Tri-Cities and Nagasaki linked and scarred from atom bomb 75 years ago | Editorial
As the world this week marks the somber, 75th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs, a particularly heavy weight is pressed upon the Tri-Cities.
The nuclear weapon that flattened Nagasaki, Japan, during World War II was fueled by plutonium produced at the nearby Hanford site as part of the secret Manhattan Project.
The date was Aug. 9, 1945. The time was 11:02 a.m. — a precise moment that changed everything.
It was, thankfully, the last time a nuclear weapon was unleashed against innocent civilians. Regrettably, it was not the first.
Three days earlier, a different atomic bomb exploded at Hiroshima. By the end of 1945 at least 200,000 people had died from the two bombs — including both those who died in the blasts and those who died from radiation exposure.
Buildings were flattened, crushing inhabitants. People were burned beyond recognition; others suffered skull fractures, ruptured organs or other devastating injuries.
As time forges on, and the number of World War II survivors dwindle, we must not forget the horrific consequences caused by nuclear weapons in Japan.
And the role thousands of Tri-Citians continue to play in managing and cleaning up the most dangerous nuclear waste site in the country. Reports of workers being sickened at the site, particularly by toxic vapors, has gone on for decades.
Nuclear weapons leave all kinds of scars.
In the Tri-Cities, we have a particular responsibility to tell the whole story behind the nation’s nuclear arms race. Our role involved a scientific triumph, to be sure. But we must not forget the lives that were lost because of it.
In 1939, Albert Einstein warned President Franklin D. Roosevelt that Germany had discovered the devastating potential of a new type of bomb. Thus began the race to build the world’s first atomic weapon, with U.S. officials believing that the country that built it first would win the war.
A location in the Central Washington desert was picked for one of the production sites, and the B Reactor at Hanford — the world’s first of its kind — was developed, launching the atomic age.
Initially, the dropping of the bombs released feelings of elation and relief in America. The country was weary of war, and the bombings led to Japan’s surrender. Soldiers could go home.
And Tri-Citians who were never allowed to know the full mission at Hanford — even as they worked at the site — were proud that their efforts helped end the war.
That pride still resonates with many in the community today.
The scientific achievement, the fear driving the bombs’ production and the secrecy surrounding the project are a significant part of our nation’s — and our community’s — past.
We hate to think what might have happened if the U.S. had not won the war. But now, as a community, we must continue to focus on peace and environmental cleanup.
Tri-Citans know all too well that the radioactive waste caused by the nuclear arms race has left a potentially catastrophic, toxic mess that will take billions of dollars to contain and clean up.
It is a terrible environmental consequence — caused by the federal government — which we must endure for generations to come.
Our bond with Nagasaki is a sad one. Now, as we look back at the 75 years since the atomic bomb was dropped, we must hope our stories can be used to promote peace and caution in the world.
This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 12:29 PM.