What was Friday?
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| At the moment of the Hiroshima blast. |
I can not fathom how God feels about war. If you believe that human life is precious and a gift of God, then how does one truly deal with the concept of humans destroying human life on so vast a scale? How does God feel about President Truman making the decision to end the war through the utter destruction of two cities of mostly civilians? (Admittedly, Hiroshima was a military city of about 40,000 military and a prisoner of war encampment for 700 captured Americans at ground zero!) Was this wisdom or further human folly?
Certainly, scientists spoke out quite strongly against the usage of the Atom as a bomb. All of the high brows were removed from any military projects because they were German, suspect and considered a threat against the success of the bomb. I grew up with most of them as a child, so I heard the arguments long after the war was over. However, I never knew Einstein, he had died before I came along. And, political "scientists" stepped in to do the job with no actual understanding of what they were doing. My personal dislike for men such as Oppenheimer so great it is hard for me to be objective - I was only a child and the man a creep, so yeah my opinion might just be jaded a little. But, a few of the politicos were men I liked as a child, no one knows their names, they were just grunts doing the jobs and follow up.
My own father justified his involvement because of the NAZI fear of the Soviet army and its need for utter destruction. He greatest complaint was of how, "those meddling Americans" had completely ruined Germany's race for the atom and supremacy in the war!
Thank God!
Once the Americans had grabbed father, his work on the nuclear bomb was still driven by prejudicial hatred for all things Russian! He held those cherished viewpoints even after my trips to Soviet Russia and adoption of four children. Then, he started to figure it out.
I also knew Tibbets, the pilot of the bombing run and a few others of the Enola Gay flight crew. So, it was informative to hear their side of the argument. And it was with sadness when last I met with Tibbets, whom knew his time was short, and wanted to see me one more time and talk about my father, the bomb and the big question. A man left bitter believing that he was judged and passed over for recognition for what he had done for America. A man torn. A man understanding something more than others.
Back in Japan, a pastor by the name of Kyimoto (? I can't find him on the internet but I remember well the role he played in post war Japan from the books I read as a child) became involved in reaching out to the untouchables of Japan - the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And with the love of God he reached out to those dying from radiation and cancer, those disfigured and scarred, those whom could never be married. He made a difference. And yeah, no one has ever heard of him.
If there is a lesson to be learned from this horrific piece of history:
Truman made a judgment call - kill civilians and force surrender, or lose more men in an invasion
Men such as Tibbets did what they felt needed to be done to end the war, at the risk of their own lives
The average Japanese was ignorant of what was happening and desired things all men desire
Scientists foresaw what would happen and revolted
Politicos ran with the ball
And in the end, it was men and women wanting to show God's love whom changed lives
I am glad that I was not any part of this.
I am glad that I have never been forced to make a choice which could cost someone their life.
I am glad that God pulled my butt onto a different path than that of my father.
I am sorry for those broken by actions such as this, victims come in all styles.
I am thankful for men, like Kyimoto, unknown and yet serving God in the hardest of times.
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