperor was the descendant of the god of the sun. As the war turned and we were making headway towards the main land, the Japanese people were being told to sacrifice themselves as human shields and of course there were the Kamikaze. They weren't going to stop until we did something drastic and showed them the Emperor wasn't the only one who had the power of the sun.

[@Zeldaschampion]

Whatan Ushbag I just put that out there for those would see this clip and think America was wrong for what they did when in reality there wasn't much of a choice. It was either the bombs or we wiped out most of Japan on a land war. A lot more people would have died if we didn't drop the bombs. Their loyalty to the Emperor was absolute for many.

[@525Lines]

Those who decided to use the atomic bomb weren't fully aware of the consequences for the survivors. However, America was guilty of waging the kind of war we fought and demanding an unconditional surrender, though at the end those conditions were limited to the military.

[@philipmcmanis2135]

Interestingly enough it was the Emperor who ordered the Japanese nation to lay down their arms after an amazingly cordial meeting with General McArthur. gee this is turning into a military history forum... ha...

[@Zeldaschampion]

Written history is ageless.

[@525Lines]

Zeldas Champion Yup. It's all in the written record. All wars are bad, but the Pacific War was so terrible that even our military questioned the paths we took.

[@dmkaydonskastle89]

The bomb is NEVER a good option.

[@ROMANC-v5b]

Why do you except the explain about who started Paciric war? Who attacked Pearl Harbor without any notice? Who denied to surrender from US before first atomic bomb was dropped? Who denied to surrender even US gave a chance to surrender? Who is pretending to be a victim of Pacific War? You should ask apologize to your government, not from outside of your country.

[@ramonemiliochaconperdomo7225]

Yeah, as always, Korean and chinese have to play victims role because that's all you have to show to the rest of the world. Just get it over dude.