Next year, 2025, will mark 80 years since the horrific and criminal use of atomic bombs by the USA on Hiroshima, on 6 August, and on Nagasaki, on 9 August 1945. The day after, on 10 August, the Japanese government issued a statement agreeing to accept the Allied surrender terms set out in the Potsdam Declaration. The official reason for using the atomic bombs, for the first time in history, was to end World War II sooner than expected and thus save lives by preventing further death, destruction, and misery. The war in Europe had already ended on 8 May 1945. However, while this explanation may seem logical on the surface, it was certainly not in reality. Moreover, there remains a suspicion that there was a military and political desire to test the atomic bombs and observe their effects. The necessity of using two bombs of such devastating magnitude remains even more inexplicable.

In Hiroshima, an estimated 140,000 people died, and in Nagasaki, 74,000, in the initial explosions and from the horrific radiation poisoning that followed. Estimates suggest that about half of these deaths were immediate, while the rest occurred in the following years. Many survivors faced leukaemia, cancer, and other severe side effects from the radiation. Each of these victims had a name and was loved by someone.

The survivors, known as ‘Hibakusha’ in Japanese, founded Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A and H Bomb Sufferers Organizations. On Friday, 10 October, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that Nihon Hidankyo had been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. In its statement, the Committee remarked, “The Hibakusha help us describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable, and to somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons.” Today, only a few survivors remain, with an average age of 85 years. They were children in 1945 when the unimaginable horror occurred. Nihon Hidankyo members have recounted what happened in the split seconds after the bombs were dropped, turning homes to rubble and people into corpses, while raging fires consumed everything. They have spoken of the physical and psychological scars that have lasted nearly eight decades.

For their work, Nihon Hidankyo has been honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize this year—a belated yet crucial reminder, especially in today’s world. The prestigious prize may offer little comfort, but it sends a message to us all that nuclear weapons must never be used again. It may also bring some solace to the survivors, so that when they meet those who perished in the afterlife, they can say they did everything they could to share the horror and ensure it is never repeated—just as all wars should be abolished, sparing innocent civilians and soldiers alike.

In 2017, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) received the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which bans the use, possession, testing, and transfer of nuclear weapons. ICAN, an umbrella organisation for over 100 NGOs worldwide, helped bring about the treaty. Headquartered in Geneva with offices around the world, ICAN began its work in Australia, inspired by the success of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. When ICAN received the Nobel Prize, it was recognised for its “work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons” and for its “ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons.”

Scores of countries possess nuclear weapons or have agreements allowing their use, including all NATO member states. Russia and the USA hold the majority of the world’s approximately 12,000 nuclear weapons. China, Pakistan, India, and possibly Iran and Israel, also have nuclear capabilities. It is said—and hoped—that nuclear weapons deter hostile countries and thus reduce conventional wars and prevent escalation. In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russia has alluded to the possibility of nuclear weapons, but not seriously. Similarly, the nuclear threat has been raised in the Middle East. During the Cold War, nuclear weapons were seen as a deterrent, and countries negotiated to reduce their stockpiles. Unfortunately, such negotiations have since ceased and must be revived as soon as possible.

In some respects, one could argue that nuclear weapons do provide the deterrence they are intended to offer. Abolishing them entirely may not be realistic, but we can aim to control them, reduce stockpiles, and prevent the development of even more advanced weapons. Preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to more countries is crucial. There is also a growing concern about terrorist groups obtaining or developing nuclear weapons, and about the risks of accidents or rash decisions by unstable leaders. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plays an essential role in monitoring these situations and preventing disasters.

The USA is the only country to have used nuclear weapons, and it still holds the second-largest stockpile (after Russia). Strangely, the international community and the United Nations accept this situation. If a ‘rogue state’ had used such weapons, it would almost certainly have been prohibited from possessing them again. However, global democracy and consensus are lacking regarding which countries should lead the world, including those with permanent seats and veto power on the United Nations Security Council. These nations not only shape matters of peace and war but also economic and social development.

On a more positive note, we should also recognise this year’s Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded to three economists based in the USA with UK, Turkish, and American backgrounds. Their work highlights the persistent North-South inequality, including the flawed institutional development during and after colonialism. Today, many of these structures remain, with economic inequality growing, though it is less visible and less discussed by the general public. Additionally, the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded to South Korean writer Han Kang, connects to similar themes, as she explores state violence and its impact on individuals and society.

I began this article by reflecting on the tragic events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the work of the survivors, victims, and witnesses, as well as the efforts of ICAN. These organisations remind us of the need to prevent the use of nuclear weapons ever again. I ended with a note of hope, drawing attention to the Nobel laureates in economics and literature, whose work offers some concrete optimism. The world can only improve if we all think and act positively, without forgetting the wrongs of the past and present.

Atle Hetland
The writer is a senior Norwegian social scientist with experience from university, diplomacy and development aid. He can be reached at atlehetland@yahoo.com