The only two atomic bombings in history struck Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945, Hiroshima, a city of more than 300,000 inhabitants, was almost completely destroyed on August 6 in the first use of a nuclear bomb against humans. Approximately 80% of the buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, and the blast wave extended over several kilometers, creating a firestorm with hurricane-force winds that prevented any rescue operations during the first few hours.
On August 9, the original target was the city of Kokura, home to one of the largest Japanese military arsenals. However, due to cloud cover, the target was changed to Nagasaki, which housed Mitsubishi shipyards and weapons factories—key components of Japan’s industrial war machine. Although the bomb dropped on Nagasaki was more powerful than the one used in Hiroshima, its impact was relatively less devastating: around 40,000 people died instantly, and another 30,000 died in the following months.
This is the cold data. The lead architect of the nuclear bomb project, Robert J. Oppenheimer, famously stated:
“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”
Following this catastrophic moment in human history, a period of constant fear and concern emerged over this new threat to human security: the use of atomic energy. From the beginning, the use of nuclear energy has been caught between peaceful purposes for the benefit of humanity and its potential as a weapon of mass destruction.
To regulate and promote peaceful use, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established. It began operating in Vienna on July 29, 1957, and by November of that year, the United Nations General Assembly approved an agreement formalizing its relationship with the UN. The objective was to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of nuclear energy to peace and development.
The origin of this process can be traced to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1953 speech, “Atoms for Peace”, which laid the foundation for the IAEA’s statute. The statute defines the agency’s dual mission as follows:
The IAEA is the main international governmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
It must promote the development and transfer of nuclear technologies to developing countries to help achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.
It must ensure the highest standards of nuclear safety and radiation protection.
It must verify the peaceful use of nuclear energy through a system of safeguards.
This system, born from catastrophe, has evolved with both successes and challenges—especially concerning nuclear non-proliferation and its enforcement. In 1968, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was signed and became permanent in 1995. With 191 States Parties, it is the most significant treaty in the field of nuclear disarmament, peaceful use of nuclear energy, and non-proliferation.
Under the NPT, non-nuclear-weapon States agree not to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons or other explosive devices. Nuclear-weapon States agree not to assist or encourage others in doing so. While the IAEA is not a party to the NPT, it has primary responsibility for verifying compliance. Article III of the NPT requires non-nuclear-weapon States to sign comprehensive safeguard agreements with the IAEA to ensure that nuclear energy is not diverted from peaceful uses to weapons development.
The current system plays a crucial role in defending human rights in the broadest sense: safeguarding the very survival of humanity. The fear of nuclear war, zero-sum strategic games, and irreversible disaster has thus far ensured that threat has remained theoretical rather than real.
At Human Rights Global House, we honor the innocent victims who suffered from these devastating attacks. Their memory reinforces our belief that their deaths must serve as a foundation for building a world where human life and existence are never again threatened.
The first human right is survival.
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/infcircs/1970/infcirc140.pdf
