A Pictorial Biography of Arthur Vidich

A Pictorial Biography of Arthur Vidich

A Photo Documentary of Nagasaki After the Atomic Bomb

The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.  My father, Arthur J. Vidich, an assistant to the quartermaster in the U.S. Marine Corps had a unique exposure to the horrors of the atomic bomb during the ten months he served on the island of Kyushu starting in September 1945 when he landed in Nagasaki harbor until June 1946 when he was relieved of his wartime duties.  

Over 70,000 Japanese died from the immediate and long term effects of the bomb blast. First Lieutenant Vidich was able to take aerial photographs of the bomb's devastation using a military plane he commandeered for this purpose. These photographs have never been published before but are being released in honor of the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the Nagasaki atomic bomb.

Nagasaki after the Bomb: Photograph of a bombed out cathedral in Nagasaki, Japan taken in September 1945 by Arthur Vidich while serving as quartermaster for the U.S. Marine Corps stationed on Kyushu Island.  The Atomic bomb was dropped on August 9, 1945 about month later Vidich commandeered an airplane to take photographs of the devastation. 

Concrete Buildings Survived: This photo shows that some of the more substantial concrete buildings survived the blast. Vidich, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps took this photo while stationed in Japan. This photo, along with hundreds of others were kept in an album that gathered dust for some sixty years before they were shown to him again in 2005. Before he died in March 2006, Arthur Vidich reviewed the photos with his son and explained what actually happened after the bomb dropped. He said that his expeditionary force arrived in the first week of September and expected a battle on the shores of Nagasaki. He said he "shit in his pants" thinking it would be Armageddon but in reality the Japanese had been devastated and he and his battalion marched through the devastated city without resistance.  One of their first missions was to free American prisoners of war who were penned up like rats in a death camp south of the city. He said, the prisoners were starved to death and only survived by eating rats they caught in their prison.

Local Birds:  Vidich, in jest, labeled this photo as “Me and some local birds” probably because young Japanese children flocked to American military men after the war. The war had devastated the adult male population of Japan so there were few male role models for these children – many of which were either orphaned and/or homeless from the bomb’s devastation.

Cafe Peace: This was probably a building where American enlisted men could relax during their tour of duty in Japan. The location of this café is unknown but was probably located somewhere on Kyushu Island since that is where Vidich was assigned during his work of decommissioning the Japanese military. 

Orphan Children: This little girl was living in the streets when my father saw her in 1945. She revealed the poverty and bedraggled condition of the orphan children of Japan after the war.

Japanese Military: An unknown location on Kyushu Island with Japanese military men and women in a rural setting. Photo taken by Arthur Vidich circa fall 1945.

Geisha: A portrait of a Geisha girl, presumably taken by Arthur Vidich. While my father never mentioned the war time activities of Geisha girls, there is strong reason to suspect that such activities were tacitly condoned by the American military. The Geisha girls, were in the eyes of the Japanese, not prostitutes but “arts persons” trained in music and dance. However American GIs did not see it that way.

Japanese Women: Two Japanese girls in Kyushu Japan. Photo taken by Arthur Vidich, fall of 1945.

Children Everywhere: A bevy of children on Kyushu Island, Japan.  In later years of his life Vidich emphasized the overwhelming presence of children in post World War II Japan. Photo taken by Arthur Vidich, U.S. Marine Corps, fall of 1945.

Western Influence: Japanese urban life in a city on Kyushu Island, Japan.  Note the western dress worn by the men but the women wore traditional Japanese style clothing.  Photo was taken in fall of 1945 or spring of 1946 by Arthur J. Vidich.

Marines Encamped: Photograph of several Marine Corps men at their barracks on Kyushu Island, Japan during the fall of 1945 or spring of 1946. Photo taken by Arthur J, Vidich

On Maneuvers on Kyushu:  U.S. Marine Corps men exploring southern Kyushu Island during the fall or winter of 1945. Man in the center is Arthur J. Vidich who was 23 years old when this photo was taken (He was born May 30, 1922). He had an economics degree from the University of Michigan and this credential, among other noteworthy qualifications, made him a suitable candidate to serve as quartermaster for the Marine Corps on Kyushu Island.

Decommissioning:  I spoke to my father about this photo a few months before he passed away. He told me these Japanese were local officials with whom he worked during the Marine Corps' military decommissioning of Japan. Photo taken on Kyushu Island, Japan in either the fall 1945 or spring of 1946.

Japanese Submarines: This photo shows four Japanese submarines that were sequestered off the shores of Kyushu Island. Aerial photo taken by Arthur Vidich, fall of 1945. 

Kamikaze Torpedo: This implement of war was found on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall of 1945. Note the man hole and periscope suitable for one person to enter and never leave the torpedo. Japanese were ordered to give their life for the Emperor and those that took on these assignments were glorified for their bravery. These one man torpedoes were frightful armaments in the war against the American navy. Photo taken by Arthur J. Vidich.

Nagasaki after the Bomb:  An aerial photograph of Nagasaki taken in September 1945 about 30 days after the atomic bomb was dropped. The only structures that survived were concrete or concrete reinforced buildings. Photo taken by Arthur J. Vidich for aerial reconnaissance of Nagasaki.

Raging Fires Evaporated Building Shell: A bombed out munitions factory in Nagasaki. Note that all of the buildings were destroyed except the metal sub-structure and some buildings with reinforced concrete. View is towards the west with the hills of Nagasaki in the background. Photo by Arthur J. Vidich, U.S. Marine Corps.

A Factory Survives: Despite showing signs of age, this photo clearly shows another bombed out factory in Nagasaki. Note the building that remained standing was made of brick and reinforced concrete. View is towards the west. The plane’s wing strut is visible in the upper right hand corner. Photo by Arthur J. Vidich.

Survival Conditions: Two marines on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall of 1945. The containers in the background were most likely used for rain water collection.  Food and water were in scarce supply when the marines landed and took the island.  Marine Corps living quarters can be seen in the lower left corner (tents). Photo taken by Arthur Vidich.

A Rare Light Moment: Three Marine Corps men on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall or winter of 1945. Photo taken by Arthur J. Vidich.

Jeeps Were Essential:  Vidich had a driver assigned to him as part of his duties serving the Marine Corps' quartermaster. This photo was taken on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall of 1945.  Jeeps were a critical resource in reaching the hinterlands of Kyushu Island.  Arthur Vidich is standing next to the jeep.  Photographer is unknown.

Aerial Bombardment: A photo from a dive bomber’s scope that was probably given to my father while stationed on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall of 1945.

Vidich on Assignment: Photo taken on Kyushu Island, Japan probably sometime in the fall of 1945 or spring of 1946. Photographer is unknown.

Unforgettable Devastation: This photograph was shown to Vidich some 60 years after he took it during September 1945. The devastation that it wrought never left my father’s thoughts throughout his career. After seeing the devastation of Nagasaki, he remained forever opposed to the further use of the atomic bomb.  The enormous immediate death toll was not the complete story. Thousands died of radiation poisoning living for days, weeks or months while their bodies deteriorated. Vidich died of neuropathy, a degenerative disease that destroys the nervous system. His exposure to radiation poisoning during the war, likely contributed to his early death at 83 years of age.  All of his sisters have lived into their nineties so his genetic background would suggest environmental exposures played a role in his skin cancers and neuropathy.

Japanese Red Cross:  Vidich is seen with a group of Japanese Red Cross women working in the fields of Kyushu in the fall of 1945. Vidich sent this photo home to his family and indicated it had been difficult to take because the women refused to pose. He indicated the “real story” was how he got them to pose. Most likely their dedication to nursing the sick and wounded normally outweighed taking a photo except when facing a very persuasive U.S. Marine.

 Japanese School Boys: Japanese boys with one American GI on Kyushu Island, Japan.  This photo appears to have been taken at a school. Photo by Arthur Vidich, fall 1945 or spring 1946.

Military Fighter Plane:  This photo was taken on Kyushu Island, Japan in the fall of 1945. by Arthur Vidich. One of the Marine’s assignments was to identify all military equipment, arsenals, planes, etc. and then to decommission and/or destroy them. Thousands of armaments, planes, torpedoes and other military gear was confiscated and destroyed. Of course some items, like Samurai swords, parachutes and other memorabilia was taken home by the GIs as the booty of war. My father brought home several such items including a Samurai sword.

More Postings to Come: This is the first of several postings of the extensive collection of photos Arthur Vidich took of Post World War II Nagasaki and the surrounding areas on Kyushu Island.