The J-term study abroad experience to Nagasaki was a deeply moving and educational journey. I was drawn to this trip by a desire to understand the experiences of survivors and their resilience in coping with the long-term effects of war, particularly radiation. There is no greater threat to humanity than the destruction caused by an atomic bomb. The Doomsday Clock, maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, serves as a chilling reminder of this, currently set at 90 seconds to midnight. Beatrice Finn, former executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, poignantly noted in The New York Times that “nuclear weapons are not an inevitable fact of human life.” This statement inspired hope in the work of peacemakers, including the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) we met in Nagasaki.

One of the most striking moments of our conversations with the hibakusha was learning that the United States has never issued an official apology to Nagasaki for the bombing. This revelation made me reflect deeply on the morality of targeting civilian populations to demonstrate power. The lack of accountability for civilian deaths in war, both historically and in current war-torn countries, is disheartening. This thought resonated strongly with the ongoing devastation in Gaza. Estimates suggest that the destruction Gaza has endured is equivalent to the impact of two atomic bombs, with projections indicating it could take over 350 years for the city to fully recover. In contrast, Nagasaki began to rebuild within 80 years. 

Our visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum on the first day left an inerasable impression on me. The catastrophic damage detailed there provided me with an instinctive understanding of the horrors of nuclear war. It helped me draw comparisons to the destruction in Gaza, where by April 2024, Israel had reportedly dropped over 70,000 tons of bombs following the attack on October 2023. This surpasses the combined bombings of Dresden, Hamburg, and London during World War II. To grasp the magnitude of such devastation, it’s worth noting that 2,100 tons of conventional bombs would have been required to replicate the effect of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The scale of destruction in Gaza, exacerbated by current warfare, emphasizes the urgent need for peace. The parallels between historical conflics and the current genocide in Palestine is alarming, especially considering Israel’s access to nuclear weapons. With strong military support from the United States and motivations to pursue a "greater Israel," there is a tangible fear that nuclear warfare could be initiated. The U.S., having demonstrated a lack of remorse for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as a member of the nine nuclear-armed states, further complicates the global discourse on nuclear accountability. This then showed me the importance of continued advocacy against nuclear proliferation and the need for international oversight to prevent future catastrophic consequences.

Through this J-term trip, I gained a profound appreciation for the hibakusha’s courage in advocating for peace despite their suffering. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder that humanity must prioritize dialogue and reconciliation over destruction. Reflecting on both the historical atrocities of Nagasaki and the ongoing tragedies in current war-torn countries, I am more committed than ever to supporting efforts that promote peace and justice. The lessons of Nagasaki are not just historical but profoundly relevant to our world today.