Enola Gay: Burnt flesh and other magnificent technological achievements

(Polybus) wrote in message . com...
Dear Friend,

A committee of scholars, veterans, clergy, activists, students, and
other interested individuals is now forming to challenge the
Smithsonian's plans to exhibit the Enola Gay solely as a "magnificent
technological achievement." The planned exhibit is devoid not only of
historical context and discussion of the ongoing controversy
surrounding the bombings,

Which presumes there is a "controversy".

but even of basic information regarding the number of casualties.

None of the war planes on display list the casualties
associated with their use.

We have formulated the following statement of
principles, which we plan to circulate widely. The statement makes
clear that we are not opposed to exhibiting the plane in a fair and
responsible manner,

Which presumes that it is not.

but that we fear that such a celebratory exhibit
both legitimizes what happened in 1945

Which implies it has not already been "legitimzed". If anything
their is a current effort to "delegitmize" what happened in 1945.


and helps build support for the
Bush administration's dangerous new nuclear policies.


That's a stretch. The nuclear attacks of 1945 are a well
known historical fact. Not much one is going to say either
way about them that is going to change that. Bushes bombs
are different, we're different, the enemies are different,
even the most casual observers will have trouble drawing much
parallels here. Actually, casual observers will be the LEAST
able to do so.

We, in fact,
welcome and intend to initiate a national discussion of both the 1945
bombings and of current nuclear issues.

Fine, but what does that have to do with displaying one of the
more famous individual aircraft in the world in it's historical
context (i.e. with alot of other aircraft of the same era).

But before we launch a public
campaign and officially contact the Smithsonian, we seek endorsements
of the statement from a small number of prominent individuals who can
help the effort gain credibility


So, you admit you currently have little to no credibility and
yet you throw around expressions like "legitimize" and "controversy".
Be honest, you're trying to CREATE those things.

and attract media attention. More
active participation is, of course, welcome and desirable. Most
immediately, though, please let us know if we can add your name
[snip]

No.

Polybus wrote:
Dear Friend,

A committee of scholars, veterans, clergy, activists, students, and
other interested individuals is now forming to challenge the
Smithsonian's plans to exhibit the Enola Gay solely as a "magnificent
technological achievement." The planned exhibit is devoid not only of
historical context and discussion of the ongoing controversy

Is the display of this aircraft any less devoid of historical context
and discussion than any other exhibit? My understanding is that the
musuem wants to treat this like any other aircraft on display.
It's not a political exhibit, it's a technological one.

Your crossposting to food and celebrity newsgroups is very odd......

(Polybus) wrote in message . com...
Dear Friend,

A committee of scholars, veterans, clergy, activists, students, and
other interested individuals is now forming to challenge the
Smithsonian's plans to exhibit the Enola Gay solely as a "magnificent
technological achievement."

GOOD.

I'm glad to hear the Smithsonian has finally come to its senses and
stopped acting ashamed of an important part of our national history
that we have NO reason to be ashamed of.

Unlike a good number of people who seem to be educated beyond their
intelligence.

Not that this topic has anything at all to do with rec.food.cooking
which is where I read the thing.

......Alan.

"A.T. Hagan" wrote in message
om...
(Polybus) wrote in message
. com...
Dear Friend,

A committee of scholars, veterans, clergy, activists, students, and
other interested individuals is now forming to challenge the
Smithsonian's plans to exhibit the Enola Gay solely as a "magnificent
technological achievement."

GOOD.

I'm glad to hear the Smithsonian has finally come to its senses and
stopped acting ashamed of an important part of our national history
that we have NO reason to be ashamed of.

Unlike a good number of people who seem to be educated beyond their
intelligence.

Not that this topic has anything at all to do with rec.food.cooking
which is where I read the thing.

.....Alan.

You and others are missing the point. If the B-29 is a "magnificent
technological achievement" fine, display one. But why does it have to be the
Enola Gay? That specific plane is unavoidable associated with dropping the
A-bomb on a civilian target with all the resulting horrors. You may support
the dropping of the bomb or you may be against it, but there's no denying
that displaying *this* B-29 rather than another one makes the exhibit seem
like a celebration of the bombing rather than the bomber. No matter how
necessary and justified you think the bombing was, it is nothing to
celebrate.

Peter G. Aitken

No matter how
necessary and justified you think the bombing was, it is nothing to
celebrate.


Unless you're one of the countless thousands (Japanese and American) who life
was saved because the war ended in August 1945 vis August 1946.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

Just a factual question: was there ever a statistic of the number of deaths via
fire bombing vs. the nuclear bombs? Just wondering. Thx,
VL

You and others are missing the point. If the B-29 is a "magnificent
technological achievement" fine, display one. But why does it have to be the
Enola Gay

Because it was the most important B-29 ever built?


all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

You and others are missing the point. If the B-29 is a "magnificent
technological achievement" fine, display one. But why does it have to be
the
Enola Gay

Because it was the most important B-29 ever built?


It was important because it dropped the bomb - my exact point.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

Emmanuel Gustin wrote:
planned exhibit and that President Truman's use of atomic weapons will
legitimize the Bush administration's current effort to lower the
threshold for future use of nuclear weapons.

This is rather far-fetched. While I think Bush' current nuclear
plans are immoral, stupid, and counter-productive, I am not
in the least afraid that the opinion of the American public
will be swayed by the Enola Gay exhibition. We are not
talking about the latest Coca-Cola commercial, this is an
aeroplane on display in (yuck) a museum.

You almost threw me there Emmanuel!

In reading your defense of the American use of the atomic bomb, and
the refutation of some of the lefties claims of the evil nature of
American leadership (over the entire history of the nation), I thought
perhaps you weren't quite the anti-American ideologue I'd pegged you as.

For a moment I thought you were actually standing up in defense of
the American public. You know, basic goodness and common sense that
over time, keeps the country on track.

But alas, they are in reality the dimwits that intellectual Euros
(and lefty Americans) stereotype them as. Oblivious of history, and
concerned only with the next deal at Costco.

Thank you for not disappointing me.


SMH

mrtrav3 wrote:

Is the display of this aircraft any less devoid of historical context
and discussion than any other exhibit? My understanding is that the
musuem wants to treat this like any other aircraft on display.
It's not a political exhibit, it's a technological one.

I think that is an excellent point.

Surely there should be mention of the B-29 being the mule that
delivered the first atomic bomb, and even how many people that one
bomb killed compared to that of the thousands of fire bombs these
aircraft dropped earlier on Japan.

The application of the atomic bomb in areal warfare is as significant
as crossing the Atlantic, or going around the world without refueling,
or breaking the speed of sound. So its mention is certainly a requirement
of any display of the B-29.

Making the display a focal point for a political debate on the
appropriateness of atomic weaponry, the arms race, or neo-conservativism
threats to world peace and harmony doesn't seem to be proper to me.

Your crossposting to food and celebrity newsgroups is very odd......

Wondered about that myself.


SMH