On August 9th 1945, a sixteen year old postman is delivering mail when the atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki. In his book “The Postman of Nagasaki” Peter Townsend describes not only Sumiteru Taniguchi struggle to survive but also the horrifying consequences he endured afterwards.

In 1978, Townsend visited Nagasaki and Hiroshima to do research for a book about children victims of war and interviewed two survivors (Hibakusha) who were children at the time of the A bomb. When he returned to Nagasaki in 1982, he met Sumiteru Taniguchi and decided to tell his story. Published in 1984, Townsend’s book earned global acclaim for his vivid description of Mr Taniguchi’s agonizing battle for survival as well as for the cruelty and inhumanity of war.

The postman, Sumiteru Taniguchi
In 1970, a film released by the United States armed forces depicting the immediate after-effects of the bomb, shows Taniguchi as a young man, his back severely burnt. When the Asahi newspaper discovered that he was still alive, they published a photograph taken from the film which turned him into the symbol of the Nagasaki A bomb victims. He made his voice heard at the Nagasaki Peace Park and at the UN in NY and his activism would eventually be acknowledged by a nomination for the Nobel Peace prize in 2015. He continued to be active in the fight to abolish nuclear weapons until his death in 2017.

The author, Peter Townsend
The late Peter Townsend was considered a hero during the WWII through his role as squadron leader in the Battle of Britain. After his years of service as a Royal Air Force officer, he served as equerry to King Georges VI. His love affair with Princess Margaret drew enormous public attention. Faced with the difficulties that have become history, he embarked on a trip around the world when the affair ended. He became a writer and moved to France. Later in life, he was active in the cause for civilians and children victims of war and worked closely with the U.N. Commission for Refugees.