When the horrors of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 80 years ago this week, became known, an idea began emerge that, in some ways, defined the first nuclear generation:

“Never again”.

Although nuclear weapons proliferated, and millions lived in genuine fear, the idea that they might actually be used again was almost unthinkable. The recognition of “Mutually Assured Destruction”, though never a particularly sound basis for stable geopolitical strategy, at least helped restrain world “leaders” at times like the Cuban Missile Crisis.

But 80 years is a long time. A lifetime.

That first nuclear generation is almost passed. Many of the regimes of the post-war era are gone, or utterly transformed. Geopolitics is almost unrecognisable.

In 2025 so far, there have been armed conflicts involving five of the nine nuclear-armed states: Russia, India, Pakistan, the USA and Israel.

It’s fair to say (isn’t it?) that the leadership of all these countries is far less worried about long-held norms than they have almost ever been.

The other “never again” from 80 years ago was the commitment that the holocaust, which my own grandparents were survivors of, would be the last genocide. The global community would never again allow such an atrocity to be committed.

Israel’s destruction of Gaza puts the lie to this, as do the quietly forgotten genocides in Sudan and Xinjiang.

Register for our Missing Peace webinar, Nuclear Disarmament in a world of Trump and Netanyahu

Nothing is inevitable. Never say never.

In this world of climate crisis, ecological crisis, political crisis, economic crisis – this world where old certainties are crumbling – things become possible that might not have been before. Things terrifying and things inspiring and exciting.

What might it mean, in this world, to work towards nuclear disarmament?

This Thursday evening at 8pm AEST, join us for a confronting and inspiring conversation to help us grapple with this question.

Our brilliant panel will be Australian Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Gem Romuld, the Australia Institute‘s International & Security Affairs Program Director, Dr Emma Shortis, and Greens Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Peace and Disarmament, Senator David Shoebridge.

Register here, with our usual sliding scale from free to contributor.

Thanks,

Tim.