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As we approach the blooming of the cherry blossoms in DC, I thought it may be interesting to do some research and share my findings. A gift from Japan, the cherry blossoms were given as a symbol of friendship with the United States. Planted in and around the Thomas Jefferson memorial, the cherry blossom trees draw great attraction to the city of Washington, DC every spring.

I have always found it interesting that this grand and seemingly lasting gesture of friendship from Japan to US came less than 30 years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 33 years before the US dropped the first atomic bomb on Nagasaki. How can two nations go from showing extravagant public displays of friendship to the most extreme forms of violence? Something I didn't know, cherry blossoms "symbolize both birth and death, beauty and violence." Friends and enemies?

In terms of using this in your classroom, think about adding this information into lessons that cover WWII or the United States' foreign relations - how they change over time, motive behind certain actions, and how we can come to repair (or damage) already established relationships. Here is an interesting article from the National Park Services that gives a timeline and overview of the cherry blossoms coming to the United States (many of the pictures seen in this article come from the Library's collections. I have added many of them to this album for your convenience). The Library also has a wonderful online exhibition documenting the cherry blossoms and their symbol of friendship. The Library also have free to use and reuse resources if you're looking for some nice, copyright free photos: https://www.loc.gov/free-to-use/cherry-blossoms/. 

In addition, here are some more posts about the DC cherry blossoms on the TPS Network: Cherry Blossoms in DC, Sakura: Cherry Blossom as Living Symbols of Friendship, National Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial celebration of the gift of trees / / Max.

Regardless of how the cherry blossoms came about, they are a stunning springtime occurrence here in DC; I can't wait to see them this week!

Comment below if you have any more insight into the cherry blossoms or Japan/USA foreign relations - I find it fascinating!

  cherry blossoms   japan   usa   friendship   trees   wwII