Once Upon A Time…

Remembering historical events and

considering their significance for families today

Since 1942, the United States has conducted approximately 1,045 nuclear weapons tests. To name a few, the Pratt test, conducted at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) on September 25, 1980, yielded 5-kilotons of TNT. The Bonarda test, also conducted on September 25, but in 1980, yielded 20-kilotons of TNT.

The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II yielded 15 and 20 kilotons of TNT, respectively.

On September 25, 1980, coincidentally, the former Soviet Union conducted a 5-kiloton nuclear test called 555 Dynamica, on the Kazakhstan steppes. The USSR conducted nuclear tests on that same date in both 1982 and 1983. The former Soviet Union, now Russia’s, total number of nuclear weapons tests is 727.

On September 25, 1992, China conducted an 8-kiloton nuclear test, one of 47 tests in its history of nuclear tests.

The coincidence itself isn’t September 25. Instead, it’s the reality that many nations on our planet are armed and dangerous. We can enjoy some peace of mind knowing the arms race of the 1980’s and early 1990’s between the U.S. and the USSR has peaked, however we are now facing a more sinister reality: that peace itself could be annihilated by weapons of mass destruction in the time it takes to tweet.

Years ago, in college, I had the opportunity to meet the former President of Costa Rica, Óscar Arias Sánchez. He had visited my college to speak about his efforts to resolve the Central American crises of the 1970’s and 80’s, for which he was eventually awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.

I remember asking President Arias Sánchez what the United States should do to bring world peace. His answer was simple: “Lead by example. Your nation is the leader of the world. What you do will be followed.”

So, here, on September 25, a day that seems rife with the threat of destruction, I pray the leaders of our planet’s nations will attempt diplomacy, negotiation, and resolution instead of war-mongering, saber-rattling, and bullying.

As a father, I attempt to do this every day when my sons’ simple squabbles over toys erupt in front of me.

“Let’s talk this out,” I say. “Let’s not hurt one another.”

The art of peace-making, we must remember, begins with our children. If we can teach them to resolve their issues through communication, then there is hope for the future.

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Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

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