We still have a mission to fulfill on the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We must rededicate ourselves to building peace and reducing nuclear weapons worldwide. The atomic bombs leveled the two Japanese cities near the end of World War II, killing over 100,000 people instantly. Many others died in the aftermath from wounds and radiation exposure, a slow and painful death. The horror of World War II and the atomic bombings is something we must not forget.
But as time has passed, this has become harder. Even back in 1979, Ambassador Gerard C. Smith asked, “Where is the horror we felt in looking at photos of Nagasaki and Hiroshima? All of us, I think, have become calloused to the threat of nuclear war and the effects of nuclear weapons.”
Today, how many of us are outspoken about the need to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons? Have you organized or taken part in a nuclear disarmament rally or event? Have you written to your representative about reducing nukes?
The danger is ever-present. According to the Arms Control Association, there are still about 13,000 nuclear weapons in the world. These nuclear weapons are far more powerful than those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. About 90% of these nuclear weapons are held by the United States and Russia. Despite previous arms control treaties, both nations still have thousands of these weapons, enough to destroy the world.
There is the emerging nuclear weapons power of China. Great Britain, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea also have nuclear weapons. There is always the fear of new nuclear states, including potentially Iran. Then there is the danger of nuclear terrorism that will exist as long as nukes do.
Our mission must be to prevent weapons of mass destruction from ever being used again. We must be inspired to build peace and eliminate nuclear weapons. As the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey declared in 1946, “No more forceful arguments for peace and for the international machinery of peace than the sight of the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have ever been devised. As the developer and exploiter of this ominous weapon, our nation has a responsibility, which no American should shirk, to lead in establishing and implementing the international guarantees and controls which will prevent its future use.”
The war in Ukraine has shown us again the horrors of war and the danger of potential nuclear escalation. We must find a way to end the Ukraine war and also press forward on nuclear disarmament with Russia. A U.S.-Russia treaty could reduce these nukes into the hundreds each as a first step toward peace. It’s in the best interests of all nations to prevent nuclear war and also the heavy cost of nuclear arsenals, which rob precious resources.
Supporting peace and nuclear disarmament is the most important thing you can do on the anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Whether it’s writing a letter to your elected officials in Congress or joining an advocacy group, there are ways you can take action.
The only way we can ever eliminate nuclear weapons is by everyone getting involved and being a voice for peace.
William Lambers is the author of “The Road to Peace” and partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.”
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