Column: The deep darkness of nuclear weapons
Mar. 20, 2015
by Naoki Tahara, Editorial Writer
In Moscow, I rode a subway escalator that took me very deep into the earth. The escalator went down such a long way that it seemed to plummet endlessly. Finally, I came to the platform, deep underground. I was told it was designed with a nuclear war in mind, that it could serve as a shelter. The grim nature of the subway architecture sent chills down my spine.
Another frightening incident was covered by the Chugoku Shimbun recently. The article reported that a command to launch a nuclear strike was made 53 years ago during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This horrific order, targeting the former Soviet Union, was delivered to the U.S. army commander in Okinawa.
As might be expected, the commander hesitated to carry out the order and soon learned that this had been an error. But if the button to launch those missiles had been mistakenly pushed at that time, it could have resulted in a full-scale nuclear war. Even today, such foolish commands or errors could be made. As long as nuclear weapons exist in this world, we live shrouded in terrible darkness.
In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on state TV that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons a year ago, without hesitation, when Crimea was seized. Did he simply think he could push the nuclear button if he felt the circumstances weren’t favorable? Such comments are not at all acceptable, to A-bomb survivors and the rest of us alike.
Yukio Hatoyama, the former Japanese prime minister, came down on Russia’s side when he visited Crimea recently. But as I recall, he was once very active in appealing for nuclear disarmament. Unless we can remove the deep darkness residing within the heart of the leader who reigns over the nuclear superpower, an awful dream may turn true. The day when that subway platform is filled with human beings fleeing nuclear war must never occur.
(Originally published on March 17, 2015)
In Moscow, I rode a subway escalator that took me very deep into the earth. The escalator went down such a long way that it seemed to plummet endlessly. Finally, I came to the platform, deep underground. I was told it was designed with a nuclear war in mind, that it could serve as a shelter. The grim nature of the subway architecture sent chills down my spine.
Another frightening incident was covered by the Chugoku Shimbun recently. The article reported that a command to launch a nuclear strike was made 53 years ago during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This horrific order, targeting the former Soviet Union, was delivered to the U.S. army commander in Okinawa.
As might be expected, the commander hesitated to carry out the order and soon learned that this had been an error. But if the button to launch those missiles had been mistakenly pushed at that time, it could have resulted in a full-scale nuclear war. Even today, such foolish commands or errors could be made. As long as nuclear weapons exist in this world, we live shrouded in terrible darkness.
In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on state TV that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons a year ago, without hesitation, when Crimea was seized. Did he simply think he could push the nuclear button if he felt the circumstances weren’t favorable? Such comments are not at all acceptable, to A-bomb survivors and the rest of us alike.
Yukio Hatoyama, the former Japanese prime minister, came down on Russia’s side when he visited Crimea recently. But as I recall, he was once very active in appealing for nuclear disarmament. Unless we can remove the deep darkness residing within the heart of the leader who reigns over the nuclear superpower, an awful dream may turn true. The day when that subway platform is filled with human beings fleeing nuclear war must never occur.
(Originally published on March 17, 2015)
