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Thread: Col Tibbets (Enola Gay) passes away

  1. #1
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    Default Col Tibbets (Enola Gay) passes away

    Paul Tibbets, who piloted the Enola Gay over Hiroshima, Japan to drop the first atomic bomb, died today.
    http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live...11/01/tib.html
    John Lindsey

    Oderint, dum metuant-Let them hate, so long as they fear.

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    So, what has been the response to his passing in Japan?
    John Lindsey

    Oderint, dum metuant-Let them hate, so long as they fear.

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    Quote Originally Posted by John Lindsey View Post
    So, what has been the response to his passing in Japan?
    Very muted here, John. There is a short obituary on p.7 of Saturdays Daily Yomiuri, whch notes that Tibbets died "after six decades of staunchly defending the mission".

    Of more local interest was a story published in Japanese and English papers on Nov 1. A study group here in Hiroshima has revealed that a nuclear attack on this city would kill or injure 832,000 people. The study was in response to a law requiring local governments to protect civilians in the event of a military contingency.
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

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    One interesting response was that people were a little unhappy that he never said sorry, and that he was following orders.
    Leon Appleby (Tokyo Ouji)
    半ばは自己の幸せを、半ばは他人の幸せを
    SK Blog at http://www.leonjp.com

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ewok View Post
    One interesting response was that people were a little unhappy that he never said sorry, and that he was following orders.
    I would never expect the man to apologize -- it was wartime, and he was following orders.

    That said, I recall coming across his website a while back, and being a little, I dunno, saddened? disturbed?, that there was no mention at all of the casualties inflicted. There's a lot about "saving American lives", and a solitary picture of a devastated Hiroshima, but reading the site you get the impression that the bomb destroyed the city, American lives were saved by Japan's quick surrender, and no one was otherwise harmed.

    I have no idea what it would be like to drop the first atomic bomb, and kill 70,000 people in a stroke. I can't imagine it felt good, and I'd expect Tibbets to deal with it just like any other soldier dealing with the horror of war -- focusing on his duty to his country.

    Still, civilian men, women, and children were sacrificed to save those American soldiers' lives. It would have been nice for them to get a mention.
    Josh Reyer

    Swa sceal man don, žonne he ęt guše gengan ženceš longsumne lof, na ymb his lif cearaš. - The Beowulf Poet

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    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by Ewok View Post
    One interesting response was that people were a little unhappy that he never said sorry, and that he was following orders.

    Maybe playing the role of the devil's advocate here, but isn't that a little like the pot calling the kettle black? China and Korea have been asking for the same thing from Japan for decades as well.

    Just a thought.
    Gary Williams

    The only fair fight is the one not fought.

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