US Role in Atomic Bombings Omitted at Commemoration Events
The United States’ role in the atomic bombing of Nagasaki 80 years ago went unmentioned during the city’s commemoration events on Friday, continuing a longstanding pattern at such memorials. Speeches by Japanese and international officials focused on the destruction caused by the bomb and calls for nuclear disarmament, but avoided naming the US as the country that carried out the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final stage of World War Two. Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru emphasized the need to remember the tragedy of war and the impact of atomic bombings, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for stronger global disarmament efforts. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki urged world leaders to take specific steps towards abolishing nuclear weapons. Despite the US being the only nation to have used nuclear weapons in warfare, this fact was also left unacknowledged. The bombings, which killed an estimated 200,000 civilians, have been defended by US officials as necessary to avoid a costly invasion of Japan, though a 1946 US Strategic Bombing Survey suggested Japan would have surrendered even without the atomic bombs. Local residents continue to call for reflection and an apology from Washington for the actions that led to such devastation.
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Hundreds protest US-Japan ‘war alliance’ at Hiroshima ceremony (VIDEO)
The US remains the only nation to have used nuclear weapons in warfare — a fact that was also left unacknowledged during Wednesday’s commemoration of the Hiroshima bombing. The attacks killed an estimated 200,000 civilians and have been defended by US officials as necessary to avoid a costly invasion of Japan. However, a 1946 US Strategic Bombing Survey concluded that “Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped.” Local residents expressed disappointment that Washington has never formally apologized. “Seeing this terrible aftermath, I can’t help but feel they should reflect on what they’ve done and apologize,” one person told RT.