Global Nuclear Arsenals Expand Amid Rising Tensions 80 Years After Hiroshima

Eighty years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the global nuclear threat has resurged, with nations expanding and modernizing their arsenals amid escalating geopolitical tensions. China is rapidly increasing its nuclear warheads, projected to exceed 1,000 by 2030, aiming for strategic dominance in Asia and seeking to undermine U.S. alliances through coercion and advanced technologies like hypersonic missiles. Meanwhile, the U.S., Russia, and other nuclear-armed states continue to modernize weapons despite the catastrophic risks, while Iran's nuclear program remains a concern after military strikes by Israel and the U.S. Public pressure for disarmament has waned despite warnings from experts and Hiroshima survivors about the rising risk of nuclear use, exacerbated by new technological hazards and global conflicts. Survivors of the bombings continue advocating for nuclear abolition, but the current trajectory shows increasing investment in nuclear forces and escalating tensions that could normalize the threat for new generations. The urgent need for renewed arms control and diplomatic engagement remains critical to prevent potential nuclear conflict in a volatile international landscape.