The 75th year commemoration of the atomic bombing on Hiroshima sheds light on a significant historical event which marked the end of World War II. On August 6, 2020, Japan honored the victims of the bombings, reinforcing an annual tradition attended by survivors, relatives, and foreign dignitaries, who collectively call for global peace.
The Atomic Bombing
On August 6, 1945, a US bomber plane dropped a uranium fission bomb, dubbed “Little Boy,” on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was followed three days laterby a second bomb, codenamed “Fat Man,” which devastated Nagasaki. The dual explosions resulted in firestorms that are believed to have killed approximately 80,000 people in Hiroshima and around 40,000 in Nagasaki.
In the subsequent years, the death toll increased due to the radiation exposure from the blasts and the “black rain” that fell thereafter. Long-term effects of the bombings were also apparent, including birth defects, malnutrition, cancer, and other illnesses among survivors.
The bombings led to Japan’s surrender to the Allies on August 14, 1945, marking the end of World War II. The Allies, comprising Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union, were one of the two major alliances during the war. The Axis alliance, consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan, was the other.
Criticism and Consequences
The atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were met with widespread criticism and deemed crimes against humanity. Some historians argue that these bombings ultimately saved lives by preventing what could have been a deadly land invasion. The United States has never issued an official apology for the bombings.
In Japan, the attacks are widely seen as war crimes due to their indiscriminate targeting of civilians and the unprecedented destruction they caused. In the post-war era, Hiroshima sought to redefine itself as a City of Peace and has since been advocating for nuclear disarmament globally.
Survivors of the bombings, known as “Hibakusha,” experienced severe physical and psychological trauma from the attack. The wartime experiences in Japan have since fueled a strong pacifist movement within the country.
A Commitment to a Nuclear-free World
During the annual Hiroshima anniversary, the Japanese government usually reaffirms its commitment to a nuclear-free world. Japan ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in February 1970, reinforcing this commitment.
Looking Ahead: The Threat of Nuclear War
The 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings reminds us of the destructive power of nuclear weapons. Modern weapons, like hydrogen bombs, possess significantly more destructive potential than the bombs used during World War II.
Current trends of division, distrust, and a lack of global dialogue threaten to plunge the world back into an age of unrestrained strategic nuclear competition. While significant steps such as the Non-Proliferation treaty and India’s No First Use Policy have been taken, greater efforts are required to fully mitigate the threat of nuclear war.
