Comprehensive and thought provoking

Wonderfully researched and written. There is so much more to the ‘should the bomb have been dropped’ debate. Perfectly read.

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an epic sweep of history

very well written an narrated, a gripping account of one of the most important episodes of history. unputdownable.

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Greatest Understanding Of Events

Robert Meldrum has presented Paul Hams book well. I now feel like my knowledge of the events leading up to and thereafter the bomb, are factual and expansive.
well presented.

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4 people found this helpful

Excellent except for…

The content was excellent and well researched, the voice actor was clear and pleasant to listen to except for his pronunciation of some Japanese words- mainly the mispronunciation of the island Kyushu - Cue-shoe not Kai-oo-shoe. This was very grating as it was in the text dozens of times.
Performers should be selected for their ability to pronounce words in a given language accurately.

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A remarkable documentary

Would you consider the audio edition of Hiroshima Nagasaki to be better than the print version?

Absolutely, the expression and verbal presentation adds an incredible amount of fulfilment to the documentary

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hiroshima Nagasaki?

The description of a mother finding her daughters aluminium lunch box, with the chopsticks still attached to the lid and still holding her lunch. But never finding her daughter. It is an exhibit in the Peace Museum in Hiroshima, it's something I'd like to see one day.

What does Robert Meldrum bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The expression and character of the individuals and their thoughts. It's as if you are listening to the actual people at times.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many

Any additional comments?

I have also listened to "Australia, The Vietnam War". I am an ex serviceman of the Australian Army and even though I did not serv in Vietnam I served with many who did. There are moments in that book that I can relate to individuals whom which I served under. This is another "You Must Read" There will be times that will simply take your breath away, as there are similar in this book.

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6 people found this helpful

very moving

very moving and at times hard to not be affected by the suffering of the victims towards the end of the book.
overall a great account of development of the bomb and historical landscape of the times.

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A comprehen examination of this horrific war crime

This is a comprehensive telling of the lead up, actual and aftermath of this horrific event in humanities history. I found it cuts though the self righteous American propaganda and gets to the heart of the matter. Very well narrated. 5 star recommendation!

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Outstanding, devastating and incredibly well researched

Furnishes an explanation of the development, building and appalling delivery of the atomic bombs used by America against Japan in WWII. Told at the most human level from every aspect, explains so much of the apparent but flawed justification for their use and the legacy left to us all by their incarnation.

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Pronunciation

This was a very informative book and whilst Robert Meldrum has a very easy the listen to narrating voice I was found his continual mispronunciation of the name of the southern island of Kyushu and the word for water a distraction from the otherwise great performance.

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A thoroughly engaging tale of the true story of the atomic bombings of Japan

Loved the wonderful building of this grand story. The story of the A-bombs. A story with its roots in the fantastical physics discoveries of the early 20th century, made by some of the greatest scientists in history. Many of these men and women who initially lead the pure research on atomic physics would later also became the authors of the scientific work (the atomic secret) that would finally be used to build humanity’s ultimate weapon of mass destruction. The book juxtaposes the scientific, the moral, the political and the military imperatives of the time, all of which were competing like rival camps in a fierce battle above that of the actual war itself. The ultimate casualty of that battle was first and foremost the truth, followed closely by the second casualty, human morality, by the notion that science should ultimately be only for them good of mankind, and finally and above all, by the greatest the greatest of casualties... the many innocent Japanese civilians the lucky ones vaporized in a fraction of a second, the unlucky ones suffering deaths of indescribable pain and horror. As is almost always the case with politics of war, the book disturbingly shows how Americas collective requirement and lust for revenge easily triumphs over it’s sense of human decency and moral rectitude, the very decency and rectitude the Americans and their Allies were ostensibly fighting this war to uphold. The culmination of the battles between all these forces results ultimately in the worlds worst and most destructive weapon being used to carry out the apotheosis of scientifico-military experiments, and the committing of a ‘war crime’ unparalleled in history for its unbelievable swiftness yet with tragically enduring consequences for many of those on which it was perpetrated. This crime was carried out in a ‘let’s-sock-it-to-em’ and ‘lets-see-what-happens’ experiment in which’s the worlds deadliest ever weapon was unleashed not on enemy combatants but on civilians, It was then falsely marketed, spun, to those at home as the decisive and final strike required to bring the war to an end and save millions of American and Allied lives. Paul Ham expertly and clearly lays out all the evidence that unequivocally puts the lie to this convenient, manufactured and revisionist version of truth. Hey shows the atomic Bombings of Japan, for what they truly were...

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6 people found this helpful