In address in Hiroshima Nehru vows to fight to ban nuclear weapons

Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India, arrived in Hiroshima on October 9. At a welcome event with local citizens in Peace Memorial Park that began at 1:15 p.m., he gave a 20-minute address entitled “A Message to the Citizens of Hiroshima” to an audience of about 30,000. The following are excerpts.

“I am deeply moved, standing here … and as I stand here the past comes before me and also all that has intervened in these last 12 years. Coming here I feel that I have come on a pilgrimage to a spot which represents many things not only to me but to men and women all over the world… Here, where 12 years ago was created a desolate waste and death and destruction surrounded this area, again this new city of Hiroshima has sprung up and all you citizens, men and women and children of Hiroshima have built this and are living your lives and demonstrating that you can rise above every kind of disaster.

“…You, Mr. Mayor, …have expressed the hope that ... the terrible scourge and fear of warfare with atomic weapons will also be banned and ended. I entirely agree with that hope… Greater horrors appear to be in stock for humanity unless humanity has the wisdom to control them. Let us hope that the great statesmen… will remove this terrible fear of this new kind of warfare … from the face of the earth.

“…But unfortunately, fear comes in the way, …and fear makes us do many things which we do not want to do. So we must try to get rid of this fear all over the world…

“Let us hope, therefore, that not only these atomic bomb explosions and atomic warfare will be put an end to but all kinds of warfare, that there will be effective disarmament so that the people of every country may live free from fear…and in this way cooperate with each other and build up one world which lives together in friendship and cooperation.

“Those who have great power have great responsibilities because if that power is misused or not used rightly, then it brings dire results. If used rightly, then it helps mankind to progress. We have seen in the past--history tells us--how countries in great power…used their power sometimes badly... Let us hope that in future countries will bear their responsibility in the right way and their power will be used to benefit mankind.

“The past is over. Let us not think too much of the past or evil and fear and horror and destruction. Let us rather think of the future. And when I see here in this city of Hiroshima large numbers of bright young faces of boys and girls, it is the future I think of… Let us build up a future where they can live in peace and happiness and not be tortured by hatred and violence for each other or for each other’s nation.

“The answer to the atom bomb or the hydrogen bomb is not a bigger atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb. You have to seek some other kind of answer, and the world today has to choose between the two paths, the path of ever-greater violence symbolized by the nuclear bombs or the path of peace and compassion symbolized by the message of the Buddha.

“The mayor has presented me with a precious gift, the key to Hiroshima. May that key prove a key to the hearts of people all over the world, moving them to compassion, moving them to discard fear and to live in friendship and cooperation with each other. I am grateful to all of you, men, women and children, for your affectionate welcome. I shall carry back this memory with me to my own country and tell my people there of this city of Hiroshima, which suffered so terribly and which has revived so brilliantly…”

After his whirlwind visit to Hiroshima, Nehru departed on a special aircraft from Iwakuni Airport at 4:05 p.m. and flew to Itami Airport. Just before taking off, however, he held a press conference and talked about his impressions of Hiroshima.

“From photographs I had imagined the horrors of the ruins of Hiroshima after the atomic bombing and the city’s reconstruction, but, as the saying goes, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’ and I was deeply impressed by the city’s efforts toward peace. In particular, I strongly felt the energy of the citizens who worked so hard to rebuild Hiroshima. The enthusiastic welcome extended to me by the citizens of Hiroshima, particularly the young people, was beyond my expectations, and I am very grateful. I would like to join hands with the citizens of Hiroshima to promote the movement to ban atomic and hydrogen bombs. Although I was only here for two hours, I will never forget my impressions of Hiroshima.”

(Oct. 10, 1957)