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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.” The mission of the Enola Gay in

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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. He decided to use his mother’s name because she always has cheered

him up. 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. To assume his father’s

family name was one of his greatest ambitions. 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. Therefore, all people,

Figure 4

1984: Retired Soldiers from the 509th Air Group Begin

Restoring Enola Gay

1985: Air and Space

Mueseum Begins

Restoring Front Section of Enola Gay

1986: Letter Campaign from WW2 Vets for Restoration of

Enola Gay

The Enola Gay Controversy Through the Years

1987: Committee Formed to

Study Merits of Enola Gay

Exhibition

1988: Committee

Recommends Enola Gay

Exhibit

1992: Plans for Enola Gay and Atomic Bomb

Memorial Exhibit

Announced

1995: Original Exhibition

Cancelled due to Opposition

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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).

Figure 5

The First Exhibition and Criticisms of 1995

Let us first consider why the Enola Gay was restored. War veterans have

The Enola Gay Controversy Through the Years

1995 (January): Smaller Exhibition Planned without

Mention of Historical Context

1995 (June): Smaller Exhibition Opened

and Runs until 1998

2002: Japanese Activist Group Makes Alternative Exhibition of Enola Gay at

UN Building. Closed because of Graphic

Content

2003: Fully-Restored Enola Gay Exhibition

Opened

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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. When they saw the pathetic remains of the plane, they were shocked and

dismayed. 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. The next would

explain the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb. The third was to contain the restored

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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. Three people who lived during World War 2 were

interviewed. 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. He felt that even though America

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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? How can Japanese

communicate their viewpoint? 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. In war, people lose their freedom, dignity and must endure terrible

suffering. 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. Times change, and so does our understanding about

historical events. The Enola Gay has an important role for teaching present and future

generations. This can be seen in three ways.

One way will be to understand all the different viewpoints and interpretations

22

of the Enola Gay as a historical symbol. Both the views of veterans and Japanese

pacifists need to be respected. 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.

23

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 山岡清二、訳 渡会和子、原純夫）

１９９７年７月３１日 株式会社みすず書房

・『戦争と正義 エノラ・ゲイ展論争から』Tom Engelhardt, Edward T. Linenthal

（訳 島田三蔵） １９９８年８月２５日 朝日新聞社

・『戦争を記憶する 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 小学館

編集 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 小学館

編集 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 財団法人東京大学出版会 代表者 養老孟司

編者 細谷千博、本間長世、入江昭、波多野澄雄

24

Interviews

Parks, Sam. Telephone interview with Gregory Hadley (MD Recording). Eldon,

Missouri, USA. March 20, 2004.

Idlett, Doug. Interview with Gregory Hadley (MD Recording). Herndon, Virginia,

USA. 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 日刊、新潟 ２００３年１２月１３日

・ Sankei Web 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