Truman Grandson To Visit A-Bomb Cities In Japan

Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years from August will mark 70 years since President Harry S. Truman gave the go-ahead to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki thus ending World War II.

The Japan Times is reporting that a grandson of Truman will be visting both cities for research on a book he is writing.

According to the article:

WASHINGTON — A grandson of the late U.S. President Harry Truman plans to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both devastated by U.S. atomic bombings in 1945, as "a good starting point" for writing a book about the bomb sites.

Clifton Truman Daniel, who revealed his plan in a recent interview, will visit the cities in August with his wife and two sons to attend the annul peace memorial ceremonies.

This will be the first time for a relative of Truman, who gave the go-ahead to use the atomic bombs, to visit the cities.

Asked whether the decision to drop the atomic bombs was right or wrong, Daniel, 55, said that is a "very hard question."

I've visited both cities (Hiroshima in 2004 and Nagasaki in 2007) and found the museums and memorial parks in each to be quite sobering.

Above, the Hypocenter Memorial in Nagasaki.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

However, as the bombings were an inspiration to the Godzilla character, both cities' peace parks are included in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. The Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome was briefly seen in 1991's Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. I recommend visiting either (or both) to anyone planning to visit Japan.

To read the full article, go here.