Obama signs Hiroshima memorial guestbook with message of peace as he is criticized for using last months of his presidency as an 'apology tour'

  • Obama is the first President to visit the site of Hiroshima, Japan 
  • He was seen hugging a survivor and said the events from 71 years ago must never be forgotten
  • He signed the guestbook inside the memorial park and laid a wreath at the site of the world's first atomic bombing 
  • Critics have called President Barack Obama's trip to Hiroshima a continuation of his 'apology tour'
  • They say that he has visited countries the US has wronged several times throughout his presidency
  • His several trips include visits to Cuba earlier this year and Cairo in 2009 

President Barack Obama paid tribute to victims of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima on Friday, the first American leader to visit the city devastated by the bomb that helped end World War II.

Obama laid a wreath at the site of the world's first atomic bombing, a symbolic gesture that Tokyo and Washington hope will highlight their alliance and breathe life into efforts to abolish nuclear arms.

He also signed the guestbook at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, writing: 'We have known the agony of war.

'Let us now find the courage, together, to spread peace, and pursue a world without nuclear weapons.'

Scroll down for video 

President Barack Obama (as he hugs a survivor) paid tribute to victims of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima on Friday, the first American leader to visit the city devastated by the bomb that helped end World War II

President Barack Obama (as he hugs a survivor) paid tribute to victims of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima on Friday, the first American leader to visit the city devastated by the bomb that helped end World War II

After making his speech at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, President Obama spoke with 91-year-old Sunao Tsuboi, a survivor of the August 6, 1945 attack

After making his speech at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, President Obama spoke with 91-year-old Sunao Tsuboi, a survivor of the August 6, 1945 attack

He also signed the guestbook inside the memorial park and wrote (pictured): 'We have known the agony of war. Let us now find the courage, together, to spread peace, and pursue a world without nuclear weapons'

He also signed the guestbook inside the memorial park and wrote (pictured): 'We have known the agony of war. Let us now find the courage, together, to spread peace, and pursue a world without nuclear weapons'

Obama came to acknowledge — but not apologize for — an act many Americans see as a justified end to a brutal war that Japan started with a sneak attack at Pearl Harbor.  

The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killed thousands of people instantly and some 140,000 by the year's end. 

The city of Nagasaki was hit by a second bomb on August 9, 1945 where 70,000 more perished and Japan surrendered three days later.  

In a solemn ceremony on a sunwashed afternoon, Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe placed wreaths before the cenotaph, a simple arched stone monument at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. 

Only the clicking of camera shutters intruded on the moment as Obama closed his eyes and briefly bowed his head.

Then, after each leader gave brief remark, Obama approached two aging survivors of the bombing who were seated in the front row, standing in for the thousands still seared by memories of that day.

Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Hiroshima, site of the world's first nuclear attack on August 6, 1945

Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Hiroshima, site of the world's first nuclear attack on August 6, 1945

He laid a wreath at the site of the world's first atomic bombing, a symbolic gesture that Tokyo and Washington hope will highlight their alliance and breathe life into efforts to abolish nuclear arms

He laid a wreath at the site of the world's first atomic bombing, a symbolic gesture that Tokyo and Washington hope will highlight their alliance and breathe life into efforts to abolish nuclear arms

The wreath which Obama offered is on display at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima

The wreath which Obama offered is on display at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima

Ninety-one-year-old Sunao Tsuboi, the head of a survivors group, energetically engaged the president in conversation, telling Obama he would be remembered as someone who listened to the voice of a few survivors. 

He urged him to come back and meet more.

'He was holding my hands until the end,' Tsuboi, who suffered serious burns in the blast and subsequently developed cancer, said. 'I was almost about to ask him to stop holding my hands, but he wouldn't.'

Obama stepped over to meet historian Shigeaki Mori, 79. 

Just eight years old when the bomb hit when he was blown into a river by the force of the huge blast, Mori had to hold back tears at the emotion of the moment.

Obama patted him on the back and wrapped him in a warm embrace. 

From there, Obama and Abe walked along a tree-lined path toward a river that flows by the iconic A-bomb dome, the skeletal remains of an exhibition hall that stands as silent testimony to the awful power of the bomb blast 71 years ago and as a symbol for international peace.

Abe welcomed the president's message and offered his own determination 'to realize a world free of nuclear weapons, no matter how long or how difficult the road will be.' 

During his speech at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Obama declared that the world has a 'shared responsibility' to review history and 'curb such suffering' from happening, as it did on August 6, 1945.

'Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima?' he asked. 'We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in the not so distant past. We come to mourn the dead.'

During his historic speech in Hiroshima today, President Obama addressed the issue of the use of 'barrel bombs' in the Syrian conflict

During his historic speech in Hiroshima today, President Obama addressed the issue of the use of 'barrel bombs' in the Syrian conflict

Seventy-one years after Harry Truman authorized the attack, Obama was introduced to some of the survivors who witnessed the terror

Seventy-one years after Harry Truman authorized the attack, Obama was introduced to some of the survivors who witnessed the terror

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) stands next to President Barack Obama at Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) stands next to President Barack Obama at Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Obama reflected on the world's first atomic strike and said: 'We stand here in the middle of this city and force ourselves to imagine the moment the bomb fell.

'We force ourselves to feel the dread of children confused by what they see. We listen to a silent cry. We remember all the innocents killed across the arc of that terrible war.'

Obama stressed the events of August 6, 1945 should never be allowed to fade from public consciousness.

His emotional speech, which was followed by remarks from Abe, Obama expressed a desire to see the end of nuclear weapons after acknowledging the attack 'demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself'

At the moving ceremony Obama said, 'Mere words cannot give voice to such suffering, but we have a shared resp to look directly into the eye of history and ask what we must do differently to curb such suffering again.'

What happened 'was not fate,' he said. And every act of aggression between nations, every act of terror and of cruelty 'shows our work is never done.'

'We may not be able to eliminate man's capacity to do evil,' he said, 'so nations and the alliances we have formed must possess the means to defend ourselves.'

For nations with nuclear stockpiles, 'We must have the courage to escape the logic of fear, and pursue a world without them,' Obama stated.

Still it is not enough. 'Even he crudest rifle and barrel bombs can serve up violence on a terrible scale,' he said.

'We must change our mind set about war itself, to prevent conflict through diplomacy and strive to end conflicts after they've begun,' the American president said. 'We must reimagine our connection to one another as members of one human race.' 

STOPS ON OBAMA'S TWO-TERM APOLOGY TOUR STARTING IN 2009 

France, April 2009: 'There's a failure to celebrate Europe's leading role in the world... There have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.'

Turkey, April 2009: 'The united States is still working through some of our own darker periods in our history.'

Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009: 'While the United States has done much to promote peace and prosperity in the hemisphere, we have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms.'

Cairo, June 2009: 'I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition.'

China, November 2014: 'Every day some of the barriers of mistrust are broken down, mutual understanding is promoted. And that lays the seeds for cooperation, not just today, but for future generations.'

Brazil, June 2015: 'Now, no relationship between countries is without disagreements. The United States and Brazil are no different. It's often tempting, I suspect, to focus on whatever challenges there may be in the moment.' 

Cuba, March 2016: 'I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas. I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people.'

Argentina, March 2016: 'We'll cannot forget the past. But when we find the courage to confront it, when we find the courage to change that past, that's when we build a better future. That's what the families of the victims have done. And the United States of America wants to continue to be a partner in your efforts.'

Vietnam, May 2016: 'The very war that had divided us became a source for healing. It allowed us to account for the missing and finally bring them home. It allowed us to help remove landmines and unexploded bombs, because no child should ever lose a leg just playing outside. Even as we continue to assist Vietnamese with disabilities, including children, we are also continuing to help remove Agent Orange - dioxin - so that Vietnam can reclaim more of your land' 

Japan, May 2016: Says Hiroshima bombing is 'shared responsibility', adding: 'We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in the not so distant past. We come to mourn the dead.'

On Friday, Obama faced new claims that he's using his presidency as an 'apology tour' as he made his historic visit to Hiroshima.

Despite the White House stressing that Obama would not apologize for President Harry Truman's actions in 1945, claims that he was using the visit to express regret were inevitable. 

Political leaders and the public were quick to criticize Obama for his actions, claiming that the president has done such things before in visits to other countries the United States has wronged in the past.

'This guy's middle name is apology, so when he goes there, people are going to perceive this as an apology,' Fox News' Jesse Watters said on Outnumbered.

Zalmay Khalilzad, George W. Bush's final ambassador to the United Nations told Politico that Obama has to be careful what he says while in Japan.

'The president needs to be very careful with the words he uses. There is no real apology for what we did,' Khalilzad said. 'I have no problem with going there. It's what he says there that's tricky.'

Obama has faced criticism since the start of his presidency for what some people have called an 'apology tour'.

During his acceptance speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention, then-Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney brought the criticism to the forefront.

'I will begin my presidency with the jobs tour. President Obama began his with an apology tour,' Romney said, referring to a 2009 trip to Cairo. 'America, he said, had dictated to other nations. No, Mr President America has freed other nations from dictators.'

At a previous debate Romney made similar comments.

'President Obama's policies throughout the Middle East began with an apology tour,' he said.

Obama called the idea of his presidency being an apology tour 'the biggest whopper that's been told during the course of' his campaign, according to AOL

Critics have called President Barack Obama's trip to Hiroshima a continuation of his 'apology tour', in which they claim he's used his presidency to visit countries the United States has wronged over the years

Critics have called President Barack Obama's trip to Hiroshima a continuation of his 'apology tour', in which they claim he's used his presidency to visit countries the United States has wronged over the years

Still, years later, he still faces criticism for similar actions. 

In a column for the New York Post, former US ambassador for the United Nations John Bolton wrote that Obama's 'penchant for apologizing is central to his legacy'.

'He may not often say, 'I apologize' explicitly, but his meaning is always clear, especially since he often bends his knee overseas, where he knows the foreign audiences will get his meaning,' he said.

He added: 'It is, in fact, Obama's subtlety that makes his effort to reduce America's influence in the world so dangerous.'

Like Romney, Bolton said that Obama's 'apology tour' started in Cairo in 2009, and has continued on throughout his presidency.

He said: 'In Europe, saved three times by America in the last century, Obama apologized because 'there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive'.

'And in this hemisphere, Obama said, 'We have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms', culminating in his recent fawning visits with the Castros in Cuba.

He said that Obama's 'zeal for photo opportunities' often comes before the interests of the United States and that he 'puts his vanity before our nation's pride'.

North Korea also attacked Obama's visit to Japan, branding the president as 'a nuclear war maniac' and describing the historic event as 'childish political calculation'.

The hermit state's official KCNA news agency added: 'Obama is seized with the wild ambition to dominate the world by dint of the US nuclear edge.' 

Earlier this week, Obama spoke in Vietnam, where he said the 'very war that had divided us became a source for healing'

Earlier this week, Obama spoke in Vietnam, where he said the 'very war that had divided us became a source for healing'

Obama faced criticism for going to a baseball game in Cuba with Cuban President Raul Castro in March, on the same day Brussels was hit by a terror attack

Obama faced criticism for going to a baseball game in Cuba with Cuban President Raul Castro in March, on the same day Brussels was hit by a terror attack

Following his trip to Cuba, Obama appeared in Argentina (pictured here with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri), where he was again criticized for being on an 'apology tour'

Following his trip to Cuba, Obama appeared in Argentina (pictured here with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri), where he was again criticized for being on an 'apology tour'

Obama (pictured with President Xi Jinping in 2015) made a speech about China-US relations in November 2014

Obama (pictured with President Xi Jinping in 2015) made a speech about China-US relations in November 2014

On a trip to Cairo in 2009, Obama said he wanted to 'seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world'

On a trip to Cairo in 2009, Obama said he wanted to 'seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world'

At a news conference on Thursday, Obama was asked about North Korea's own nuclear aspirations and the outgoing president, due to retire in January, admitted he has 'not seen the kind of progress that I would have liked to have seen', although the United States has at least been successful at mobilizing the international community 'so that their proliferation activities are scrutinized much more carefully'.

The White House debated whether the time was right for Obama to break a decades-old taboo on presidential visits to Hiroshima, especially in an election year.

But Obama's aides defused most negative reaction from military veterans' groups by insisting he would not second-guess the decision to drop the bombs. 

The US president said prior to his visit: 'I will not revisit the decision to use atomic weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but I will point out that Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe and I coming to Hiroshima together shows the world the possibility of reconciliation - that even former adversaries can become the strongest of allies.'

Obama's visit was a moment 71 years in the making. Other US presidents considered it, but the politics were still too sensitive, the emotions too raw. Jimmy Carter visited as a former president in 1984.

A poll found that 70 per cent of Japanese people supported Obama's decision to visit to Hiroshima. Another survey of just survivors discovered that 80 per cent were not seeking an apology. 

Obama touched down at Andrews Air Force Base Friday evening before boarding helicopter Marine One to return to the White House

Obama touched down at Andrews Air Force Base Friday evening before boarding helicopter Marine One to return to the White House

HOW AUGUST 6, 1945 CHANGED THE WORLD AFTER A BOMB DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA

With a blinding flash of light and an ear-splitting roar, the age of nuclear conflict arrived with terrifying and awe-inspiring force on August 6, 1945, changing the course of history, and killing 140,000 people.

The morning was a run-of-the-mill one for most Hiroshima residents. Housewives made breakfast for their families, children played in the sticky summer heat, and men hurried to get ready for work.

Few could have known the dangers above them as a US B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay pierced the sky, loaded with deadly cargo in its belly, the single most fearsome weapon the world had ever seen.

On August 6, 1945 a US B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, dropped Little Boy, a uranium bomb on Hiroshima killing an estimated 140,000 people

On August 6, 1945 a US B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, dropped Little Boy, a uranium bomb on Hiroshima killing an estimated 140,000 people

At 8:15 am, the pilot released Little Boy, a uranium bomb with a destructive force equivalent to 16 kilotons of TNT.

After the initial searing fireball, gusts of around one mile a second roared outwards, carrying with them shattered debris, and packing enough force to rip limbs from bodies.

The air pressure suddenly dropped, crushing those on the ground, and an ominous mushroom cloud rose, towering ten miles above the city.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air as scores of badly injured survivors tried to escape the inferno by diving into the rivers that criss-crossed Hiroshima.

Countless hundreds never emerged, pushed under the surface by the mass of desperate humanity; their charred bodies left bobbing in the brackish water.

Many died of their terrible injuries over the following hours and days; lying where they fell, desperate for help that would never come, or even just for a sip of water.

For those who survived, there was the terrifying unknown of radiation sickness still to come.

Gums bled, teeth fell out, hair came off in clumps; there were cancers, premature births, malformed babies and sudden deaths.

Seven decades later, some stone buildings that survived the supersonic blast still bear the shadows of anything -- or anyone -- that was incinerated in front of them.

The mangled skeleton of a domed exhibition hall -- the only structure left standing near the epicentre -- stands as a grim reminder of the power of the world's first atomic bombing, a sight that Barack Obama will see Friday when he becomes the first sitting US president to visit the city.

The Hiroshima attack was followed three days later by the Nagasaki bombing. In the wake of the overpowering twin bombs, Japan surrendered less than a week later, ending the Second World War.

This file photo taken in 1945 shows the devastated city of Hiroshima in the days after the first atomic bomb was dropped by the US

This file photo taken in 1945 shows the devastated city of Hiroshima in the days after the first atomic bomb was dropped by the US

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now