Resources on abolishing nuclear weapons

Nagasaki bomb

Atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

Copyright: 

AFSC

Since August of 1945, AFSC has consistently worked for the abolishment of nuclear weapons world-wide.  Within two weeks of the August 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, AFSC condemned the explosion as a ’new low of  inhumanity.’  Over the years AFSC has made statements, organized marches, made movies, and distributed informational materials trying to convince people and governments around the world to stop the development and build-up of these senselessly destructive weapons.

In 2010, AFSC continues to work for a nuclear free world. As part of a coalition of organizations from around the world, AFSC is sponsoring a conference in New York, with a keynote speech to be delivered by United Nations Secretary General Ben Ki-moon.

Cost of Nuclear Weapons

Developed in collaboartion with the National Priorities Project, this handout represents facts and figures about the status of nuclear weapons around the world in 2010.

AFSC.Nukes Resources.pdf

1945 Nuclear weapons statement

Just weeks after the nuclear attacks on Japan, AFSC's Executive Secretary Clarence Pickett, joined more than 30 other religious and educational leaders to condemn atomic bombs.  This copy of that statement was pulled from AFSC's archives.

Statement On The Atomic Bomb - 1945.pdf

1945 Plans for the Atomic Peace

In October of 1945, AFSC sponsored one of the first conferences on the danagers of "atomic weapons". 

1945 - Plans for the Atomic Peace.pdf

Letter to the President about nuclear weapons - 1961

In 1961 the Soviet government announced plans to resume testing nuclear weapons, and the U.S. government followed suite.  On September 15 AFSC published an open letter to the President Kennedy, calling the resumption in the arms race: "utterly traggic".

1961 - Open Letter to POTUS.pdf

1994 Nuclear weapons conference

In 1994 AFSC's New England Region sponsored a conference to discuss nuclear weapons in the post-Cold War era, and published a 44 page pamphlet reflecting on the 50 year history of nuclear weapons.

1994 Preventing Nuclear War in the Post-Cold War Age NERO 1994.pdf