The script treats a number of controversial points, such as possible anti-Soviet motivations for dropping the bomb, or the projected number of American casulties in an invasion of Japan, by presenting the various viewpoints expressed in the historical literature without drawing any definite conclusions of its own. I was interested in this book because I wanted to know why the opponents of the exhibit objected to it. JUDGEMENT AT THE SMITHSONIAN has three parts: the original script of the censored Smithsonian Enola Gay exhibit, a forward by Philip Nobile, the editor of the volume, concerning the controversy over the exhibit and the morality of the bombings, and an afterword by Barton Bernstein, which summarizes the evolution, current state, and relation to the script of historical writings on the atomic bombings of Japan. The exhibit did not make clear the toll on Japanese lives in such a land war, and that would have added another important dimension.I came away from volume with a good deal more information on the subject than The 50,000 US casualties from the just completed Okinawa campaign, contested over a much smaller area and smaller number of defenders than the home islands, made clear that an invasion would be very costly in US lives. The use of an inflated 'million dead' figure by supporters of the bomb do not serve to illuminate the actual decision making process any more than some of the more absurdly low estimates from recent revisionist historians who support their criticism of the bombing by claiming that no more than 20,000 US casualties would have resulted from an invasion. The actual estimates were much lower, but even the actual projected casualties in the tens of thousands are not insignificant and clearly had to weigh on the minds of planners. The book makes clear that the 'million casualties' estimate was a figure that came into wide usage after the fact and was not based on the estimates made at the time by the Joint Chiefs.
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For me, one of the important portions of the book was the discussion of projected casualties of a planned invasion of the Japanese Home Islands if the Atomic Bomb had not been used. I think some of the critics would come to the same conclusion if they took the time to carefully read this entire volume. While I do like the current exhibit, I now feel somewhat 'cheated', knowing what could have been included if the original exhibit had been completed as planned. I visit the Air and Space Museum several times per year, as well as the USAF Museum in Dayton OH, and have viewed the Enola Gay exhibit on a number of occasions.
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I think the critics were objecting to individual portions of the entire presentation out of context and perhaps felt that any attempt to present opposing views would be seen as defaming the efforts of Paul Tibbets and the USAAF. However, it is clear from the book that the proposed exhibit would have been a very balanced and effective one that would not have detracted from the reputations of the men and women who participated in this project and carried out the mission.
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The way the proposed exhibit was portrayed in the media and from the criticisms presented by the AF Association and others made it appear that the Smithsonian's presentation would be biased toward those who were critical of the use of the Bomb. I also speak from the perspective of the son of a WWII USAAF veteran who survived 65 combat missions in the Pacific Theatre, so any exhibit that hinges on the war ending mission of that conflict holds special significance for me and my family. I have studied World War II for over 20 years and have generally supported the decision to use the Atomic Bomb to end the war and save lives. I came to the book as a skeptic based on the contoversy over the exhibit as it had been portrayed in the media.