1. Aug. 6 action to remember Hiroshima and oppose aggression and militarization organized by Just Peace Committee
CONFIRMED: Seaforth Peace Park Peace Flame (south end of Burrard Bridge in Vancouver)
Monday, August 6 from 4:00 to 5:00
Slogan: No More Hiroshimas
Speakers for organizations or campaigns are invited. Please let us know before August 6.
Bring people and your organization or other banners/ signs.
The US military selected Hiroshima, a manufacturing center with 350,000 people, mostly civilians including 30,000 Korean forced workers, as the site of the US’ first trial deployment of nuclear bomb (9,000 lb uranium) pending the success of a Manhattan Project test in July, 1945. It was dropped on Hiroshima city center at 8:15 on the morning of August 6, instantly killing 129,000 people and contaminating soil and water. A second such bomb was released to destroy Nagasaki on August 9. Let us also recall that the development of nuclear energy specifically as a weapon was a decision of the Quebec Conference signed by F.D. Roosevelt and W. Churchill (for Canada and the UK) in Quebec City in 1943.
Despite the Geneva Protocol and two Nuclear Non-proliferation treaties, the US has made and stockpiled some 6,800 nuclear warheads, while Russia 7,000, France 300 and the UK 215. By 2016, Japan under PM Abe had adopted an aggressive military policy, and plans to expand the development of nuclear power in Japan and approved of the US expanding its bases such as one at Iwakuni and several in the Okinawa archipelago. Meanwhile, the US and its allies are expanding military operations in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Cold War-type tensions are rising and thus Cold War-type bellicose language.
Canada has been involved. In 1963, it shipped warheads to a Canadian base. According to a Wikipedia article, “In total, there were between 250 and 450 nuclear warheads on Canadian bases between 1963 and 1972. In 1984, Canada deployed 4 nuclear warhead delivery systems accompanied by 100’s of US-controlled warheads for NATO. It has had stand-by arrangements to fire nuclear armaments at command. Furthermore, Canada has been a supplier of uranium to the US Atomic Energy Commission, and is boasting about potential sales to China soon. The Atomic Energy Commission of Canada researches nuclear energy and has produced the controversial CANDU reactor.
2. Workshop on imperialism and militarization, part 2. What is imperialism doing today? How is militarization, particularly NATO, developing? What are the peoples’ responses and how can we build on them?
Kengington Branch of the Vancouver Public Library, meeting room
Wednesday, August 15 from 6:00 to 8:00
Hosted by the Just Peace Committee, who will present some facts and thoughts to start the discussion
Let us also take note that Victory over Japan Day follows on August 15 soon after the anniversary of US imperialism’s bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This is a highly important day, a national holiday in many, to mark in the countries once subjected to vicious and murderous Japanese imperialism in east and southeast Asia. Resistance martyrs and survivors are honoured.
JUST PEAce COMMITTEE 