He said there was much more public discussion between 19 about the wisdom of the bombing, 'there was a lot more openness, and a lot more doubt.' 'We've just broken ground in our history with a pre-emptive war,' said Jean-Christophe Agnew, a cultural historian at Yale University. They want the bomber to serve as a catalyst for national debate on nuclear weapons. The intellectuals and activists who are lining up to oppose this 'celebratory treatment,' say it is particularly dangerous at a time when the United States is displaying its military might. The Smithsonian, which is heavily supported by federal money, increased the estimate to 1 million, which then drew historians' complaints of 'historical cleansing.' A compromise was reached for a pared-down exhibit in 1995.Īs it was before, the argument is as much about politics as history.
Truman's decision to approve use of the bomb. The groups also took issue with the number of Americans - 30,000 to 50, 000 - military officials anticipated would have been killed in an invasion of Japan and which has been cited as the crucial factor in President Harry S.
