The Atomic Bombings of Japan: External Resource List

The 6 and 9 August 2020 marked 75 years since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The following list is intended to help educators find resources to teach young people about the bombings and their impact. They may not be suitable for all, so please review the materials carefully and use your discretion.

Please note: Inclusion on this list does not imply recommendation by the Japan Society.

Online Resources

Videos

• BBC News: Feature from the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb. Survivor Keiko Ogura shares her experience (in English) (‘3:26) 
  
  
• BBC Teach: Andrew Marr explores the development and deployment of the first atomic bomb for KS3 (‘8:53) 
  
  
• Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: Make a Peace Crane and Learn its History (‘14:44)
  
  
• CBBC: A survivor’s story in animation (‘5:02)
  
  
• United Nations: Survivor of the Nagasaki bomb, Yasuaki Yamashita shares his experience (in English) (‘1:47) 
  

Webpages and Teaching Packs

• BBC Bitesize: A summary of the events which led to bombing of Hiroshima for KS3
  
  
• BBC Newsround: What happened in Hiroshima  
  
  
• The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: Sadako’s Cranes for Peace Teaching Pack  
  
  
• Nagasaki Peace Museum: Kids Heiwa Nagasaki (English Resources)
  

Advice

• BBC Blog: The Editor of CBBC Newsround explains how they tell difficult stories to children 
  
  
• BBC Newsround: Advice for children who are upset by the news and current events
  
  

Other Resources

Survivor Testimonies 

• Hiroshima Peace Museum: Listen to a Survivor’s Testimony via Video Conference (please note: advanced booking is required and a minimum group size applies)  
  
  

Films

• Grave of the Fireflies, directed by Isao Takahata. An animation following Seita, a teenage boy, and his younger sister Setsuko in the aftermath of the war. 
  
  

Books

• Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpugo (1999) Publisher: Egmont
  
  
• On the Horizon by Lois Lowry (2020) Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt USA
  
  
• The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery, illustrated by Natsuko Seki (2020) Publisher: Hot Key Books
  
  
  

If you have a resource that you would like to be included on this list, please contact education@japansociety.org.uk