We can’t allow repeat of August 6, 1945

It was upsetting that although I tried, I couldn’t find a single article commemorating the “black anniversary” of August 6, 1945.

What a shame that after 73 years the world appears to have forgotten all those innocent victims as it is the day that the Americans dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima and wiped it from the map.

About 13km2 was turned into an inferno that incinerated in milliseconds 80 000 civilians and till December of the same year a further 70 000 died from burns and radiation sickness.

Then the mighty US three days later, on August 9, hit another civilian target in Japan – Nagasaki – with another 70 000 innocent people atomized.

Since then tens of thousands of people have died a slow death from the radiation effects and it was estimated that until 1950 almost 300 000 had died. These figures don’t include ones born with gross deformities.

People are still suffering and die from the after effects today.

We must never forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki, not only to commemorate our past but to look forward to our future.

This can never be allowed to happen again, especially with the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the Armageddon that could unfold with the press of a button.

Jean Michel,

Bryanston

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