War Diaries (August 6) (nonfiction)
War Diary entries for August 6
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Diaries
Katharine Frye: August 6, 1914
There is very little official news, but I think there is no doubt they are arranging for an expeditionary force to go to help France and Belgium. Germany seems ruthlessly violating every treaty that was made and will soon end by not having a single friend in Europe or elsewhere. The Belgians area making a most spirited and heroic defence of their forts – and so far the Germans have had a set back which could never have calculated upon. They thought the Belgians would let them calmly walk through their country to attack France.
- Diary of Kate Fryes - Katharine "Kate" Parry Frye (9 January 1878 – 16 February 1959) was a British actress, a lifelong diarist and suffragist.
John Graham Gillam: August 6, 1915
On duty at 6 a.m. at Supply depot. Several shells come over at the shipping, but none into our depot, shrieking overhead like lost spirits.
Distant sounds of heavy bombardment going on up north, and one man said that he saw through glasses shrapnel bursting up the coast ten miles away. If so, a landing probably is being attempted at Suvla Bay.
Ammunition ship with an evidently damned fool of a captain comes in at two o’clock in broad daylight, and of course gets shelled. Pretty good shooting on part of Mr. Turk, and ship gets several narrow shaves. The vessel then backs out towards two hospital ships, and these of course get nearly hit, one shell going right over one of them. The ship finally gets away after being clumsily handled; but it is bad form to back near a hospital ship. The hospital ships lie off here night and day, well[186] within range of the Turkish batteries, which never fire on them unless a supply or ammunition ship goes near.
- Diary of John Graham Gillam - Major John Graham Gillam (British, 29th Division, Army Service Corps) / World War I (Gallipoli / Dardanelles Campaign)
Wilhelmina Vautrin: August 6, 1937
Several days ago orders were sent out to Nanking residents to paint all roofs black or gray. There are only a few red roofs left now. Although some of the official buildings have painted their red columns gray, we have not yet done anything about ours. Our campus is rather separated so we do not feel we are in much danger. We are also near the American Embassy which makes this region safer. The poor old Drum Tower looks sad in its coat of gray.
- Diary of Wilhelmina Vautrin - During the Sino-Japanese War, Vautrin decided to stay in China and began keeping a diary, which she continued to write until April 1940. - 1937-1940, Yale Divinity Library, Special Collections
George Beck: August 6, 1944
What a marvellous procession, and everything made out of nothing. Each country represented and fun fair. Marvellous sight and it would do the people of England good to see it. Never seen anything like it before myself, with being on a small working party for the last three years.
- Diary of George Beck - 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, prisoner of war.
Michihiko Hachiya: August 6, 1945
The hour was early; the morning still, warm, and beautiful. Shimmering leaves, reflecting sunlight from a cloudless sky, made a pleasant contrast with shadows in my garden as I gazed absently through wide-flung doors opening to the south.
Clad in drawers and undershirt, I was sprawled on the living room floor exhausted because I had just spent a sleepless night on duty as an air warden in my hospital.
Suddenly, a strong flash of light startled me—and then another. So well does one recall little things that I remember vividly how a stone lantern in the garden became brilliantly lit and I debated whether this light was caused by a magnesium flare or sparks from a passing trolley.
Garden shadows disappeared. The view where a moment before all had been so bright and sunny was now dark and hazy. Through swirling dust I could barely discern a wooden column that had supported one corner of my house. It was leaning crazily and the roof sagged dangerously.
- Diary of Michihiko Hachiya - Michihiko Hachiya (蜂谷道彦, Hachiya Michihiko; 1903 in Okayama Prefecture - 1980) was a Japanese physician who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. He kept a personal diary of his experience in the aftermath of the bombing which was later published as Hiroshima Diary in 1955.
Walter J. Brown: August 6, 1945
President, Leahy, Byrnes agreed White House should issue statement in Washington at 11:00 A.M... At 1:00 P.M. ship operator got quote from Washington giving text of statement by President on Atomic bomb. Everyone was calling everyone else to find out what an Atomic bomb was."
- Diary of Walter J. Brown - Walter J. Brown (American, special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State, aboard the USS Augusta
Hiroko Kajiyama: August 6, 1959
Some people are of the mistaken notion that leading countries should possess many of the horrific atomic bombs and conduct tests using them. Everyone, though, why don’t we go hand-in-hand together and make an appeal to people around the world to ensure that such a horrific event is never repeated and to achieve a truly peaceful world?
- Diary of Hiroko Kajiyama - On August 6, 1945, Ms. Kajiyama, one year old at the time, experienced the atomic bombing at the family’s home in the area of Hiratsuka-cho (in Hiroshima’s present-day Naka Ward), located around 1.3 kilometers from the hypocenter.
