By Jack Higgins, Policy Intern, Summer 2025
August 6 will mark 80 years since the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing roughly 100,000 people and levelling the city. One of the very first things I did after arriving at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation was read John Hersey’s famous 1946 New Yorker piece recounting the experiences of six survivors of the bomb. Like so many before me, I found their stories incredibly moving, and the article reinforced for me the human impact of using such a terrible weapon.
My first weekend in D.C., I traveled to the National Bonsai and Penjing museum, where the Yamaki Pine is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. The bonsai, nicknamed the Peace Tree, was part of Japan’s Bicentennial gift to the United States in 1976 and has been in training since 1625. Incredibly, 80 years ago the Yamaki Pine survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Despite being only three miles away from the blast, the Yamaki family and the tree were miraculously unharmed. The tree has come to symbolize resilience, forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.
For people my age who didn’t experience the anxieties of the Cold War, let alone the only use of nuclear weapons in conflict, the threat of nuclear weapons can be hard to grasp. During my internship at the Center over the past 10 weeks, these two anniversaries served as a reminder of why the work to reduce that threat is so important. Standing in front of the Yamaki Pine, I was struck by the dedication, care and sheer amount of time its caretakers have devoted to its growth and survival over multiple lifetimes. In the context of such longevity, the 80 years since the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima don’t seem like a very long time at all. For me, the Yamaki Pine is a reminder of both the existential danger nuclear weapons present and the fact that through means such as arms control, the threat of nuclear conflict can be reduced and the world may become a safer place.
In my short time here at the Center, I have learned an incredible amount about arms control, nuclear security and non-proliferation. It was an eventful time to work here; nuclear-armed Russia continued to pursue a war of aggression in Ukraine, nuclear-armed India and Pakistan engaged in open conflict, and the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iranian enrichment facilities with the hope of delaying Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. On top of that, the only arms control treaty between the United States and Russia is set to expire in about six months. Despite these developments, after getting to know some of the passionate, devoted and extremely intelligent people working in the arms control space, I’m leaving the Center feeling more optimistic than when I entered.
The Yamaki Pine lived for 320 years without facing the threat of nuclear weapons before its life was almost cut short. I remain hopeful that thanks to the work of people at the Center and in the greater arms control community, it will never see them used again.
