“Woe is me” – the mourning and sorrow from the most influential and intellectual scientist in the world, Albert Einstein.

What was the most appalling and terrifying event that mankind still remembers? What was the most barbaric mistake that one nation done to another nation? It is the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (in Japan). Albert Einstein once said that he made one great mistake in his life, which is when he signed a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt endorsing that the atomic bombs be made. Because, he thought that Nazi Germans might be capable of making the bombs. However, he never presumed that the next US president – Harry S. Truman would drop the atomic bomb to wipe out a nation in a single blow. No animal would make trap by themselves to eradicate its own family, but unfortunately, humans made a great mistake which created wounds and scars that still exists today.

It was such an unforeseeable incident, that took place on 6^thAugust 1945, in Hiroshima and on 9^th August 1945, in Nagasaki. After Germany’s surrender in World War II, the Allies turned their attention towards Japan. By 1945, the Allies’ Manhattan project had made 2 Atomic bombs named, ‘little boy’ and ‘fat man’. The US dropped ‘little boy’ on Hiroshima and ‘Fat man’ on Nagasaki. 6^th August 1945 was a calm and peaceful morning in Hiroshima, few minutes later, the people felt as if thousands of cameras flashing and then everything turns white. The bomb created huge mushroom clouds over the city, the smoke and hot blazes of fire were unbearable, and the rocks and buildings which fell upon the innocent people, wiped them out so destructively. Within a second, between 90,000 and 146,000 people died.

The survivors who survived the bomb blast were known as ‘Hibakushas’. These survivors even live today but many suffer from diseases caused due to nuclear radiation. Even though the Japanese citizens suffered due to atomic bombings, they never thought to make their own nuclear bomb to harm another nation. That is because they experienced the consequences of such an attack. From this, we can understand the morale value of the Japanese people. Even after the Hiroshima attack, the emperor of Japan didn’t surrender, so the US decided to drop another bomb. Three days later ‘fat man’ was dropped on Nagasaki. Both these attacks caused the loss of 129,000 – 226,000 innocent people, living with peace and harmony. The only standing building in Hiroshima after the atomic attack is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (or The Genbaku Dome in Japanese), it has been standing there in the same state with some damaged areas. It is also considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The consequences of the atomic bomb are countless from Acute Radiation Symptoms (ARS) to leukemia or (solid cancer). ARS includes diarrhea, nausea, hair loss, sore throat, and fever. These diseases are caused due to exposure of Black rain, which contains radioactive elements. Even after 76 years, there is mild radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Let us hope that Hiroshima be the first victim and Nagasaki be the last victim of atomic bombing. When some nations create and test atomic bombs, the other nations might look terrifyingly at them.  The international day against nuclear tests, (IDANT) is observed on 29^th August annually. It was first established in 2^nd December 2009, to spread awareness about the effects of using and testing nuclear weapons. This resolution was initiated by Kazakhstan to commemorate the closure of Semipalatinsk Nuclear site on 29^th August 1991. Currently there are nine nuclear countries, they are – USA, Russia, China United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. In which 5 countries are part of NPT (Non-proliferation treaty), India is not a part of the NPT.

On May 13^th 1998, India became a nuclear power with the completion of the Pokhran-2 tests, it was led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Pokhran-2 tests were India’s 2^nd nuclear test conducted in Rajasthan. The first one Pokhran-1 was led by Indira Gandhi, the test was codenamed as ‘Smiling Buddha’ and conducted on May 18^th 1974.  India’s policy towards nuclear weapons is agreeable as we follow ‘No First Use’ (NFS) doctrine, that is, not to be the first to use nuclear weapons in a battle. India stated that nuclear weapons would only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian soil or on Indian forces anywhere, India also stated that it wouldn’t use nuclear weapons on non-nuclear weapon countries.

Many writers tried to dismantle nuclear weapons using their pen, many poets like James Kirkup wrote poems to bind brotherhood between different nations.

‘Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.’

 We breath the same air, drink the same water, and live and die in the same world, so we should understand the concept of universal brotherhood and we must realize that all humans are equal and have the same rights. War will only make destruction, we feel as if we have conquered the world, but in reality, we face huge losses. We don’t have the right to take the life of another person as God has bestowed him on earth, the greatest challenge that faces humanity is war...

‘Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange’