The Role of the Enola Gay: Past, Present and Future
Introduction
Recently the B-29 used in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, known as the
Enola Gay, was restored and put up for exhibition at the Smithsonian Air and Space
Museum in the United States. This was the third attempt, after two earlier proposals for
the exhibition of the historic airplane were thwarted by Japanese Peace Activist Groups.
Often younger people in Japan, who have heard about the Enola Gay and the
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are confused about the passions that an exhibition
of the plane stirs up in some people. This paper will study the following issues: A brief
history of the Enola Gay and its mission over Hiroshima, a discussion of earlier
attempts to exhibit the plane, and the reasons why these plans failed.
The
establishment of the Smithsonian Association and a consideration of its relationship
with the Enola Gay exhibition will be studied by looking at the first exhibition in 1995
and the second in 2003. In addition, the role of the Enola Gay in the opinion of various
experts, with a view to its past, present, and possible future role in the 21st century, will
be considered.
Finally, by understanding these roles of the Enola Gay, and the
difficulties of presenting an unbiased history of a controversial event, it is hoped that we
will be able to understand issues related to peace, and not repeat the mistakes of warfare
as in the 20th Century.
A Brief History of the Enola Gay
This section will discuss the origins of the name “Enola Gay”, as well as the
name of the first atomic bomb, called “Little Boy.”
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The mission of the Enola Gay in
1945 over Hiroshima will also be studied.
Origin of the name “Enola Gay”
During World War 2, the “Enola Gay” was one the most famous B-29 bombers
that served in the American Air Force (Figure 1). The nickname of the plane had an
important meaning to the flight commander, Paul. W. Tibbets Jr.
Tibbets was a
Colonel in the Army Air Force and commander of the crew who served aboard the
Enola Gay.
Figure 1 (From http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/bomber/b29/eg/en_gay.jpg [Accessed June
30, 2004].)
The B-29, which had an earlier nickname, was renamed the “Enola Gay” after
Tibbets’ mother.
him up.
He decided to use his mother’s name because she always has cheered
As she once told him, “Whatever happens to you in your life, everything will
work out” (『アメリカ軍の日本焦土作戦』太平洋戦争研究会, 2003.3.30, P.127).
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He remembered these words, and for that reason, renamed his bomber the “Enola Gay”.
It is possible that he wanted his mother’s encouragement and prayers during the
dangerous mission that dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima.
He must have felt
proud of the Enola Gay as a bomber and his mother, as his mission was a success.
“Little Boy”
“Little Boy” became the nickname for the first Atomic Bomb, which had a
uranium core, and was dropped on Hiroshima. “Little Boy”, which has a charming
image, is a strange contrast to a weapon that was so huge and terrible. The total length
of the bomb was 10 feet, or 3.05 meters, and the diameter was 2 feet, or 71 centimeters.
It weighed 4.1 tons, and the TNT firing device weighed almost 28 pounds, or 12.5
kilograms (Figure 2).
Figure 2 (From http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/bomber/b29/eg/lboy.jpg [Accessed June 30,
2004].)
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Because the words “Atomic Bomb” were classified, only a few in the military
knew of the weapon, and it was unknown to civilians on both sides of the conflict.
Often the military referred to the atomic bombs they were preparing as “pumpkins”, and
there were several “pumpkin missions”, in which B-29s dropped bombs that, while not
containing uranium, were the same size and weight as Little Boy (“B-29 Super
Fortress.” http://www.fightingcolors.com/b-29_page.htm [accessed June 29, 2004];
“509th-Timeline-Inception to Hiroshima.”
http://www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org/CG/CG_09C.htm [accessed June 29,
2004).
Mission of the Enola Gay in 1945
From July 25, 1945, the American Air Force planned to drop Little Boy on
Ogura, Hiroshima, Niigata or Nagasaki after August 3rd, depending upon the weather.
On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay left its base on Tinian Island in the Marianas at 2:45
AM. Although the Enola Gay left for Japan, the crew did not know where their
objective was in Japan. Six other aircraft that were loaded with photographic and
scientific equipment accompanied the Enola Gay on this mission.
There were
concerns about weather, avoiding damage to the bomb from antiaircraft fire, and the
degree of Japanese resistance.
The B29 called “Straight Flush”, was on a weather
reconnaissance mission and had left one hour earlier to relay weather information to the
Enola Gay.
The Enola Gay received a message from the Straight Flush at 7: 25 AM
to proceed to Hiroshima.
Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima at 8:15AM. After 43 seconds, Little Boy
exploded with thermonuclear blast. This mission, which endangered the crew of Enola
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Gay and caused death on a massive scale for the Japanese people on the ground, and
sent shockwaves around the world (Figure 3). The Enola Gay successfully returned to
Tinian Island.
Figure 3 (From http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/bomber/b29/eg/lb_hirosh.jpg [Accessed
June 30, 2004].)
This is a summary of the mission of the Enola Gay. When the Enola Gay
carried out this mission, it helped to end the war between America and Japan, and
brought an end to World War 2.
As this war ended, however, the Atomic Bomb was
important for the beginning of Cold War, which was already in the process at the close
of hostilities between the Allied forces and Japan. After the mission, the Enola Gay
stayed at Tinian for a few months. The aircraft was supposed to be handed over the
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Smithsonian Institute soon afterwards.
Establishment of the Smithsonian Institute
In 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was formed through the efforts of James
Smithson, a wealthy British scientist.
Although he has never been to America and
knew no one there, it was his lifelong dream to go there.
Smithson was born in 1765,
as the firstborn son of the Duke of Northumberland and his mistress in France. Because
he was an illegitimate child, he was not allowed to use the name of his father’s family.
He called himself Massey after his mother’s family name.
family name was one of his greatest ambitions.
To assume his father’s
When he was about fifty years old, he
submitted a petition to the British King to allow him to use the name of his father’s
family, Smithson. His request was granted, and his name became James Smithson. He
became very wealthy, and in his will, he included two very important clauses:
„
“If his nephew does not have a successor, he contributes his all of property
to America.”
„
“He establishes the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., which
aims to progress and popularize all of people’s knowledge.”
(http://archive.tamabi.ac.jp/masters/99_00/mwa/works/2000/arts/98r1
01.html)
America represented an ideal country for Smithson. He had seen the French
Revolution during his youth, and he desired that the concepts of liberty, independence
and hope would be spread throughout the world. He wanted to contribute to the
American experiment, and have his name connected in some way to the furtherance of
America’s future.
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The money that Smithson bequeathed to America was a mixed blessing,
because as a young country, it did not have the ability in the beginning to adequately use
Smithson’s gift.
It had to focus first on the establishment of the country.
Later on,
however, the Smithsonian Institute was created, and it grew alongside America’s
fortunes as a country.
Today, the Smithsonian Institute is arguably the biggest museum of its type in
the world. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, developed earlier last century, is
in line with Smithson’s dream to further the knowledge of all people.
The Enola Gay and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
It certainly seems reasonable to exhibit the Enola Gay at the Air and Space
Museum, not only because it fits with Smithson’s vision, but also because the Enola
Gay was instrumental in events that changed our world.
1984: Retired
Soldiers from
the 509th Air
Group Begin
Restoring Enola
Gay
1986: Letter
Campaign from
WW2 Vets for
Restoration of
Enola Gay
1988:
Committee
Recommends
Enola Gay
Exhibit
Therefore, all people,
1995: Original
Exhibition
Cancelled due
to Opposition
The Enola Gay Controversy Through the Years
1985: Air and
Space
M ueseum
Begins
Restoring Front
Section of
Enola Gay
1987:
Committee
Formed to
Study M erits
of Enola Gay
Exhibition
1992: Plans for
Enola Gay and
Atomic Bomb
M emorial
Exhibit
Announced
Figure 4
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including Japanese, should have the opportunity to see this exhibit and try to understand
the complexity of what the Enola Gay represents. It is the question of what the Enola
Gay represents which has been problematic, because earlier attempts to exhibit the
plane focused on the efforts to restore the plane and the dangers encountered during its
fateful mission.
Some believed that there was not enough explanation about the
damage to Japanese civilians caused by the Enola Gay’s mission.
The problem of whether the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibition of Enola Gay
is sufficiently balanced, or is instead an instrument of propaganda, has been the cause of
bitter controversy.
Opponents to the Enola Gay exhibition state that the spirit of the
exhibit in its present form goes against the guiding ideals of James Smithson.
This
controversy has been going on for over twenty years, as the timelines show (Figure 4
and Figure 5).
1995 (January):
Smaller Exhibition
Planned without
M ention of Historical
Context
2002: Japanese Activist
Group M akes Alternative
Exhibition of Enola Gay at
UN Building. Closed
because of Graphic
Content
The Enola Gay Controversy Through the Years
2003: FullyRestored Enola
Gay Exhibition
Opened
1995 (June): Smaller
Exhibition Opened
and Runs until 1998
Figure 5
The First Exhibition and Criticisms of 1995
Let us first consider why the Enola Gay was restored.
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War veterans have
been strong supporters for the restoration of the Enola Gay. After the War, the Enola
Gay was repeatedly transferred to locations in Illinois, Texas and Maryland in order to
be used in tests in to determine the effects of Atomic weapons.
However, it was never
actually used in the testing program. While the Enola Gay was in Maryland, the
Smithsonian requested that the Air Force guard the Enola Gay.
Unfortunately, as the
Air Force did not have an extra hangar, Enola Gay was parked outside and exposed to
the weather without any particular care given by the Air Force. In addition, some people
who were interested in Enola Gay found it and stole parts out of it as souvenirs. Insects,
birds, wind and rain also contributed to the Enola Gay’s continued decay. The Enola
Gay was eventually taken apart and transferred to Smithsonian’s museum in Maryland.
In 1980, retired Airmen of the former 509th Group gathered to view the Enola Gay at
this museum.
dismayed.
When they saw the pathetic remains of the plane, they were shocked and
They accused the Smithsonian of neglect, even though the Enola Gay’s
condition was actually the fault of the Air Force. The Airmen banded together to
consider measures to restore Enola Gay. During the 1980s, the Airmen gathered at
reunions and started a letter-writing campaign that called on veterans and interested
people to help in the restoration of the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian.
We can see that it was from strong feelings to preserve the honor of their war
memories that veterans worked for the restoration of the Enola Gay.
These memories
were connected to feelings of pride from their participation in America’s last “good
war” – a war in which justice was seen as reigning triumphant over tyranny.
For them,
the Atomic Bomb was important in creating a new world peace, or “Pax Americana”.
Seeing the Enola Gay in such a state of disrepair brought dishonor to the way they want
to be remembered by later generations.
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Staff at the Museum debated for a year starting in 1986 about when the
exhibition should be held.
Some were of the opinion that the exhibition should wait
until everyone who had participated World War 2 had passed away, because the theme
of the exhibition was sure to cause controversy. Martin Harwit, director of the
Museum at that time, argued that by seventy years after the war, most people would be
able to gain unbiased information about Enola Gay from declassified historical
documents and other materials.
This position was against the veterans’ dream of
seeing the Enola Gay restored to her former glory before they were too old to visit the
exhibition themselves.
Others felt that with the passage of time, historical
reconstruction of the source documents might lead to a drift from actual historical
events.
Ignoring the memories of those who lived during that time was seen as
discarding the past in favor of current historical interpretations.
Harwit knew that the restoration of Enola Gay would be finished by 1992.
After much debate, it was the consensus of the Smithsonian Institute that the first
exhibition of the Enola Gay would be held on June 28, 1995, which was near the 50th
anniversary of the end of the war. He had hoped this would be an acceptable
compromise between those who were interested in the Enola Gay and the wishes of
veterans.
However, there were criticisms of the Smithsonian’s plans for the exhibition
from the start.
At the heart of the criticism was a difference between what American
war veterans and Japanese peace groups felt should be emphasized in the exhibition.
The first formal exhibition has been planned to contain five sections. The first section
was to deal with Japanese invasions and the attack on Pearl Harbor.
explain the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb.
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The next would
The third was to contain the restored
frontal section of the Enola Gay and a replica of Little Boy, together with artifacts and
period photographs from veterans of the former 509th Group.
The fourth section was
planned to reveal the horrible destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after they were
bombed, and the final section of the exhibition was scheduled to discuss the problems of
nuclear weapons proliferation after the war.
This seems to be a reasonable and balanced attempt to present the Enola Gay in
a manner that would satisfy many of the concerns of the parties interested in the
exhibition. However, it was difficult for the Smithsonian to put these plans into action.
Veterans, American military historians and the Air Force Association banded together to
raise their concerns.
They insisted that the Smithsonian had failed to do justice to the
meaning of the Enola Gay, and instead had fallen into a judgment of the morality of
whether or not it was right for America to use the Atomic Bomb.
A display of
photographs and materials from Hiroshima and Nagasaki was seen as a diversion to the
veterans groups, who wanted to focus instead on the sacrifices made by Americans in
what they felt was a moral struggle to make the world a better place.
It is certainly true that, had the Americans chosen not to drop the Atomic Bomb
on Japan, the war against Japan would have taken longer to conclude, with the
subsequent loss of untold thousands of American and Japanese lives.
However,
Japanese interest groups wanted to highlight the damage suffered by Japanese civilians.
This is why they insisted on a display of photographs showing the damage, death and
injury created by the Atomic Bomb, which was dropped by the Enola Gay.
While both the veteran and Japanese peace activists’ points have merits, neither
side was inclined to consider the other’s position.
With the threat of increased
controversy, the large-scale exhibition of the Enola Gay and Atomic Bomb memorials
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was called off in January of 1995. Instead, Smithsonian started to plan a smaller
exhibition of the Enola Gay devoid of any mention of its historical context, and a focus
instead on how the sections of the Enola Gay had been restored. Finally, the small
exhibition opened on June 28, 1995.
On that day, members of a Japanese opposition
group created disorder at the Museum in protest of the exhibition (朝日新聞 東京,夕
刊,1995.6.29).
A week later, three people were arrested for spattering the Enola Gay
with blood and ash (朝日新聞 東京,夕刊,1995.7.3).
However, the exhibition
continued until 1998.
In the face of this exhibition, Japanese Peace Activists and Interest Groups
from Hiroshima began to push hard for an equal opportunity to present their
interpretation of the Enola Gay.
Martin Harwit also helped in accommodating these
requests. An exhibition at the American University was planned for July 1995.
However, this rival exhibition was cancelled due to pressure from veterans groups (『拒
絶された原爆展』, Martin Harwit, 1997.7.31).
Japanese Peace Activists tried once
more to have an exhibition featuring photos of people who had been killed or disfigured
by the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at a venue where it could get
international exposure, that is, the headquarters of the United Nations.
However, the
sensational and graphic nature of the photographs were such that the United Nations
chose to close the exhibition soon after it opened in 2002.
Meanwhile, at the
Smithsonian, a second exhibition that featured a complete restoration of the Enola Gay,
was opened in 2003, and has continued to be viewed by thousands of people up to the
present.
Understanding the Enola Gay
It can be seen that the Enola Gay is a powerful and controversial symbol for
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many people.
In order to better understand the role of the Enola Gay for the past,
present and future, it might be helpful to start with the opinions of people who are
deeply invested into its history.
interviewed.
Three people who lived during World War 2 were
Each of their opinions will be summarized, followed with my own
interactions with their thoughts.
The first person will be Noboru Nishigata,
chairperson of Japanese Peace Activist Group in Niigata. Next will be Sam Parks, a
former B-29 Air Commander who was with the 6th Bomb Group during World War 2.
The final person is Doug Idlett, a former prisoner of war from Niigata Camp 5B.
Noboru Nishigata’s Opinion
When asked about the current exhibition of the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian
Institute, Nishigata thinks that the Smithsonian Institute’s actions prove that America
has not seriously considered issues such as Nuclear Warfare, Peace and Reconciliation
in the world. He feels that it is a mistake to exhibit the Enola Gay because it is
impossible to create an exhibition which will be fully balanced and satisfy the issues of
all the people involved. If, however, the Smithsonian would include photographs of
the damage that the atomic bomb inflicted upon Japanese, and explain the results of the
attack, regardless of any reservations held by American war veterans, then he would
support an exhibition of the Enola Gay.
He feels it is the duty of the Smithsonian to
show what the Enola Gay did to Japanese civilians. In addition, he thinks the current
exhibition is a bad influence on younger generations who do not understand the horrors
of war.
The Smithsonian exhibition, he feels, highlights the glamorous parts of the
Enola Gay’s mission, and how it helped to save the lives of soldiers and civilians who
would have died if there had been an invasion of the Japanese mainland. Moreover,
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Nishigata feels that America has currently become an aggressive militaristic country
through its invasion of Iraq War in 2002. In terms of this American standard,
Nishigata is concerned that younger children will regard the aircraft and Atomic Bomb
as merely technological wonders rather than terrible weapons of mass destruction.
Nishigata is of the opinion that while many American war veterans might look at the
Enola Gay rationally, current events in America might cause younger generations to
forget or trivialize the horror unleashed by the first atomic bomb.
Critique of Nishigata’s Opinion
Nishigata’s argument has many strong points. However, there is contradiction
in his opinion on the issue of the sacrifice and victimization. Although he emphasizes
that the Enola Gay’s mission was unjustified, this is not an opinion that is universally
accepted. It cannot be forgotten that many Japanese civilians and soldiers on both sides
of the war were saved by atomic bomb, because the was ended early as a result of the
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nishigata tends to consider Enola Gay in terms of
the sacrifice and victimization of the Japanese. What of the brutality inflicted upon
Southeast Asia, Korea and China by the Japanese?
Japan brought death and suffering
to untold millions in these countries. Nishigata shows a disturbing disregard for the
lives of non-Japanese and of the thousands in Asia whose lives were saved by the
speedy conclusion of the war.
Therefore, if Japanese Peace Activists criticize the
exhibition of Enola Gay for reasons of Japanese victimization, it is natural that America
and Asian countries will hold their opinion in total contempt.
I feel this is a major
weakness in Nishigata’s position.
However, I feel that his concern for the effects of the Enola Gay exhibition on
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younger generations has merit.
Especially in the light of the recent Iraq War, where the
United States invaded Iraq under the feigned mission of taking away the Hussein
Regime’s ability to create weapons of mass destruction, the Enola Gay is a
contradictory message that some weapons of mass destruction are justifiable, so long as
they are not aimed at the United States.
An Enola Gay exhibition that does not show
the damage inflicted by nuclear weapons creates an artificial sanitized understanding of
modern warfare.
Nishigata’s desire that a more detailed explanation of the impact of
the Enola Gay and the danger of nuclear weapons to future generations has merit,
especially if we want to avoid a similar tragedy that took place in the 20th Century.
In
this, he is fulfilling his role as a Peace Activist.
Although Nishigata feels that a balanced Enola Gay exhibit is impossible, I
think the original plans of the Smithsonian Institute in 1995 were fair and evenhanded.
It was only after American Veterans and Japanese Peace Activists began to struggle for
control over the focus of the exhibit that things went badly. Ironically, the views of
both the Veterans and Japanese Peace Activists are needed in order to make the
exhibition balanced, thus fulfilling Smithson’s original vision for the museum.
Sam Parks’s opinion
In an interview with Gregory Hadley on March 20, 2004, Sam Parks, a former
Air Commander from the 6th Bomb Group, and veteran of numerous missions over
Japan, stated that he believes the Enola Gay’s mission was justified. He strongly
believes that if America had not dropped the Atomic Bomb, it would have had to
continue its war with Japan. In his interview, he gave the impression that Japanese at the
time had become fanatically committed to warfare.
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He felt that even though America
wanted Japan to come to its senses and cease hostilities, it seemed as if it was
impossible for the two countries to negotiate a cessation to hostilities because the
Japanese as a nation had gone insane. Therefore, he feels that the decision of dropping
the Atomic Bomb on Japan was not wrong and, he has little sympathy for any suffering
that the attacks on Hiroshima or Nagasaki inflicted on Japanese civilians. He feels the
attack was necessary as a form of social correction of the Japanese culture, in order to
pull it away from its devotion to imperialist military aggression in Asia.
Critique of Sam Parks Opinion
Parks certainly was able to express his views clearly and succintly.
It must be
accepted that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki definitely put Japan on a road to
pacifism after the war. At the same time, the damage caused by such a “disciplining”
of Japan has left long-lasting scars in the public psyche.
Parks’ lack of sympathy for
the Japanese who died in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is also disturbing,
and on an emotional level, would be problematic for many Japanese, especially since it
seems that he is rationalizing the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Parks seems to
have justified this decision because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
However,
the loss of life in Pearl Harbor pales in comparison to the loss of life in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Parks’ unwillingness to acknowledge this fact is disturbing.
Because Parks was a B-29 pilot whose plane was parked only a very short distance
from the Enola Gay, I believe that he identifies personally with the Enola Gay and the
victory that it brought to Americans. He feels as if he has been close to one of the
most momentous events in human history.
This is certainly the case, and one must
respect Parks’ feelings in this matter. At the same time, I feel that memories of the
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Enola Gay, and an understanding of its role in the future should not only be to stoke the
coals of nationalistic pride and memories of past victories.
We also need a place
where the full extent of the Enola Gay, that is, the suffering that was caused by its
missions, are also taken into consideration.
In this way, pride will not blind people to
the consequences of warfare, and further the process of dehumanization, which so often
comes as a result of excessive nationalistic feelings.
Doug Idlett’s Opinion
As a former POW who spent most of the war working on the docks of the
Rinko Corporation as a forced laborer, Doug Idlett has a different point-of-view.
When asked about the role of the Enola Gay for the 21st century (Interview with
Gregory Hadley, March 25, 2004), for a long time, all he could say was how difficult
this question was for him.
Idlett understands that the Enola Gay is a controversial symbol today.
Personally, he admits that his own opinion of the Enola Gay has changed through the
year. Immediately following the war, Idlett was grateful for the dropping of the Atomic
Bomb, because it meant that the war was over, and he could finally go home.
Later he
learned that it was possible that preparations were underway in Japan to massacre all of
the POWs in Japan when the Allied Forces were planning to invade the main islands of
Japan.
He felt even more grateful for the dropping of the Atomic Bomb, because it
may have saved his life, and the life of his comrades.
People today (including Idlett)
might tend to question whether the Enola Gay’s mission was justifiable or not, but Idlett
is honest to admit that it was difficult for him to think so at the close of the war.
Today, however, he feels that the dropping of the Atomic Bomb was wrong.
He read in many books that Japan had tried to communicate to the United States
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through Russia that it wanted to negotiate terms for surrender. However, Russia never
passed the message to the United States, because Russia wanted to invade Japanese
holdings in Asia.
Had Russia passed the message of Japanese intentions to the United
States, Idlett stated, perhaps dropping the Atomic Bomb would have been unnecessary.
In the future, however, he feels that the Enola Gay will be a minor point in history, and
will be forgotten just as the Bataan Death March in the Philippines has been nearly
forgotten by today’s generations.
Critique of Doug Idlett’s Opinion
Although Idlett is a veteran like Sam Parks, it is interesting for me as a
Japanese to discover that they held very different opinions about the same event.
For
me, Idlett’s humility and openness to consider various sides of the Enola Gay issue
gives his opinions greater impact than those of Sam Parks.
Idlett’s sense of humanity
and gentleness is more apparent as one listens to the interview.
This makes it
somehow easier to accept his own struggle about the Enola Gay – that in one way, it
saved his life, but in another way, it was unneccessary to kill other people so he could
live.
Because of the death caused by the Enola Gay, he lives today, yet he is open to
the current debate on the subject.
I do not believe that Idlett would agreee with either
the opinions of Nishigata or Parks. He seems to be somewhere between the views of
American Veterans’ Groups and Japanese Pacifists.
I wonder if more Americans were aware of the information that Idlett has read
about Russia’s role in the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb, if they would be open to a
more-balanced exhibition of the Enola Gay. If so, perhaps the original 1995 exhibition
would have then proceeded with little or no controversy.
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The Role of the Enola Gay in Japan
It must be admitted that the popular Japanese view of the Enola Gay is full of
contradictions.
In spite of feelings of horror, anger and sadness, Japanese need to find
reasonable ways to communicate their worldview to others.
How should Japanese
understand the current Smithsonian exhibition of the Enola Gay?
communicate their viewpoint?
How can Japanese
Why is the Enola Gay so important to Japanese?
This
section will attempt to answer these questions.
How Should Japanese View the 2003 Smithsonian Exhibition?
It might be helpful for Japanese to view the Enola Gay itself in terms of how
the plane was restored to its original condition, and to the technological achievement,
which led to the creation of the atomic bomb.
Japanese should see these in the larger
picture of human technological development. Japanese should also feel compelled to
calmly explain to rational, interested listeners that any historical artifact, such as the
Enola Gay, should be understood in its historical context, and both in terms of American
and Japanese viewpoints.
For this reason, any admiration of the Enola Gay as a
technological achievement must be balanced by an understanding of the terrible power
it unleashed both on Japan and the world during the Cold War.
Japanese also need to
understand that some Americans will feel a sense of pride towards the Enola Gay as a
symbol of American military might, just as some Japanese feel pride for the battleship
Yamato in its heroic struggle against unbeatable odds during the Battle of Okinawa.
Neither the citizens of either country should feel the need to understand or justify these
feelings to the other. What is required is mutual acceptance.
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How can Japanese communicate their Viewpoints?
The issue of the Enola Gay exhibit reveals the distance between how
Americans and Japanese choose to remember the Second World War.
If there is a
distance between how Japanese and Americans remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is
the responsibility of Japanese to reach out in friendship to Americans.
How can
Japanese communicate their viewpoints?
It might be a help to Japanese to know that the opinion of many Americans
about the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is changing as time goes by.
According to general survey, right after dropped Atomic Bomb, 85 % of American
nation supported the decision. (Peter Kuznick,『SAPIO』,P.20, 2004.8.25) However, the
percentage of supporters has decreased with each passing year, with college aged and
women expressing the strongest opposition against dropping Atomic Bomb. (Peter
Kuznick,『SAPIO』,P.20, 2004.8.25) In addition, a growing number of American
historians are left wing, and opposition to the bombing of Hiroshima increases with the
level of prestige of the college. Moreover, most of American history researchers
recognize that Truman President should have more seriously considered other options
besides that of dropping Atomic Bomb. (Peter Kuznick, 『SAPIO』P.19, 2004.8.25).
In
November 2003, about one hundred fifty American scholars group released a statement
that the Enola Gay exhibit was unbalanced and improper. One of the members, Peter
Kuznick who is the representative in the group also remarked, “I am astonished that the
Enola Gay exhibit is seen as the glory of technical progress”(Peter Kuznick,『SAPIO』
P.18, 2004.8.25).
It appears that, with the exception of many War Veterans, many Americans are
coming closer to agreeing with Japanese about the meaning of the Enola Gay and the
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bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Japanese should begin their dialog with younger,
more open-minded Americans in order to build greater understanding in the future,
rather than trying to convince the old war veterans of a fading generation that is almost
gone.
Why is the Enola Gay Important to Japan?
Japanese need to explain to Americans and Asians why the Enola Gay is so
important to them.
Japanese need to explain that they were the first to suffer the
effects of an atomic bombing.
Whether is it justifiable or not, Japanese have come to
see themselves as victims of this new form of warfare.
The atomic bomb is a symbol
of great fear and sadness for most Japanese, and the Enola Gay stands in their minds as
a symbol of the horrors of possible wars in the future.
At the same time, Japanese need to communicate that apart from feelings of
victimization, the Enola Gay was instrumental in teaching the Japanese people about the
futility of war.
suffering.
In war, people lose their freedom, dignity and must endure terrible
The Enola Gay, in effect, symbolizes the beginning of Japanese Pacifism.
From this position, Americans and Japanese both can begin to find common ground.
Conclusion
The generation who fought and died during the Second World War is passing
away, and progressive younger generations do not know about that war, or about the
horrors of war in general.
historical events.
generations.
Times change, and so does our understanding about
The Enola Gay has an important role for teaching present and future
This can be seen in three ways.
One way will be to understand all the different viewpoints and interpretations
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of the Enola Gay as a historical symbol.
pacifists need to be respected.
Both the views of veterans and Japanese
It is only between these (and possibly other) views that
we can get a fuller sense of the Enola Gay of history.
Like Doug Idlett, we must learn
to embrace the contraditions and difficulties that are all part of the Enola Gay.
The second way would be to provide a more balanced exhibition of what the
Enola Gay meant to past generations, and also to present generations. We must be
careful, as Nishigata warns, not to teach younger generations that weapons of mass
destruction are no different than what happens in a computer game.
The sacrifices and
deaths of people on both sides of the Enola Gay need to be fully represented in any
future exhibitions.
Finally, it should be recognized that the Enola Gay now belongs to the history
of the world.
As such, it is no longer necessary to allow it to be held prisoner to the
views of the aging war veterans.
Future generations will also need to take ownership
of the Enola Gay. The deeper they can understand the meaning of the Enola Gay for
their generation, the greater the chance that they will develop a consciousness of the
preciousness of life.
With the pacifism which started in Japan because of the Enola
Gay, it is hoped that it will spread beyond Japan and back towards the United States, so
that future generations will not make the same mistakes as their ancestors.
22
References
・『アメリカ軍の日本焦土作戦』太平洋研究会（平塚柾緒、森山康平、水島吉隆）
２００３年３月３０日
河出書房新社
・『拒絶された原爆展』Martin Harwit （監訳
１９９７年７月３１日
・『戦争と正義
（訳
山岡清二、訳
渡会和子、原純夫）
株式会社みすず書房
エノラ・ゲイ展論争から』Tom Engelhardt, Edward T. Linenthal
島田三蔵）
・『戦争を記憶する
１９９８年８月２５日
朝日新聞社
広島・ホロコースト現在』藤原帰一
２００１年２月２０日
株式会社構談社
・『SAPIO』より“「偽りの平和」の時代から「むき出しの戦争」の時代へ”呉智英
２００４年８月２５日
編集
小学館
塩見健
・『SAPIO』より“「エノラ・ゲイ」展示が技術的進歩の栄光とは呆れた”Peter Kuznick
２００４年８月２５日
編集
小学館
塩見健、インタビュー構成
池原麻里子
・『太平洋戦争』より“太平洋戦争の「教訓」”入江昭
１９９３年７月３０日
編者
財団法人東京大学出版会
細谷千博、本間長世、入江昭、波多野澄雄
23
代表者
養老孟司
Interviews
Parks, Sam. Telephone interview with Gregory Hadley (MD Recording). Eldon,
Missouri, USA.
March 20, 2004.
Idlett, Doug. Interview with Gregory Hadley (MD Recording).
USA.
Herndon, Virginia,
March 25, 2004.
Newspaper and Internet
・ 朝日新聞
夕刊、東京
１９９５年６月２８日
・ 朝日新聞
夕刊、東京
１９９５年６月２９日
・ 朝日新聞
夕刊、東京
１９９５年７月３日
・ 朝日新聞
朝刊、東京
２００２年７月１４日
・ 朝日新聞
朝刊、東京
２００３年８月１９日
・ 朝日新聞
朝刊、東京
２００３年８月２０日
・ 朝日新聞
朝刊、東京
２００３年８月２２日
・ 新潟日報
日刊、新潟
２００３年１１月５日
・ Sankei Web http://www.sankei.co.jp/news/031211/1211sha048.htm
２００３年１２月１１日
・ 新潟日報
・ Sankei Web
日刊、新潟
２００３年１２月１３日
http://www.sankei.co.jp/news/031216/1216kok010.htm
２００３年１２月１６日
・http://www.gensuikin.org/Smithsonian/letter1.htm
エノラ・ゲイを展示するスミソニアン航空宇宙博物館への要望書
２００３年１２月１２日
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