WIX Archives
People forget one little thing about the A-bombs and Japan-
Posted by Brad on Thu Nov 13, 2003 07:02:44 PM
In reply top Enola Gay org Manifesto posted by Joe Scheil on Thu Nov 13, 2003 09:31:36 AM
THEY BROUGHT IT ON THEMSELVES! The Japanese seem to be the worst about remembering that. Right or wrong and regardless of the moral and ethical arguments, they were targeted because they wouldn't surrender. As the saying used to go, "Without Pearl Harbor, there Wouldn't have been a Hiroshima."
Was there another choice besides the atomic bomb? Sure there was. In most military situations there is always another option. However, you always choose what seems to be the best option right then. It's not always the cleanest, cheapest, most politically correct option. And in hindsight, it might have been the wrong one, but it is the one that seemed to be the best at the time.
The Smithsonian is not the National propaganda, political testimony, political correctness, revisionist history, American atrocity, we hate everybody that doesn't agree with us, love it or leave it, war is hell, give peace a chance, Japanese suffering, anti or pro nuclear museum. It's called The National Air and Space Museum is the name of the museum. It's about planes and space stuff. Why does it have to be more or less than that.
The Bocks Car at the Air Force Museum is described simply as:
The Boeing B-29 was designed in 1940 as an eventual replacement for the B-17 and B-24. The first one built made its maiden flight on September 21, 1942. In December 1943 it was decided not to use the B-29 in the European Theater, thereby permitting the airplane to be sent to the Pacific area where its great range made it particularly suited for the long over-water flight required to attack the Japanese homeland from bases in China. During the last two months of 1944, B-29s began operating against Japan from the islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian.
With the advent of the conflict in Korea in June 1950, the B-29 was once again thrust into battle. For the next several years it was effectively used for attacking targets in North Korea.
The B-29 on display, named "Bockscar," was flown to the U.S. Air Force Museum on September 26, 1961. It is the airplane from which the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 141 ft. 3 in.
Length: 99 ft. 0 in.
Height: 27 ft. 9 in.
Weight: 133,500 lbs. max.
Armament: Eight .50-cal. machine guns in remote controlled turrets plus two .50-cal. machine guns and one 20mm cannon in tail; 20,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Four Wright R-3350s of 2,200 hp. ea.
Cost: $639,000
Serial Number: 44-27297
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 357 mph.
Cruising speed: 220 mph.
Range: 3,700 miles
Service Ceiling: 33,600 ft.
Maybe the NASM should borrow a page or two from them.
If you have time, go through the websight that this original post was about and look at some of the links. I went around and around for a couple of hours. There is some pretty interesting stuff. The City of Hiroshima sight is particularly interesting. Especially the letters from the Mayor about the Enola Gay.