Have you heard of Britain’s atomic bomb scandal?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren’t the only nuclear bomb targets.
From 1952-1991, Britain carried far too many, certainly over one hundred, environment-polluting tests, including the detonations of 45 nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
Channel 4 describes this as “Britain’s race for the nuclear bomb, the devastating fallout for the servicemen at the tests, and the veterans’ long fight for justice.”
It started in the Australian “bush” on an October day. Uninhabited? The military seemed to think so.
In reality, home to diverse wildlife and a traditional migration route for indigenous tribes.
The explosions not only caused immediate destruction but the radioactive fallout and toxic pollution caused longer term harms which, for some families, continue down through generations.
Was the Australian government informed of the true nature of these tests? Nope. Even many soldiers involved didn’t know what they were in for. Decades later, the few survivors say they believe they were used as “guinea pigs”.
For a more in depth analysis, and the opportunity for discussion, sign up to our webinar “The Nuclear Cover-up”, hosted by Professor Lynn Jamieson, Chair of Scottish CND.
You can also check out our article about nuclear testing, linked here.
From production to testing to use, nuclear weapons are always immoral. By rejecting them, we step back from the brink of war to re-prioritise peace – for humanity and the rest of the natural world.