Historic Reunion Honours Hiroshima’s Tragedy, Resilience, and Hope
- lawrencelefcort
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
In an historic moment ten years in the making, the grandson of U.S. President Harry Truman and the great grandson of Japanese WWII Prime Minister Hideki Tojo stood together in Hiroshima on September 13th, 2025 to honour the victims of the atomic bomb dropped on the city eighty years ago.
Their shared message to present and future generations was clear: take responsibility for today, and build the future you wish to see. Yesterday’s enemies can indeed become today’s friends.
Under the banner From Hiroshima to Hope, the descendants of World War II leaders have come to Japan carrying the Flame of Hope, during a two-week peace pilgrimage across the nation.
“The stories of the atomic bomb survivors need to be told and retold as an eternal teaching and reminder for the rest of us.” says Clifton Truman Daniel, eldest grandson of Harry S. Truman, U.S. President at the end of WWII. “The resilience of the people here—the speed with which they rebuilt their city after nuclear devastation, and the way they cared for one another—you can still feel that spirit today.”
As he joined Mr. Truman Daniel in placing a sacred wreath at the Hiroshima Memorial, Hidetoshi Tojo, great-grandson of former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, echoed his words. “It is an honour and a priviledge for me to be at the Hiroshima memorial with Mr. Truman Daniel,” says Mr. Tojo. “If you don’t come together and learn from the past, how can you create a different or brighter future?”
This deeply symbolic meeting was made possible through the HOPE80 Global Peace Pilgrimage, a journey marking eighty years since the end of World War II that unites grandchildren and great-grandchildren of former enemies to walk side by side in peace.
“I admire the Flame of Hope for organizing this initiative,” says Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and fellow HOPE80 descendant. “Bringing Mr. Truman Daniel and Mr. Tojo together is profoundly healing. It is a symbolic act that helps create peace and represents the closing of a circle. The world desperately needs symbols of healing these days.”
Speaking to Hiroshima’s Younger Generation
The very next day, on September 14th, 2025, more than four hundred people attended the Peace Igniter panel discussion organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Hiroshima.
The HOPE80 delegates were asked why they had joined the global peace pilgrimage and what message they most wanted to share with younger generations.
Jennifer Teege, granddaughter of Nazi commander Amon Göth and best-selling author, emphasized the importance of confronting past horrors so they are never repeated.
“Visiting the Hiroshima Memorial Museum is a day I will never forget,” said Ms. Teege. “We need this museum, this reminder, so this tragedy never happens again—especially in these uncertain times.
“War is not a game,” she continued. “The horrors of nuclear war are painfully real. We are here together to declare, as individuals and as a society, that nuclear war must never happen again. Those who cry for war should come here and see the consequences: destruction, despair, and horror.”
Mr. Truman Daniel also defended the right of hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) to criticize his grandfather’s role in history. “I’ve met many hibakusha who were very critical of my grandfather,” he said. “They have every right to feel that way, and I defend their right to express it."
"My grandfather used to say, ‘There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.’ So keep an open mind, learn from the past, so that you can make things better in the future."
Hope Is an Action
Every HOPE80 delegate affirmed their deep belief in the power of hope—and in the power of each individual to help create peace through every act, no matter how small.
“Our journey is not only about our legacy but about taking personal responsibility for what we believe in,” says Mr. Gandhi. “You must believe in yourself, that you can make a difference. Where peace is concerned, every act matters. Peace is a collective creation.
“We take the symbolism very seriously, but we also genuinely enjoy each other’s company,” added Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of U.S. President Harry S. Truman. “When we lay wreaths together or make joint statements, we realize how powerful those acts can be.”
Magali Brosh, second generation holocaust survivor, Israeli peace activist, and fellow HOPE80 delegate emphasized that creating hope and peace demands more than action alone—it requires dialogue and openness, even if disagreements arise.
“Hope is an action,” she said. “We need people who are willing to listen and to open their hearts. My wish is that every human being lights the Flame of Hope within, so that together we may create a bright future.”
Jennifer Teege, granddaughter of Nazi commander Amon Göth, echoed this spirit of unity: “We are all human beings—cultural differences do not matter. What truly connects us is our shared humanity. We need dialogue, we need to speak to one another, and we need to truly listen.”
The Spirit of Hiroshima Touches All
Phoenix was the name of Mahatma Gandhi’s first ashram in South Africa, and his great grandson feels the name applies to what he witnessed during his time in Hiroshima.
“The people of Hiroshima did not let devastation destroy their spirit—as they easily could have,” said Mr. Gandhi. “What the city has become today is a tribute to those who perished.”
“I feel very grateful to be able to visit here,” says Mr. Truman Daniel. “I hope this city continues to be a beacon of peace and resilience for generations to come.”
"Opposites—man and woman—need to come together to create new life,” says Ryokyu Endo, founder of the Flame of Hope. “Similarly, opposites in the form of enemies, can unite to create peace and a bright future.”
This meeting has changed the past. I am so grateful and proud to be part of the team who made this possible. Flame of Hope changes the way I see life and I wish that many people realise that everyone is responsible to creating their positive future. Hidetoshi Tojo and Clifton Truman Daniel certainly work for changing the world.