Hiroshima is reminder to eliminate nuclear weapons

Aug. 6 marked the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima, Japan. Over 80,000 civilians were vaporized. Many were school children. With Japan preparing to surrender, Gen. Eisenhower argued against dropping the bomb. President Truman chose otherwise.

Another atomic bomb was dropped over Nagasaki a few days later. Seventy years later the United States remains the sole country to use the atomic bomb. Now, President Obama and the Pentagon plan to spend over $1 trillion to modernize our nuclear arsenal.

Instead, the United States should take the lead to reduce and eliminate all nuclear weapons to enhance peace among all nations.

This story was originally published August 19, 2015 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Hiroshima is reminder to eliminate nuclear weapons."