Some twenty years after I dropped out of college, I returned to school. To study history. My twin areas of concentration were the History of Science and of US Foreign Policy. My mentors in each of these fields were fantastic. I was fortunate indeed, because the problem I wanted to solve, was one that, like yours, had bothered me since I was very young.
I wanted to know about the decision to actually deploy the atomic bomb against Japan.
I wanted to know if it was really necessary. I wanted to know who made the decisions. I wanted to know whether in fact it had been done, in part, altruistically, in order to avoid much greater loss of life, both civilian and military. I wanted to know the degree to which racism had played a part.
I was in Kansas City, and was given access to Truman's archives in the presidential library, to his diaries, and other materials directly related to all of this. The transcripts of the meetings where all the decisions were being made. Mind-blowing access. And I read everything I could find that was worthwhile, much of it by historians who had themselves been there then or who conducted first-person interviews and who had a chance to talk with Japanese decision makers as well as Allied decision makers.
And in the end, I believe I was afforded an answer that I could rely upon to be as close to the truth as any human will ever likely get.
I wish that yours was as knowable as mine. There is a great deal of satisfaction finding an understanding.
And what was the answer Neal? As someone whose maternal grandfather was training for Operation Olympic when the bombs dropped, I have some interest in the topic.
As to me, there is a significant value in sitting with the “not-knowing.” But I think that state is so uncomfortable for most people that they will fasten upon any answer--even versions of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Thanks for a captivating essay, Mike. I do have to quibble that the assassination was the spark for conspiracy thinking and anti-democratic thinking among Boomers. After reading Kurt Andersen's FANTASYLAND, I came to realize Americans have always been prone to craziness and delusion. And since the '60s, democracy has been expanding; current anti-democratic movements are a reaction to that, a sweaty swirl of greed, racism and false nostalgia.
Beautiful essay, Mike. I'm your age and I had the same JFK assassination obsession in high school. The historical question that, to me, is as unknowable (for different reasons) is the Holocaust. As a teenager I was obsessed with the question of "why?" Unlike JFK, we have mountains of undisputed evidence of the Holocaust, but it is an ultimately unanswerable question. I realized that I had to stop looking for an answer -- as with the assassination -- or it would drive me nuts. What I think a lot of the conspiracy buffs can't deal with is the fact that some questions will never be answered and some history changing events will never be satisfactorily explained. They just happened.
Outstanding piece of writing Michael! I have to admit that when you stood down your Beatles site that my wife and I mourned what we expected to be the loss of your seriously good writing. It is with great relief to discover that you did not disappear. We admire your fluidity of expression and nuanced thoughts.
Btw, I think that I could tuck into a 1632 pager on the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson if, and I heavily stress the use of the subjunctive in that phrase, it were in the hands of a writer-historian who could both dispassionately approach the topic while carrying along the narrative in an enjoyable manner.
I recently finished a book that touched upon the BBs and 1960s Southern California musicians. It had a detailed section on Dennis Wilson's interactions with Charles Manson. Although the author is a professor of history, the writing was poor and even vulgar at times. Sophomoric would have been a step up...
My point here is that, sadly, a serious biography of Wilson has, in my very humble opinion, not yet been written--- at least not by an author that I would like to follow for 1632 pages!
Back to topic however. This was an excellent piece of writing!
I just sent you an email about this, but wanted to drop here that this is beautifully written. ANd you know better than most that given the work I'm doing on the Beatles and its provocative and controverisal nature in Beatles circles, I can relate 10000%.
I just sent a response to your regular email. That usually works.
Fine piece. Very fine.
Thank you Neal!
Some twenty years after I dropped out of college, I returned to school. To study history. My twin areas of concentration were the History of Science and of US Foreign Policy. My mentors in each of these fields were fantastic. I was fortunate indeed, because the problem I wanted to solve, was one that, like yours, had bothered me since I was very young.
I wanted to know about the decision to actually deploy the atomic bomb against Japan.
I wanted to know if it was really necessary. I wanted to know who made the decisions. I wanted to know whether in fact it had been done, in part, altruistically, in order to avoid much greater loss of life, both civilian and military. I wanted to know the degree to which racism had played a part.
I was in Kansas City, and was given access to Truman's archives in the presidential library, to his diaries, and other materials directly related to all of this. The transcripts of the meetings where all the decisions were being made. Mind-blowing access. And I read everything I could find that was worthwhile, much of it by historians who had themselves been there then or who conducted first-person interviews and who had a chance to talk with Japanese decision makers as well as Allied decision makers.
And in the end, I believe I was afforded an answer that I could rely upon to be as close to the truth as any human will ever likely get.
I wish that yours was as knowable as mine. There is a great deal of satisfaction finding an understanding.
And what was the answer Neal? As someone whose maternal grandfather was training for Operation Olympic when the bombs dropped, I have some interest in the topic.
As to me, there is a significant value in sitting with the “not-knowing.” But I think that state is so uncomfortable for most people that they will fasten upon any answer--even versions of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Thanks for a captivating essay, Mike. I do have to quibble that the assassination was the spark for conspiracy thinking and anti-democratic thinking among Boomers. After reading Kurt Andersen's FANTASYLAND, I came to realize Americans have always been prone to craziness and delusion. And since the '60s, democracy has been expanding; current anti-democratic movements are a reaction to that, a sweaty swirl of greed, racism and false nostalgia.
Beautiful essay, Mike. I'm your age and I had the same JFK assassination obsession in high school. The historical question that, to me, is as unknowable (for different reasons) is the Holocaust. As a teenager I was obsessed with the question of "why?" Unlike JFK, we have mountains of undisputed evidence of the Holocaust, but it is an ultimately unanswerable question. I realized that I had to stop looking for an answer -- as with the assassination -- or it would drive me nuts. What I think a lot of the conspiracy buffs can't deal with is the fact that some questions will never be answered and some history changing events will never be satisfactorily explained. They just happened.
Outstanding piece of writing Michael! I have to admit that when you stood down your Beatles site that my wife and I mourned what we expected to be the loss of your seriously good writing. It is with great relief to discover that you did not disappear. We admire your fluidity of expression and nuanced thoughts.
Btw, I think that I could tuck into a 1632 pager on the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson if, and I heavily stress the use of the subjunctive in that phrase, it were in the hands of a writer-historian who could both dispassionately approach the topic while carrying along the narrative in an enjoyable manner.
I recently finished a book that touched upon the BBs and 1960s Southern California musicians. It had a detailed section on Dennis Wilson's interactions with Charles Manson. Although the author is a professor of history, the writing was poor and even vulgar at times. Sophomoric would have been a step up...
My point here is that, sadly, a serious biography of Wilson has, in my very humble opinion, not yet been written--- at least not by an author that I would like to follow for 1632 pages!
Back to topic however. This was an excellent piece of writing!
I just sent you an email about this, but wanted to drop here that this is beautifully written. ANd you know better than most that given the work I'm doing on the Beatles and its provocative and controverisal nature in Beatles circles, I can relate 10000%.