To kill or not to kill
February 4th, 2010April 4th 1945, Washington D.C., USA. In the Oval Office, four men are sitting in the presidential sofas and talking aout the future of the modern world as they know it. Are present: Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of America, Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, Henry L. Stimson, War Secretary and Paul Tibbets, US Air Force B-29 pilot. Their discussion could have been as follows…
Harry S. Truman (HT): Gentlemen, the solution to the end of this war is near, and the man responsible for it is right here with us today. Robert, tell us more about it.
Robert Oppenheimer (RO): Thank you Mr President. Indeed, what I’ve come up with in my last experiment could very well be the end of the Second World War. A powerful yet containable weapon, to be used in last resort, if the enemy won’t surrender. Lots of casualties and long-term regional radio-activity so to be used with extreme caution.
Henry L. Stimson (HS): Exactly what we needed! How long to have such a bomb ready? I was wondering what to do if the Japanese refuse our ultimatum in June…
RO: Bombs could be ready by July-August but we would have to test it properly some place deserted first.
HT: The New-Mexico desert would be perfect, we’ve already got training grounds there, desaffected years ago. Robert, I let you supervise the tests, Henry, prepare the locations for the drops in Japan, Paul here will be flying one of the B-29, he might have questions for you both. Mr Tibbets, any questions?
Paul Tibbets (PT): not right now Mr President but thank you I won’t hesitate to ask questions to MM Oppenheimer and Stimson if I have any.
HT: So that’s settled then, we’ll bomb Japan if they decline the ultimatum next June!
HS: Excuse-me Sir, just one request: please don’t target Kyoto, there’s too much history and beauty there. I was there on a honeymoon with my wife a few years back and it’s really worth keeping, if I may.
HT: You may. My advisors told me about Nagasaki and Hiroshima, would that be good targets?
HS: Perfect Mr President, lots of population but not much sight-seeing monuments. I’ll arrange meetings with the Joint Chiefs.
HT: Well, we agreed on your bomb A Robert, now make it work!
The meeting was adjourned, everyone returned to their daily tasks and we all know how it turned out… Enola Gay and her sister killed more than 200 000 Japanese on August 6th and the following weeks. A sad day for the history of mankind.