FOCUS: Role in Japanese war machine made Hiroshima, Nagasaki A-bomb targets

The United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in the closing days of World War II almost 77 years ago. Another city, Kokura, was also a target, though the industrial city, now part of Kitakyushu, ultimately had a lucky escape.A common thread binding these three cities is that they developed through their role in supporting Japan's war efforts, and in each there are individuals devoted to passing their hometown history down to the next generations so as not to see the tragedies repeated.Aug. 6, 1945, marked the first time a nuclear weapon had been use…READ FULL ARTICLE