I. Michael Heyman, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Reuters, May 15, 1995.
In summer of 1993, the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum began planning a show about the atomic bombing of Japan and the end of World War II to accompany their display of the refurbished hull of the Enola Gay. Several veterans organizations who recieved a copy of the first draft of the exhibition expressed concern over what they saw as a revisionist lean to the information displayed. Over the next year a battle ensued between the veterans groups, historians and anti-nuclear war activists over what should be included in the show. After five official script revisions the display was radically reduced. Today, the hull of the Enola Gay is presented with a plaque and a video about the crew.
Below is a sampling of articles which were collected as part of THE LIBRARY archive and are currently available at the Exploratorium.
- January 30, 1995
Statement by I. Michael Heyman
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
- February 20, 1995
Silencing History
Kai Bird, The Nation.
- May 20, 1995
Japan's Plans for Museum on World War II Mired in Dispute
Nicholas D. Kristof, The New York Times.
- Historian's Committee for Open Debate on Hiroshima
Introduction | Comments | Acknowledgements | Links | New Langton Arts