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This tower was erected by the Association
for the Mobilized Student Victims of
Hiroshima
Prefecture in May 1967, in the park
area
to the south of the A-bomb Dome. Over
10,000
students, including A-bomb victims,
died
in bombings during the Pacific War
after
being mobilized to help increase factory
production and demolish buildings.
The tower
was build to console the souls of these
victims.
The twelve-meter high five-story tower,
widend
toward the top, is finished with Arita-yaki
ceramic plates. The Goddess of Peace
and
eight doves are arranged around it.
The center
pole of the tower has lights dedicated
to
the dead. On each side of the tower
there
are two plaques, each two meters high
showing(1)work
to increase food production, (2)girl
students
sewing, (3)factory work, and(4)lanterns
floating
in the river. A central plaque gives
the
historical background of the tower. In August 1944, a student labaor service act was issued, mobilizing students of middle school age and above for work in military industries. In November of the same year, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered the construction of fire prevention roads and unoccupied lots for the prevention of fire spreaging from air raids. For this purpose 8,387 students in the advanced cource of national elementary schools, middle schools, and girl's high schools in Hiroshima City were mobilized and were in the city when the A-bomb was dropped. Of these, 6,907 students died in the bombing. There were also many students working in various industries who died in the atomic bombing. Their name tablets are laid in state in a box inside the tower. The names of the 343 schools from all over Japan in which the war-dead students were registered are engraved on a copperplate at the rear of the tower. |
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