Feature: Event - CND annual Hiroshima Day commemoration, August 6, 12 noon, Tavistock Square - 104 year old Hetty Bower's fear of war
Published: 29 July 2010
AT the age of 104, I should find sleep comes easily, yet a question keeps me awake every night as it has for the past century: What can I do to help bring about peace and democracy?
Two weeks ago I spoke to local primary children about my life and school 100 years ago. At their age I couldn’t have imagined anyone so old. Now I’m one of many. I’m surprised people want to hear my experiences or thoughts on topical issues, but if asked, feel obliged to answer.
Over my lifetime the world has been dragged into two crazy world wars and many smaller ones. Our country, shamefully, participated actively in most. I remember my schoolgirl excitement when the First World War began. With no conscription our school closed to allow the building’s use as a recruiting centre. Teachers took us to wave at the first brave young men leaving to fight for king and country.
The thrill soon faded. Months later some started coming back missing limbs or with shattered faces. We could neither see nor guess the damage inflicted on their minds. Then we called it “shell shock”, today “post-traumatic stress disorder”. Some who didn’t make it are only now being officially identified and reburied. Seeing those wounded convinced me war was wrong and could never solve society’s problems.
My father explained to us that stories of German soldiers cutting off Belgian children’s hands were British propaganda, intended to elicit public support for war, like Tony Blair’s “weapons of mass destruction” and “45-minute deployment” lies 90 years later. Now we know the Bush-Blair Iraq invasion made Britain a more dangerous place.
As now, a few rich people stood to make fortunes from convincing governments and populations that wars were inevitable and their companies could provide essential weaponry and supplies. Much conflict is still about resource control, ownership and exploitation.
As a pre-teenager I opposed war, then joined the Labour Party, attracted by its pacifist objectives and social-democratic ideals, since abandoned by New Labour. In the 1930s I travelled to Germany with my beloved husband Reg to meet other socialists and pacifists. Some peace chants, especially “Nie wieder Krieg – “no more war ever” – stick with me.
When America dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945, our peace hopes felt dashed like the thousands of Japanese lives those bombs destroyed. Gradual revelations about long-term radiation health damage to exposed victims and unborn children led us to redouble our efforts. Active pacifists, Reg and I joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) when it started, marching, campaigning, speaking, writing and demonstrating for peace. Our daughters continue the struggle. I’d love to believe our efforts contributed to ensuring that, despite terrible subsequent conflicts, no nuclear WMDs have been used in war.
Peace is not just absence of active conflict, peace requires justice, equality and genuine democracy.
I’m determined today’s children should not live through wars. I continue striving for peace, justice and true democracy, marching regularly against nuclear weapons and Britain’s unjust Middle East wars, and for justice for Palestine.
On Hiroshima Day, I will be protesting, speaking against nuclear and all other weapons. Please join us and show your support for peace.
• London CND’s annual Hiroshima Day commemoration takes place on August 6 at noon in Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury.
Pictured: Bower at a previous CND march