Holly, even if this does mean "hooray, we blasted them ...." I'm not going
to debate it.  In my opinion, the atomic intrusion into our world *did*
terminate the war with Japan.  Soldiers, men and women, who went through
that war might well have had close, personal reasons for wanting to force
the Japanese to do precisely that.
 
I was a small child when that war began, but I remember my uncles jumping
up from the breakfast table and  running back to the base that December 7,
1941.  It was not a moment for extended debate.
 
Some of us who have never experienced more "excitement" or personal risk
than a good academic discussion or a lively "flaming" may not be able to
fully come to terms with that.  It is not something, in my opinion, to
take lightly, though.
 
I would agree that the atomic explosion was a terrible thing, a horrible
way to end *any*thing.  But after it settled, a lot of Americans came home
to enjoy a period of peace.  Before someone started the next one.
 
Those WWII soldiers, men and women, saved our America for us to enjoy
today.  If they have retained prejudices or "funny ideas" from their
experiences, I'm certainly not going to be the one to try to change their
minds.  It would be a pointless exercise.  And, while I may not agree with
the conclusions of the 1940s, I'm not going to support a 1990s attempt to
re-define a 1940s world.
 
Personal opinion only, obviously.
 
David Laro
San Antonio
 
>
> >The 50th anniversary is the last monumental date that veterans
> >of WWII have to commemorate the event that defined and transformed their
> >lives. Doesn't this fact call for retrospection through their eyes, one last
> >time?
>
> One last time for what?  "Oh hooray, we blasted them Japs real good"?  Or do
> you mean one last time to reflect on the significance of WW2 in general and
> the impact of nuclear technology on the present day world?
>
>
> Ow, I feel the heat.
>
> Holly Trimper
> [log in to unmask]
>