HIROSHIMA,Japan (AP) – A unique intergenerational connection between the grandsons of the pilots who dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is fostering dialogue and a renewed call for nuclear disarmament,as global tensions escalate.
Ari Beser, grandson of American pilot Paul Tibbets, who piloted the Enola Gay on the Hiroshima mission on august 6, 1945, has forged a close relationship with Ryusuke Harada, grandson of Tadashi Harada, the pilot who flew the reconnaissance plane over Nagasaki before the bombing on August 9, 1945. Beser’s initial interest in meeting a fellow “double survivor” – someone with a grandfather on both sides of the bombings – led him to connect with the Harada family approximately 12 years ago.
The two men, despite facing language barriers, collaborate on projects aimed at preserving the memory of the bombings and promoting peace. Their ongoing work includes co-authoring a book detailing their grandfathers’ experiences and perspectives. Beser, who was young when his grandfather died in 2007 at age 92, never had the opportunity to directly discuss the bombings with Tibbets. He expresses a desire to explore option options to the use of atomic weapons.
“It’s passing the baton and it’s leaving the record. … We are the keepers of memory,” Beser stated. He hopes to understand the full context of the decisions made during World War II, including whether other paths could have been pursued.
Beser emphasizes the increasing relevance of their work given current geopolitical instability, citing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. He fears the potential consequences of a nuclear exchange in the modern era, warning that the devastation would be far greater then that experienced in 1945. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in an estimated 210,000 deaths by the end of 1945, with long-term health effects continuing for decades.
“It makes you nervous, makes you worry because if this history repeats with today’s nuclear weapons, it’s almost unimaginable how much would be destroyed,” Beser said. He finds hope in his continued dialogue with Harada, believing that such connections are vital in a world increasingly marked by division.
Visiting Japan and meeting with Harada,Beser says,provides a sense of optimism. “Everybody needs hope and this is how I get hope.”
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