Discussion on the 80th Anniversary of the Atomic Bomb Drops: Persistent Repercussions Explored
August 6 and 9, 1945, marked a grim milestone in history as the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. These devastating events, which occurred during World War II, quickly ended the war but left an indelible mark on the world.
The Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph, located in Peace Memorial Park, serves as a poignant reminder of the human toll. The Cenotaph stands as a memorial to the thousands of lives lost to the atomic bombings. A photograph of this moving monument was taken by Vanessa Marquette, a reporter who is also a faculty affiliate at Syracuse University.
Estimates of the death toll range from 100,000 to over 200,000 people. Many were killed instantly, while others suffered long-term effects from radiation exposure. The bombings ushered in the nuclear age, significantly impacting international relations and military policy in the subsequent decades.
Margarita Estevez-Abe, an associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, has spent much of her career studying the political economy and Japanese politics. She believes that the world has not learned the critical lessons from these tragic events. Despite the devastating human toll, the global view still largely treats nuclear weapons as instruments of national security rather than prompting disarmament or fundamental change.
Notably, even in Japan, some people are beginning to consider nuclear weapons as a means to enhance their national security, reflecting a concerning shift in attitude rather than a move toward lasting peace. Professor Estevez-Abe's perspective underscores the importance of continued dialogue and education about the effects of nuclear weapons and the need for disarmament.
At the time, the U.S. was demanding Japan's unconditional surrender, but Japanese leaders were unwilling without assurances about the Emperor and war crimes trials. The bombings were carried out to break the stalemate and end the war.
For those interested in learning more about Professor Estevez-Abe's perspective on the long-term effects and legacy of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they can contact Vanessa Marquette at [email protected].
[1] Estevez-Abe, Margarita. "The Long-term Effects and Legacy of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." Lecture, Syracuse University, 2021.
- The tragic events of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II had significant repercussions not only on the victims and survivors but also on policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, influencing international relations, military policy, and even the attitude towards nuclear weapons in subsequent decades.
- The ongoing debate about nuclear disarmament and the effects of the atomic bombings is a subject of interest in the political science sphere, as evidenced by Professor Estevez-Abe's research on the political economy and Japanese politics, which she presents in her lecture titled "The Long-term Effects and Legacy of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
