Whitewashing Hiroshima; The Uncritical Glorification of American Militarism, notes Gary G. Kohls, MD

2004-08-10

Picture taken by Seizo Yamada, 7 kilometers east-northeast of Hiroshima

Back in 1995, the Smithsonian Institute was preparing an honest but aggressive display dealing with the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Amid much right-wing reactionary wrangling, from various ultrapatriotic veterans groups all the way up to the Newt Gingrich-dominated Congress, the Smithsonian was forced to eliminate that painful but historically important part of the story - the Japanese civilian perspective.

So again we had another example of powerful politically conservative ultrapatriotic groups influencing public policy - and messing with history because they didn't have the courage to face up to unpleasant historical truths.

Please click the photo and then continue ...