Atomic Anniversaries

Each year, August 6-9 is set aside as Nuclear Week, a time of remembrance that marks the anniversaries of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By the end of 1945, the bombing had killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima, and a further 74,000 in Nagasaki. It is estimated that of those killed, 38,000 were children. In the years that followed, many of the survivors would face leukemia, cancer. The effects of these bombings have been captured in video and photographs, reminders of the devastating effects of nuclear weapons in our world. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the only two places and times when nuclear weapons were used in a time of war.

These days of remembrance for Hiroshima and Nagasaki also recall those whose lives were affected by nuclear testing over the years. The experimentation with nuclear weapons required testing beyond the labs where these weapons were being created. The history of nuclear testing must be reckoned with even as there is a reckoning with the losses present because of nuclear bombings.

The site of United States nuclear testing was the Pacific. The Pacific Proving Grounds was the name given by the United States government to several sites in the Marshall Islands and other sites in the Pacific Ocean where it conducted nuclear testing between 1946 and 1962. The people of the Marshall Islands continue to suffer from types of cancers, other illnesses and internal displacement because of the 67 nuclear tests conducted by the United States.

The history and devastating effects of years of nuclear testing and use of nuclear bombs has not proved to be a deterrent to the creation and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. There are currently nine countries with nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, France, India, the United Kingdom, Israel, China, Pakistan and North Korea. These nine countries have roughly 12,187 nuclear warheads, with over 9,600 in active military stockpiles. The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to foster the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of disarmament.

Russia has the most confirmed nuclear weapons, with over 5,500 nuclear warheads. The United States follows behind with 5,044 nuclear weapons, hosted in the US and 5 other nations: Turkey, Italy, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Total nuclear warheads owned by these 2 countries alone counts for nearly 90% of nuclear weapons in the world.

While concerns continue to be raised about nuclear proliferation, of equal concern is the presence and ownership of these weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear disarmament is as important, if not even more important, as the threat of the deployment of nuclear weapons is alarming.

The quest for peace requires ensuring that nuclear weapons are no longer present in our world. The list of disarmament treaties and agreements dates to 1967, yet nuclear weapons stockpiling continues with other countries hoping to make and own nuclear weapons. The world does not need additional nuclear weapons, and additional efforts should be made to ensure on-going disarmament strategies are approved and implemented.

The United Church of Christ continues to be a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament. The 2019 General Synod Resolution “Calling for the United States to pull “Back from The Brink” and Prevent Nuclear War” was an affirmation of prior commitments to a nuclear free world. The resolution called on the church to urge the United States to change its nuclear arms policies and to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Along with the global community, included people of other faith traditions, the UCC must continue to declare: nuclear weapons must never be used again—and they must be eliminated entirely. Nuclear testing on people, dropping weapons of mass destruction on a nation, ignoring the humanity of those victimized by testing and destruction is heinous.

The 2019 General Synod resolution called for the United States to adopt five principles of the “Back from the Brink: The Call to Prevent Nuclear War” campaign:

• Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;
• Ending any U.S. President’s ability to authorize a first strike nuclear attack;
• Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert;
• Canceling the plan to replace the nation’s arsenal with new, enhanced weapons; and
• Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear states to eliminate their arsenals.

These five principles are still relevant and required in a world where wars and conflicts escalate and continue to divide. The commit is to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again, and that their testing, production, modernization, stockpiling, and possession end. The continued existence of nuclear weapons—whether deployed, stored, or tested—places all life at risk. We refuse to accept a world held hostage to annihilation. This commitment must be kept and addressed with priority as the world commemorates Nuclear Prayer Week and Nuclear Prayer Day.

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