70th Anniversary of Atomic Bombings To Be Celebrated

Above, Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and events commemorating the anniversary are being planned.

According to the Sioux City Journal:

TOKYO | The 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be marked with memorial services, peace concerts and art exhibits. 

More than 200,000 people died in the two blasts, which were the first wartime uses of nuclear weapons. The U.S. dropped the bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945. World War II ended with Japan's surrender days later. 

An annual government-sponsored memorial service marking the end of the war takes place Aug. 15 at Tokyo's Budokan hall, with Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and top ministers expected to attend.

If you happen to be in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki next month, you may want to attend some of the events.

Above, the Nagasaki Peace Statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

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