Sadako Sasaki
A young girl whose peaceful, determined act of folding paper cranes transformed her into a global symbol of the innocent victims of war.
1943–1955 (age 12)·Japanese hibakusha·Birthday: January 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Sadako Sasaki was two years old on August 6, 1945, when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. She grew up seemingly healthy, a lively and athletic girl, until leukemia, a common after-effect of radiation exposure, struck her at age eleven. During her hospitalization in 1955, she embraced a Japanese legend that promised a wish to anyone who folded a thousand origami cranes. Fueled by hope for health and peace, she dedicated herself to the task, using any scrap of paper she could find. Though she fell short of her goal, folding over 1,300 cranes before her death at age twelve, her story did not end there. Her classmates championed her memory, leading to the construction of the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima, where millions of paper cranes are sent annually in her name. Sadako's simple, personal act of perseverance became a powerful, enduring plea for a world without nuclear weapons, making her story one of the most humanizing accounts of the bomb's tragic legacy.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Sadako was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sadako Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Sadako's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1955Died at 12
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
Key Achievements
- Her story and her folded cranes inspired the creation of the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
- Became a central figure in global peace education, with her biography translated and taught in schools worldwide.
- Her personal act catalyzed the tradition of sending thousands of paper cranes to Hiroshima as symbols of peace.
- Posthumously honored with statues and dedications in locations like the Seattle Peace Park and the Tribute WTC Visitor Center in New York.
Did You Know?
The exact number of cranes she folded is uncertain, but it is believed to be over 1,300.
One of her original paper cranes is on permanent display at the 9/11 Tribute Museum in New York City.
Her brother, Masahiro Sasaki, has dedicated much of his life to sharing her story and promoting peace internationally.
She is often incorrectly cited as having folded exactly 1,000 cranes; the story popularized after her death rounded the number.
“I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world.”
