Our greatest concern is that the disturbing issues raised by the atomic bombings in 1945 will not be addressed in the planned exhibit and that President Truman's use of atomic weapons will legitimize the Bush administration's current effort to lower the threshold for future use of nuclear weapons. Much to the contrary, we welcome any exhibition that will spur an honest and balanced discussion of the atomic bombings of 1945 and of current U.S. Doctorow, Clifford Geertz, Pete Seeger, Martin Sheen, Oliver Stone, Kurt Vonnegut, Gary Wills, Howard Zinn, and a host of other academic and public figures.įrom the Committees Statement of Principles: "We are not, however, opposed to exhibiting the Enola Gay. Petition signers include Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, E. Well before the December 2003 opening of the museum, however, the Committee for a National Discussion of Nuclear History and Current Policy forms "to challenge the Smithsonian's plans to exhibit the Enola Gay solely as a 'magnificent technological achievement.'" In a letter of October 23, 2003, the Committee publishes a statement of principles and circulates a petition to be delivered to the president before the museum opening. "The new Enola Gay exhibit acknowledges the plane's role in the bombing and presents details such as the B-29's having been the first pressurized bomber, but does not mention atomic bomb casualties." opens December 15, with scores of restored aircraft and spacecraft, many on display for the first time," by William Triplett, Smithsonian 34.9 (Dec 2003): 58.
A vast new Smithsonian facility outside Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian announcement about the opening of the new National Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport that provides a permanent home for the Enola Gay. "FullText" links provide a connection to electronic or print copies provided by the Lehigh Libraries and other services, such as electronic abstracts and interlibrary loan requesting.