動員学徒慰霊塔

Beneath the shadow of the Atomic Bomb Dome, a poignant reminder of the devastation of war, stands the Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students. This 12-meter tall, five-tiered structure is more than just a tower. It’s a testament to the thousands of young lives tragically cut short. The Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students, erected in 1967 by the Hiroshima Prefecture Mobilized Student Victims Association, serves as a poignant reminder of the students’ sacrifice. These children, robbed of their springtime of life, toiled tirelessly for the war effort. They worked in munitions factories, on farms, and even helped create firebreaks throughout Hiroshima. Imagine these young students, some as young as junior high age, working up to 12 hours a day. Their belief in serving their nation was absolute, instilled through constant reinforcement. In Hiroshima alone, over 7,000 mobilized students perished in the atomic bombing. On that fateful day, August 6, 1945, many were working to create fire lanes near city hall. One such student, Michiya Doi, was a first-year student at Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima Commercial School. He was at the work site when the bomb detonated, suffering burns on his back. He survived, but 133 of his classmates did not. He and other survivors, now in their 80s and 90s, carry the weight of survival, the guilt of living while their friends perished. The Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students stands as a tribute to their lost classmates and a stark reminder of the cost of war. Every month, surviving mobilized students, like Mr. Doi, gather at the tower. They clean the surrounding area and offer flowers, a ritual of remembrance for the friends they lost. Their stories, preserved in the “Testimony of the Lamentation,” offer a glimpse into the lives and sacrifices of these young souls. The Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students reminds us of the importance of peace. It echoes the sentiments of those who perished: War should not be waged again.