THIS IS UBIT NUMBER 009106, 26 OF FEBRUARY 1987. IT'S AN INTERVIEW WITH MS. SASAKI IN THE A-BOMB HOSPITAL IN HIROSHIMA. COULD YOU GIVE YOUR ACCOUNT OF THE ACTUAL HIROSHIMA BOMBING? WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE?

The blast came just as I was leaving the school with my older sister. She had two children, and the two of them were going to school. It was right near the school, that we met. We ran together, and then something happened that I didn't understand. My sister, and me and the children, one passed on the next day, everything was in rags and dirty. Only the underpants and the clear water were white. The head was completely black, not black one head was all dirty, and when it all ended we returned to our home. But when we returned, the house had fallen. Then, on the banks above the ocean there was a park. Everyone went there, fled to there. Then my husband went out searching and returned that evening. I don't know about that there very well. At that park, I guess he went to the park and slept. The next day we were led away somewhere.

CAN YOU CONTINUE?

I don't know. The next day we were led away somewhere, so we were separated, the two of us. Then, at that region's Yaguchi School, we were put up for a night or two, but there was no medicine. And from the country we took my sister, or tried to help her. Then we went there for, I think about a week. But the doctors were no good since there wasn't any medicine. Then my husband asked if we could return from the countryside. So I alone went out to my husband's hometown. But my older sister and her family went into the Hiroshima hospital... it seems, and my sister had two children. One child died the day after the bombing. I don't know where he is buried. The girl was a first year student in elementary school, by the current system, she came back crying. I don't know where she went. Then my sister and her child went back to the house, and then out to my husband's hometown. If that didn't work out, I thought I would return to Hiroshima. For one whole year I was bedridden. Then, since I didn't have anything, I had no family there, I went to employ my husband, since we didn't have any children. At my husband's hometown we were there for about half a year. Then we went out of the house until thirty four year (Showa 34, 1959?) he/she died. Then I came here then I received money to live here. But I had some worries about this, I received this orthopedic treatment, and this grain diet, because this is the people's park. This is not my native place, It wasn't on the basis of my... but was on the basis of this eye examination, the inside was taken from the finger, it seems, from the nail, then it came to this state. It spread to three fingers. Then, if there is a cut, look, this is just a small cut, it takes two months [to heal] It won't let up. Then, this inner problem won't go away, you know? Whatever problem there is, it will come [to an end?] in half a year. I am praying [inoru] until good things can come. But it was fortunate that I was able to live this long, it must be my karma from a former life I had no children, it was just the two of us with my husband....December 24, he fell sick. Before that, for two years,...Then things got to be like this. I pray everyday that things would get more comfortable, but, when things are like this I guess it's better to die. But I can't do that either. I wish things would get just a bit better, but I can't eat anymore, you know. I strive and strive... I can't see too well now, but I had some operations for cataracts. Now I can see very faintly, but nothing clearly. Somehow I can tell if someone is a man or a woman, but I still can't see clearly. I can't watch TV or read newspapers or anything.

THANK YOU, NOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE BLAST ITSELF, WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, WHAT COLOR IT WAS, WHAT KIND OF SOUND...?

Well, there was a bright flash, and then I didn't see anything... Then, when it got dark again... [appearance of her sister's son in rags, and dirty] his hat, his head was shaved, of course. Then, when I could begin to see again. My husband went to the opposite bank of the river, to get to the evacuation center. He went to find someone, but couldn't find him quickly. He tried two or three times then returned, that's what the policeman said. Because the bridges had fallen, when he came then we went, a soldier sent us, by truck, the children went first, then the others afterward....then finding the children, the two boys, then the girl went, I don't know where they went. Then my sister, we went to my sister's place, but there too, there was nothing to eat. So we went to the Hiroshima hospital, then I was with my husband, and I thought what will happen if he dies? If I take him there, then what will happen? So saying, we/he entered the hospital.

RIGHT AFTER THE EXPLOSION, DO YOU REMEMBER THE SOUND OF IT?

The sound? ...It didn't sound that much different, and there was an air raid siren before it. It was about the same as the others, [she talks about taking her sister's children to school] Then, things went on just as I told you, I don't think that the sound was much different.

THEN, COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FLASH?

Yes, there was a bright flash. Before, I've experienced lightning striking close by... I didn't think that it was very different from that. It was a quick flash

SO IT WAS LIKE LIGHTNING?

Yes, a quick flash.

CAN YOU CONTINUE?

Yes.

AT THE TIME OF THE BLAST, WHAT DID YOU THINK HAD HAPPENED?

The surroundings were covered with smoke. When I came to, a man was coming back from somewhere on a bicycle and two or three children were there weakly calling for help. That is what I remember. Then I said I don't know where the bicycle went, then I went back, was made to return......There was so much smoke that I couldn't see as far as a mile around, from the house. Then, everything happened the way I told you.

WHEN THE BOMB DROPPED, DID YOU THINK THAT IT WAS ANY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AIR RAIDS?

I didn't realize at all that it was different. After the all clear had sounded, my suit...Then there was a flash and...I couldn't hear anything. Then the next day, my ears started to hurt. I had "three-month" ears, big ears, then my ears began to shorten, I don't remember much, after that my husband did everything. I remember that faintly. Other than that I don't think there was anything different... hmm... Well, after I returned to my house, the black rain started. We hid in the shadows of the park. Then, by the next day, we went to the door of the room, we went to the country but returned since there was nothing to eat. Other then this, I hadn't experienced any other bombings, the bright spot in the distance, to the dark spot, there was some time before I knew what was happening.

THIS IS A REPEAT BUT, RIGHT AFTER THE EXPLOSION, WHAT DID YOU DO FIRST, RUN TO THE RIVER OR SEARCH FOR YOUR FAMILY?

No, I went to my house, and I was knocked out near the school. When I got up, mostly, hmm, the first thing I did was to get the kids up. Then I took them back, to the house. Then, we went searching for my sisters boy and then returned. Then he came back by himself....Then we went out to the ditch banks. There were people who were half-naked, wounded and burned....At the shock, everyone went out to the riverbank. We just went there once, then we went to the next place.

NOW YOU ARE IN THE HIROSHIMA HOSPITAL.WHAT IS THE REASON FOR YOUR BEING IN THE HOSPITAL? WHAT ARE YOUR SYMPTOMS? AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?

My family? Both my husband and I are in the hospital....My husband, in the year of the explosion, '47, put out everything, then took out a gallstone and his pancreas. He was operated on three times. Then, we got everything, the house, laundry, miscellaneous expenses. Both of us are in this hospital. I would like something to happen, but since it doesn't matter to me,...my husband fell sick, both of us fell sick. Every night was awful. I've been in the hospital since right after the explosion, until now. But year '47, at that time I entered the hospital with my husband....Then he had the operations to take out his gallstone and his pancreas, with a year between the operations. Then we were together in the house. Before,...then I got an introduction to enter this hospital from the doctor and entered. For two years I couldn't come in because the hospital was full, so every time someone left the hospital, someone else could come in. Then gradually, how would it have become. Now I cannot walk at all. My hips and that thing inside...

CAN WE CONTINUE? IN HIROSHIMA, ABOUT HOW MANY VICTIMS OF THE ATOMIC BLAST ARE THERE?

Many of them have died, I think. I don't have any clear idea how many there are now.

ONE MORE TIME, HOW MANY VICTIMS OF THE ATOMIC BLAST ARE THERE IN HIROSHIMA?

I wonder how many there are now, I don't know. I don't know at all. I didn't want to see them much so I don't have many memories of them, how many there are.

THERE ARE MANY COUNTRIES WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS TODAY. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A VICTIM OF THE ATOMIC BLAST DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WISH TO SAY?

I wish that they would not have them. I want them to stop. I wish the peace that has continued until today to continue.

THIS IS THE LAST QUESTION. COUNTRIES ARE TRYING TO INCREASE THEIR STOCKS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WISH TO SAY TO SUCH COUNTRIES?

I hope something is done. I want the world of peace to be returned somehow. I don't have any strength for it... There's little choice, but I want this not to expand. I want to say this to every country. I want the peace of the past to return, say this to every country. Even if one tries to be peaceful, something unexpected will probably happen. Something must be done. This is the one thing that I hope for.

THANK YOU

I hope that this served a purpose, my memory is not too clear.