72 Years After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, The Threat of Nuclear War Continues

The Brutality of Nuclear War and Humanity’s Struggles Against It

Seventy-two years ago this month, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the people of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, killings hundreds of thousands and expanding the horizon of humanity’s capacity for destruction.

Since the inception of nuclear weapons, individuals and social movements have fought to curtail the threat of nuclear war and denounce the inhumanity and absurdity of living under the constant threat of total annihilation.

Especially now, as world leaders throw around threats of nuclear strikes, it is essential to remember the victims of the nuclear attacks seven decades ago, and to remind ourselves of the ever-present need to ensure that such brutality and destruction never again come to pass.

This video brings together clips produced by Jane Aaron, Skip Blumberg, Ted Krichels, Bernard J. Lohmuller, Hal Rucker, Sherrie White, and the Civil Defense Service. It offers a look at both the violence, destruction and fear brought about by nuclear weapons and the joy and humanity of the fight for a world where we no longer live under the threat of virtually instantaneous global destruction.

The Continuing Threat of Nuclear War

Many of the clips featured in this video can be found in our Global Perspectives on War and Peace collection.