Hiroshima is a city whose name still sends shivers through history, a place scarred by the day the atomic bomb ripped through it. Streets that once buzzed with life were reduced to ashes and silence, leaving survivors to navigate a world that had been utterly shattered. Hiroshima became a symbol of both unimaginable loss and remarkable resilience, a city that would have to rebuild not just its buildings, but the lives of its people. The survivors, the hibakusha, carried memories that were impossible to forget, shaping their families and communities for generations to come.
The Learning:
When we first started this project, I thought we were just learning about history, the facts, dates, the science behind the atomic bomb. But pretty quickly, it turned into something way deeper. The class started by exploring the science behind the atomic bomb, and how the technology of nuclear bombs has changed the world forever. We even watched short scenes from Oppenheimer, which honestly helped me see the emotional side of all that science.
At the same time, we were reading Hiroshima by John Hersey, and I didn’t expect to have such a visceral reaction to it. It put faces and names to something I’d only ever heard about in past mentions, and that made me empathize with all the survivors. Their scars didn’t end with them; they were passed down to their children, and even to their children’s children. The trauma serves as a haunting reminder of the past, echoing through time and shaping the narrative of resilience and remembrance in Hiroshima’s ongoing journey to heal.
When it came time to pick a specific aspect, I already knew what I was going to. I had been fascinated with the psychological aspects of the bombing, especially the generational trauma that had stuck with survivors, passing it down through their own families. I started doing literature notes on trauma, using Zettelkasten as the helpful tool it is, and found myself with a lot of valuable information. I found articles from survivors, voicing their own thoughts and experiences, which helped me understand the impact that trauma has on a person.
The Creative Process:
Generational Trauma Literature Notes
As we continued, I reached out to an expert for my project, someone who could give feedback and help me understand trauma more deeply. I found Jody Lightfoot, who is a Counsellor, Educator, and Mentor with expertise in Counselling Psychology. Talking to someone who actually studies or works with generational trauma gave me a whole new perspective. It helped me connect what happened in Hiroshima to how trauma can echo across time and cultures. It made the research feel more alive, more personal.
When it came time to turn all that into an explainer video, I knew I wanted it to feel more like storytelling than just a history lesson. I started by building a storyboard, sketching out every moment, every transition, making sure that the visuals matched the emotions. Then came the script. That part took forever because I wanted every word to sound meaningful, not robotic or distant. Finally, I animated everything. That was probably the hardest part of all. I spent hours adjusting colours, pacing, and timing so that everything lined up perfectly with my narration.
Conclusion:
Looking back on this entire journey, I’ve realized that our driving question (“How did the development of the atomic bomb alter the world we live in today?”) isn’t something that can be answered with a single fact or definition. The bomb didn’t just change technology or warfare; it altered humanity’s understanding of power, memory, and responsibility. The process of researching, creating, and sharing this story taught me that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to make sense of tragedy and to remind others why remembrance matters. If I had more time, I’d want to continue expanding the emotional side of my video, adding more survivor voices, or exploring how different generations have found healing. But even as it stands, this project has shown me that learning about the past isn’t about memorizing what happened; it’s about understanding how it still shapes the world we live in today.