Statement on 74th anniversary of U.S. atomic-bombing on Hiroshima-Nagasaki

August 6, 2019
Issued by Commissions One and Four of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle

On the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the U.S. atomic-bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we in the International League of Peoples’ Struggle join with people of the world to end imperialist wars and any development of weapons of mass destruction.

U.S. Imperialism dropped an atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ on the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and then another atomic bomb ‘Fat Man’ on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Approximately 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 70,000 people in Nagasaki died through the end of the year due to direct effects of the bombings. In the aftermath, tens of thousands of survivors suffered various atomic bomb-related diseases. Descendants of the atomic bomb survivors have also lived with serious health concerns until the present day.

The atomic bombings were a crime against humanity committed by U.S. imperialism. At the same time, it was a serious result of the inter-imperialist war between the U.S. and Japan, which sacrificed millions of people in the Asia-Pacific region.

Up to now, the United States has continued trying to justify its atomic bombings which instantly murdered tens of thousands of innocent civilians. The Japanese government has also neglected to provide adequate care to the A-bomb survivors. We denounce the atrocious war crime committed by U.S. imperialism and demand the U.S. government’s apology and compensation to all the atomic bomb victims and their descendants, including Korean and other nationals.

U.S. imperialism remains the most dangerous and destructive imperialist power in the world–the only country which ever used atomic bombs against human beings. It is one of the largest nuclear possessors in the world, along with Russia. Together, the U.S. and Russia possess over 90% of the world’s arsenal of nuclear weapons today.

The U.S. Trump administration is further pushing through nuclear development now. It conducted a subcritical nuclear test last February 2019, the latest nuclear test in the world.

The Trump administration announced the ‘Nuclear Posture Review’ on February 2018. It declared the further development of smaller nuclear weapons or tactical nuclear weapons for use in actual wars. At the same time, it avoided declaration of the U.S.’s denial of the preemptive nuclear strike. The administration is also promoting new development of intermediate-range nuclear missiles through its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia.

For these maneuvers, the Trump administration is expanding its military budget. In fact, the U.S. military budget has reached $716 billion U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2019, which is the largest amount in the last nine years. It is prompting an arms race among imperialist countries while it further expands the U.S. financial deficit and cuts the budget for people’s needs such as health, social services and education.

Today, the U.S. Trump administration intensifies its war threats against Iran, escalating its economic sanctions. The US also remains a threat to peace for the people in the Korean Peninsula, with the U.S.’s deployment of the anti-ballistic missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). We strongly oppose wars of aggression by U.S. imperialism. At the same time, we oppose any intervention by U.S. imperialism in different continents of the world. We express our solidarity with people who resist imperialist wars and interventions.

We, the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, call on the people around the world to rise up for ending imperialist war and fascism. We also call on the peoples of the world to further intensify our struggles for just peace, genuine democracy and national sovereignty.

Never Again to Nuclear War!
End imperialist wars and interventions!
Down with imperialism!
Long Live International Solidarity!

###