The structure had some pieces left (as you can see in the pics below) because the bomb exploded almost directly above it (about 600 meters). As David explained, the force from the explosion was coming more down than out. The building also had a stairwell in the center of the building which absorbed a lot of the shock.
Behind the remains of the charred dome (it apparently burned at over 2000 degrees celcius) is the museum dedicated to getting rid of atomic weapons in the world. Before I came to Hiroshima, I was fully expecting to see/hear a combination of anti-American sentiment and romanticized accounts of the bombing. Surprisingly, there was a relatively small amount of that going on....it was more of an attempt to educate and prevent ... It did not seem like a grudge that the Japanese people hold against the current generation of Americans.
As I walked around and saw pictures of atomic bombs, burnt bodies, ripped clothing, and letters from Einstein to the President...I still couldn't help but think...what would happen if America had not made an unthinkable decision?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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