80 Years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Human Cost and Canada’s Role

Yui Fujiki is a Project Ploughshares Research Assistant. Read her bio here.

Eighty years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world faces rising nuclear threats and a shrinking window for disarmament. On August 6 and 9, 1945, more than 100,000 civilians were killed instantly. But the legacy of those days is not only one of destruction — it is also one of resilience, resistance, and a call to conscience. Survivors of the bombings, known as hibakusha, have spent decades sharing their stories and warning the world: never again.

This fact sheet explores the human impact of nuclear weapons, the hard-fought gains in disarmament, and why Canada — and the world — must act now to prevent future catastrophe.