ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

azizmatrix Although this is a well made documentary incorporating archive footage, interviews and 'dramatizations', it seems to me to be yet another example of the victors re-writing history. If I was a bomb- obsessed war-monger that wanted to conduct the ultimate experiment in nuclear technology and military power, even when it was not necessary, I would make a film like this to justify my actions and help make an entire nation feel much better about committing mass murder. This has been the official line since the bombs were dropped and they have successfully convinced most people that they were absolutely necessary. Otherwise, the idea of murdering close to 200,000 civilians is just impossible to confront. I think this is encapsulated by the poor, tight-lipped pilot who stubbornly refuses to have any emotion or doubt about his actions. This film seems to be for people like him.It's almost certain that these bombs were unnecessary. Thousands of tonnes of bombs had already been dropped, the Soviets had become involved and Japan was beaten. Weeks earlier, on July 12, 1945, Hirohito revealed that he was ready to end the war as long as the monarchy be granted immunity from war crimes - The US only accepted these conditions after dropping two atomic bombs on the country. One bomb was unnecessary, the second was borderline sadistic. Truman and others kept bumping up estimates of lives saved to a million, while military documents suggested 46,000 as a worst case scenario. There is virtually no mention of these circumstances in the film which demonstrates clear bias. If you come away thinking it was necessary, then the film has successfully deceived you, but it has failed as a documentary.

Rawal Afzal I had very recently picked up a lot of interest in the Indo-Pak history of wars and after extensive reading about them I turned to the two world wars. I really wanted to know the kind of horror the people of Japan went through on those days. I first came across this documentary film in 2008 or so on a forum, but those were just short clips available on YouTube. So I decided to find its full version.I got done with it just an hour ago and I am still get over it. I can still feel the impact of what I have watched. A brilliant initiative by the BBC one must admit. Greatly detailed to the extent of almost making one cry hearing the accounts of the survivors. The most horrible being the woman who had to let her daughter die and the "creature" that the doctor saw on his way back to Hiroshima.This documentary film deserves full marks not only for the way the pain, suffering and horror is depicted but also for being quite impartial - we should remember that the film ends with this question being posed and with that Japanese doctor implying that it wasn't needed.All in all, I pray to the Almighty that no people on the face of earth are made to go through anything even remotely similar to this again. May the world be protected from wars in general. Although it may years to complete and I know I am waiting for something years and years away, I am eagerly waiting for my favourite film- maker James Cameron to complete and release his film on the nuclear bombings of Japan. That man knows the secret to making masterpieces and I can confirm that it will be a once in a lifetime affair. Here I wait.......

Hailey Richardson Hiroshima: BBC History of World War II is a documentary about the atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima during World War II. What is great about this particular documentary is that it tells the story through both sides, including eye witness testimonies of the Americans and the Japanese. The documentary is told in sequential order, starting with what was going on before the bomb dropping, the events that led up to it, followed by the immediate outcome and the future outcome. It begins by showing how the Americans tested the bomb and were triumphant, and it tells through an eye witness account President Truman's reaction to this. He gave Japan the choice to surrender, but Japan refused. The lead up to the bomb dropping was very interesting when looked at through both perspectives (the Americans and the Japanese) because while America was confident in their imminent victory after their success in creating the bomb, Japan was still preparing for an all- out invasion. After the atomic bomb was created, tested, and proved ready to use successfully, the documentary gives us insight into the minds of the chosen crew who were to man the planes that were to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. At the same time that these men were preparing to drop the "bomb to end the war", Japan was continuing to prepare for an invasion, not knowing what was to come. There were a few selected stories told by the people who actually lived through the bomb dropping about what their lives were like, and what the day was like before it occurred. All of them said that the only thing they can really remember about that day before it happened was that it was one of the most beautiful days. As the Japanese began their day just like any other, three American planes flew closer and closer to their destination. The documentary continues on by showing pictures and footage of the bombing afterwards. The same people who were describing perfect skies and perfect days began to tell a story about sadness and death. The entire documentary in itself is very sad, but the most disheartening part is being shown the pictures of the aftermath and the affects it had on people during that time. America cheered greatly for their victory, but Japan mourned heavily for their loss. Something interesting is that they interviewed actual people who were alive during this time to witness the horrific event. They took views from both the Americans who were responsible for dropping the bomb, and the Japanese who were unlucky enough to experience the impact. I feel this brings a sense of actuality to something that seems like a dream when compared to the pictures of present-day Hiroshima. It is one thing to read about the facts in a history book, but to look at the faces of those who lived while their loved- ones perished is very sobering to see. This documentary is a meaningful and powerful way to describe the attack on Hiroshima through both sides of the assault. The only negative aspect I can think of is that, while doing the reenactments of certain events that took place, the Japanese reenactments were completely in Japanese with no American subtitles so it was difficult to follow at those certain times. Other than that, an amazing documentary that should not be avoided.

kamas716 I thought this was a very well done docudrama about the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima. It mixed historical footage, survivor interviews and dramatic re-enactments to bring the story to light. It left out almost all of the moralistic arguments used to frame today's arguments and just told the story of what happened, mostly through the eyes of the people involved (of which there are precious few left). Whether you think the decision to drop the bombs was right or wrong, this is an excellent movie to help understand the event. If you don't know much about the circumstances surrounding the dropping of the A-bomb on Hiroshima, this should be one of the first sources you visit to add to your knowledge base.