Thank you for reminding me of the sometimes devastating cost of peace. Admittedly it may be my own personal naïveté but, considering that the cost of cooperation to prevent conflict is most often sublimating human ego and openly examining personal ideology, I think the price of preventing conflict is not as high as that of peace.
There are questions if the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary to end the war with Japan, was it a sign of our superior military power to Russia, how involved was Truman in giving the order for the Nagasaki bombing, that the Japanese terms of surrender needed to include keeping their emperor and I assume others. An article in itself. Taking a course right now personally learning to be an instrument of peace.
In 1981 I met a man who, as a young physicist, was part of the Manhattan project, lived and worked in Los Alamos, and was one of the last people to interact with the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. In his wallet he carried a small piece of flat gold that was part of the plate that separated the fissionable material. It was removed just before the bomb was dropped. It was divided between the last people to interact with the device. I asked him why, after more than 40 years, he still carried that gold in his pocket. His answer surprised me. He said it was to remind himself that they had NO true understanding of power they were releasing on the world nor the everlasting implications. He said he wanted to remember that it should never happen again. Oh, if we had only learned!
One of My favorite prayers is The Prayer of St. Francis. The first sentence of the prayer is “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace” That is my hope for you as you study in your class. Best wishes!
Thank you for your response. I worked on Hiroshima commemorations in NYC in the mid 80s and met a group Survivors of Hiroshima at one of our yearly events. Gorbachev's passing has been bittersweet as I also worked on a Citizens' Summit for 150 Russians in DC and NYC in the later 80s under the Center for Soviet-American Dialogue based in Seattle.
What amazing events to be involved in! (My old fashioned notion of grammar shuddered when I ended that sentence with a preposition but I’m trying to drag myself into the 21 century.) I am heartened to know people like you are still working toward peace. Amid the 24 hour news cycle I sometimes lose track of all the good people in the world. Thank you for engaging in this conversation with me today.
Thank you for reminding me of the sometimes devastating cost of peace. Admittedly it may be my own personal naïveté but, considering that the cost of cooperation to prevent conflict is most often sublimating human ego and openly examining personal ideology, I think the price of preventing conflict is not as high as that of peace.
There are questions if the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary to end the war with Japan, was it a sign of our superior military power to Russia, how involved was Truman in giving the order for the Nagasaki bombing, that the Japanese terms of surrender needed to include keeping their emperor and I assume others. An article in itself. Taking a course right now personally learning to be an instrument of peace.
So many questions linger!
In 1981 I met a man who, as a young physicist, was part of the Manhattan project, lived and worked in Los Alamos, and was one of the last people to interact with the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. In his wallet he carried a small piece of flat gold that was part of the plate that separated the fissionable material. It was removed just before the bomb was dropped. It was divided between the last people to interact with the device. I asked him why, after more than 40 years, he still carried that gold in his pocket. His answer surprised me. He said it was to remind himself that they had NO true understanding of power they were releasing on the world nor the everlasting implications. He said he wanted to remember that it should never happen again. Oh, if we had only learned!
One of My favorite prayers is The Prayer of St. Francis. The first sentence of the prayer is “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace” That is my hope for you as you study in your class. Best wishes!
Thank you for your response. I worked on Hiroshima commemorations in NYC in the mid 80s and met a group Survivors of Hiroshima at one of our yearly events. Gorbachev's passing has been bittersweet as I also worked on a Citizens' Summit for 150 Russians in DC and NYC in the later 80s under the Center for Soviet-American Dialogue based in Seattle.
What amazing events to be involved in! (My old fashioned notion of grammar shuddered when I ended that sentence with a preposition but I’m trying to drag myself into the 21 century.) I am heartened to know people like you are still working toward peace. Amid the 24 hour news cycle I sometimes lose track of all the good people in the world. Thank you for engaging in this conversation with me today.