The U.S. government dropped atomic bombs 80 years ago this week on Japan, Hiroshima on Aug. 6 (Wednesday) and Nagasaki Aug. 9 (Saturday).
JOHN STEINBACH, [email protected]
Available for a limited number of interviews beginning Tuesday, Steinbach is co-founder of the Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Committee of the National Capital Area. He said today: “The 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings is around the corner and the world is again facing multiple simultaneous global crises, any one of which could result in nuclear war. The Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Committee of the National Capital Area is planning several commemoration activities calling for the abolishment of nuclear weapons.” See list of events in D.C. beginning Tuesday evening.
He added: “The horrific nature of nuclear weapons was made clear to me in my interactions with Hibakusha, survivors of the bombings in Japan.” Steinbach has organized many events and talks with Hibakusha. See his past speeches here and here.
Steinbach continued: “While we have succeeded in preventing the direct use of nuclear bombs since World War II, Daniel Ellsberg and others have highlighted that the U.S. government has used nuclear weapons repeatedly since 1945, like a thief uses a gun. It doesn’t have to detonate the weapon over a city, simply threatening to do so achieves a strategic purpose.” See piece by Ellsberg: “U.S. Nuclear Terrorism.”
Steinbach added: “Similarly, Israel’s nuclear threat may be directed at Iran and other states, through what is sometimes called the ‘Samson Option,’ but also to compel the United States government through ‘nonconventional compellence.’”
See IPA news release featuring Steinbach: “Is Israel Using Nuclear Blackmail Against the U.S.?” His 2008 in-depth paper “The Israeli Nuclear Weapons Program” gives a detailed analysis of Israeli nuclear policy.
In 2024, an organization of Hibakusha — Nihon Hidankyo — received the Nobel Peace Prize. Middle East Eye reported in “Nobel winning Hiroshima survivor’s Gaza comparison angers Israel” that the leader of the group, “Toshiyuki Mimaki said Gaza workers deserved a Nobel prize after his organisation was given the award.” He said: “In Gaza, bleeding children are being held by their parents. It’s like in Japan 80 years ago.”
Also see recent IPA news release: “80 Years After Trinity Atomic Test, ‘Oblivious to the Threat of Oblivion’?”