Page 148 - English Reader - 7

The city was
established in 1589

by a powerful warlord
Mori Terumoto. It

became a major
urban centre during

the Imperial Period
(1871-1939). It was the focal point of the Japanese military activities

during World War I and II.

Hiroshima faced the greatest tragedy ever in world history on August

6, 1945. World War II was at its boom and the Japanese army had
destructed the Pearl Harbour in the US. The US, in revenge dropped the

first ever nuclear bomb named ‘Little Boy’ in the city. It was a five ton
nuclear explosive that was carried in a Boeing. The explosion killed an

estimated 80,000 people directly and by the end of year due to injury
and radiation almost 90,000 people added to the list of casualties. More

than seventy percent of the buildings were destroyed. The beautiful city
turned into a grave in no time.

It was not the end of plight for Hiroshima. The city was struck by a
powerful typhoon on September 17, 1945 killing 3,000 people and

destructing many bridges and buildings. The city was vastly devastated.
The devastation was like some chili pepper on the fresh bruises of the

atomic explosion.

Hiroshima was rebuilt after the war. A master plan followed by a beautiful

design to reconstruct the city was made. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum were constructed eventually.

In 1949 Hiroshima was proclaimed a City of Peace by the Japanese
Parliament drawing a large investment from the central government for

148 Dolphin English Reader Book 7