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Cookham CND in Hiroshima Vigil

14 August 2005

HIROSHIMA–   60^th ANNIVERSARY .     A  VIGIL

6^th August 1945 was the day the first atomic bomb was dropped –on Hiroshima, followed by a Hydrogen bomb on Nagasaki.  More than a quarter of a million men, women and children were immediately reduced to ashes. Many more suffered lingering deaths.  A vigil to mark this event was held by Maidenhead and Cookham CND.

The site chosen was Greenham Common,  where in the 1980s,  women camped in protest outside the US Army base storing nuclear missiles ready for launching. Appalled at their potential for indiscriminate slaughter of innocent victims on a scale unheard of, these women  gave up jobs and families to be there.   Because of our admiration for  their dedication in keeping these deadly weapons in the public eye, we chose this site for our vigil.

In the 1990s the Cold War ended; the weapons were removed. The women’s camp has been marked by  a Memorial Garden.   But the  danger still exists;  many other countries now can  make nuclear bombs.

Different terrors now occupy our minds.  But the necessity remains for all nations to allow inspection, control  and eventual elimination of all nuclear weapons : otherwise we risk a thousand Hiroshimas.

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