John R. Hall Jr. collection on the Hiroshima bombing, 1945-1964

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Summary

Creator:
History of Medicine Collection (David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library), Human Rights Archive (Duke University), and Hall, John R., Jr., 1913-1990
Abstract:
Lt. Col. John R. (John Randolph) Hall, Jr., was a white American physician who served as chief surgeon at Kure hospital following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan by the United States in August 1945. This collection consists of a photograph album, medical reports, and copies of Hiroshima Diary (by Michihiko Hachiya). The album contains original photographs of Hiroshima bombing victims and casualities. The medical reports document the aftermath of the bomb, including charts and patient records, and include marginalia and corrections disputing the report's conclusions about radiation sickness experienced by victims.
Extent:
0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials in English and Japanese.
Collection ID:
RL.13075

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of a photograph album, medical reports, and 3 copies of Hiroshima Diary (by Michihiko Hachiya). The album contains original photographs of Hiroshima bombing victims and casualities. The medical reports document the aftermath of the bomb, including charts and patient records, and include marginalia and corrections disputing the report's conclusions about radiation sickness experienced by victims.

Materials were presented to or collected by John R. Hall, Jr., who was based in Hiroshima in 1945-1946 as chief surgeon in the U.S. Army hospital at Kure. Items include a translated medical report ("Report of the Investigation Regarding the Atomic Bomb at Hiroshima") which contains summaries of causes of death from the bombing, both from the immediate explosion and in weeks following due to radiation sickness. This report has marginalia and annotations by American personnel which correct some translations and at times dispute some of its conclusions.

A report, "Japanese Medical Data," contains a survey of medical aspects of the atomic bombing and has patient cases charted, documenting the different casualty rates from the immediate bomb blast versus radiation sickness and disease over time. The report contains patient names and medical records.

Both reports contain title information which indicates they were gifted to John R. Hall Jr. in early 1946 from Japanese medical colleagues, including Michihiko Hachiya. Also included in the collection are three versions of Hachiya's "Hiroshima Diary," which was translated by Warner Wells into English and published in 1955. Two friendly letters from Hachiya to Hall are also included in the collection.

The album has original photographic prints of Hiroshima bombing victims. The photographs document extensive burns and disfigurations of wounded, maimed, and deceased people. Brief captions in Japanese are included. Victims are not individually identified. A small slip of paper attached in Japanese at the back appears to be an appointment letter from a Japanese Naval Commander to Akira Yamaki. It is unclear how this album came to be in John R. Hall's posession.

Biographical / historical:

Lt. Col. John R. (John Randolph) Hall, Jr., was a white American physician who served as chief surgeon at Kure hospital following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the United States in August 1945. He received or collected the majority of this collection material from Japanese medical colleagues at the Hiroshima Communications Hospital. Japanese physician names in the collection include Dr. Michihiko Hachiya, director of the Hiroshima Communications Hospital and author of Hiroshima Diary; Dr. K. Tanaoka (Head of Internal Medicine), and Dr. G. Katsube (Chief of Surgery).

John R. Hall Jr. was born on June 20, 1913, in Missouri, to Col. John Randolph Hall Sr. and Freda Winters Roberts. Hall Jr. grew up in a military family which relocated regularly. He married Josephine Miles (1915-1995) on Nov. 24, 1938, and the couple had two children (John III and Sarah, who died in infancy). Following medical school, Hall remained in the military for the bulk of his career, serving in both World War II and Korea and earning a Silver Star and Purple Heart. His family retired to Texas and he died in San Antonio on July 12, 1990.

Hachiya describes Hall in Hiroshima Diary's postscript as "without question the biggest Westerner I had ever seen" who "gave us great help, materially and spiritually, in the reconstruction of our hospital." He continued, "Other officers and soldiers from the Allied Forces visited us from time to time, but no one came to understand us so well…".

Acquisition information:
The John R. Hall Jr. collection on the Hiroshima Bombing was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2024 from Capitol Hill Books.
Processing information:

Processed by Meghan Lyon, March 2024

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2024-0050

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Access restricted. Some materials in this collection contain potentially sensitive information. Contact Research Services for Access.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], John R. Hall Jr. collection on the Hiroshima Bombing, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m18x6b