World War II officially came to a close in August 1945 after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1995, the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum sought to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II with an exhibit featuring the Enola Gay, the bomber responsible for dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Their effort to display the Enola Gay led to a firestorm of controversy and an on-going debate among public officials, military organizations, historians, and other special interests groups about the role of public institutions in representing the past.
Review the websites below and related textbook material, and then discuss your position in the ongoing debate about the Enola Gay Exhibit at the Smithsonian. What factors should public institutions take into consideration when they offer exhibits of the nation’s past? Why? Your response should also include a discussion regarding whether President Truman was justified to order the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Be sure to support your position with specific examples.
After you have responded to the discussion board questions, be sure to reply to at least two of your classmates.
Website
https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/december-2003/historians-protest-new-enola-gay-exhibit
Sample Solution
