Of the perhaps 50 million people who died during World War 2, none were more innocent as many of the civilians of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But are we to isolate them as the most innocent, or most unjustly killed, during that time? If anything, their deaths are some of the most that were not in vain. This might be a wonderful film, but it might just be more anti-US propaganda. I'll withhold judgement. But their deaths are no more of a tragedy than the almost unspeakable acts committed by Japanese troops in China, or German troops in Poland, or any of the other horrors of war.

Telling the story of the actual people involved and the real consequences can only be a good thing.

If it's the truth that the effects of the bomb on innocent civilians were horrifically devastating and they tell that story, is that anti-American?

Or just the truth?

It's ridiculous and narrow minded to call out a moviemaker trying to tell the truth of one part of history for not covering another part. Every truth that could be construed by someone as "anti-American" does not have to be balanced by another truth where the Americans or someone else were the victims.

Sometimes the truth hurts, but it doesn't stop being the truth.

This is obviously not intended to be a political film. Come back after you've seen it "anonymous", and let us know what you think.

Sounds like a very interesting, important film. I'll certainly see it when I get the chance.

Off topic, but should these comments find their way back to Steven Okazaki, I'd like him to know that Living On Tokyo Time is one of my very favorite films. It meant a lot to me back then; and I've thought of it and its many memorable lines (more than one of which to this day remain in use as catch-phrases in our household) fondly ever since. Thanks!

We bombed the WRONG country

Thank you mattielisbon. I read Anonymous's post, and needed some time to chew it over. Sad. Pathetic would be a better description of people like Mr. Anonymous. No matter what, it's the same old spin -- it's all about US. America. The Good. The Just. The Godly.

"This might be a wonderful film, but it might just be more anti-US propaganda."

Hmmm. What other films might Mr. Anon be refering to? The ones that show America in an unfavorable light?

"I'll withhold judgement."

This is the old, "It's a good idea BUT . . . . ". Not a chance that Mr. Anonymous is going to withold judgement.

"But their deaths are no more of a tragedy than the almost unspeakable acts committed by Japanese troops in China, or German troops in Poland, or any of the other horrors of war."

Yep. Knew you couldn't do it . . .

"I'll withhold judgement." Indeed. Toss in those unspeakable acts by the Japanese & German troops. They bad. We good. Hey, what we did (and are currently doing, Mr. Anonymous)was / is bad, but those guys are even worser. End of discussion, right?

And don't hold your breath mattielisbon. Folks like Mr. Anonymous are not going to go see this movie, or other "anti-US propaganda when they can see 'Transformers' instead . . .

This makes me sorry I don't have cable. I remember watching Renzo Kinoshita's Picadon and some (then) recently released stills of Hiroshima around 1980. Those were eye-openers.

This is exactly what the world needs to see at this time in history. Kudos to Steven Okazaki for bringing the horrors of this tragedy to full light. In our world of modern warfare and slick media soundbites, we no longer have to linger with the victims, to actually see their blood spilling, their flesh burning, their screams, their tears, the ruined lives of the survivors. We need to see that. We need to feel the sinking of our hearts and the tug of compassion, the better part of us that shouts "no! stop! this is wrong!" before our lesser selves begin to justify the violence.

When we have our current President and presidential candidates (like Obama and Tancredo, who wants to nuke Mecca and Medina) blithely willing to bomb our perceived enemies into submission, we need to actually understand the pain and suffering that will result from a few buttons being pushed. We need to listen to that first impulse of compassion that says NO. Otherwise, our humanity is useless.

I will definitely be watching this documentary and encourage others to do so as well.

It's nice to see Steven Okazaki get some press. The quality of his work consistently shines through despite hardcore subject matter like internment camps, A-bombs and heroin. And yet he never flinches and always uncovers the human condition beyond the sensational and bombastic. Few do it better.

Thanks Salon

I'm still not quite certain what this documentary attempts to do. This review creates the impression, perhaps to the delight of the producers and the HBO executives, that the documentary has something for everybody. I agree that it's better to record interviews of witnesses to history before they die, but doesn't that admonition apply equally to all historical events?

Will this documentary change any hardfelt opinions as the director seems to imply? Will Tancredo or Cheney undergo a seachange with regards to obliterating Mecca or Tehran?

I'm especially still puzzled though as to what renders the use of A-bombs to end the war against Japan any more immoral than the firebombing of other Japanese civilian populations, which even MacNamara asserts explicitly as warcrimes? Has anybody ever suggested that the use of nuclear weapons against Japan was a warcrime?

And if the distinction is radiation and its aftereffects, then why does the US continue to use spent uranium munitions seemingly without the same level of moral dilemma?

I hope that the documentary is able to tackle some of these issues, but my concern is that merely showing new images of suffering Japanese will do little more than to bolster the myth still held by some in Japanese society that they were the victims of the war.

All warfare is an immoral act. The tools that we use to wage war are merely what we have on hand and devised with our immeasurable capacity for inhumanity.