The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc.
"Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project"
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The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc. "Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project" |
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The Controversy is Back!!
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Just when we gave a 'sigh of relief' that the Enola Gay had finally found a happy home after decades of wallowing in an ugly hangar, the protesters were back. Although they were prevented from totally ruining the day, they did succeed in reminding us that the battle is not over...in fact, it probably will never be over. |
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The below photos were provide to us by Tim Murray, whose father served in the Air Force for 32 years. They were taken at the Air & Space Museum's Pre-Opening Ceremonies on December 9, 2003. |
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| Tim Murray with Gen. Paul Tibbets | The restored Enola Gay | Tim Murray with Gen. Richard Meyers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs |
Legacy of the Enola Gay
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single entity symbolizes America's heroic atomic bomb effort more so than
the Enola Gay. In the close to sixty years since its famous bomb run
over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay has elicited controversy. Revisionist historians
and anti-nuclear wackos have chosen to focus on the Enola Gay in the
furtherance of their agendas. This was demonstrated in the
well-known (or, in some circles, "little-known") fiasco surrounding the
planned Enola Gay Exhibit at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum to
commemorate the 50th anniversary of the events leading up to the dropping
of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima back in 1995. It is important that
the essence of this "controversy" be preserved for no other reason than to
demonstrate the "behind the scenes" efforts of a small group of
individuals dedicated to distorting the events that led to the decision to
drop the atomic bomb on Japan. This group would lead us to believe
that the Japanese were "victims" in World War II and the United States was
the "bully". We can all be thankful to the Air Force Association,
whose persistent efforts to correct the inaccuracies being perpetrated by
the curators of the Air & Space Museum led to the saving of thousands and
thousands of visitors to the Enola Gay Exhibit from being exposed to a
vile distortion of history. The issues surrounding the use of the
atomic bomb are open to debate; that the Japanese were victims, is utterly
preposterous.
Below we have compiled a list of resources that explain the controversy as well as delve into the more basic issues of why the atomic bomb was used. |
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The Enola Gay exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum closed on May 18, 1998. The "Enola Gay" aircraft will eventually be completely assembled and displayed at the Museum's new Udvar-Hazy Center, scheduled to open in 2003. |
| We have also included four photos of the Enola Gay as she appeared on Tinian Island in 1945 and four photos depicting the pieces of the Enola Gay that were part of the 1995 exhibit at the Smithsonian. |
Before....
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After....
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the 1995 Controversy....
the Hope....
Official Test Count Commenced 12/29/01 -
