War, peace & cherry trees: finding hope after WW2

Published: June 11, 2024, 11 p.m.

A Polish priest who was murdered in Auschwitz. A survivor of the Nagasaki atom bomb who campaigned against nuclear war. And a Japanese school teacher who sent cherry trees as peace offerings around the world. The stories of these three remarkable men form the basis of a new book by the journalist and author Naoko Abe. She spoke to Rob Attar about how hope can emerge from the most terrible suffering.\n(Ad) Naoko Abe is the author of The Martyr and the Red Kimono: A Fearless Priest\u2019s Sacrifice and A New Generation of Hope in Japan (Vintage Publishing, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-martyr-and-the-red-kimono%2Fnaoko-abe%2F9781784744533. \nThe HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices