HIROSHIMA

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27734, 11 August 1955, Page 3

HIROSHIMA

Sir,—Authority fears nothing more than the masses’ understanding of the underhanded manipulations and machinations of those controlling mankind’s destiny. People desiring documented facts about Hiroshima should read “We Can Be Friends,” by Marzani. America had broken the secret Japanese code and was listening in to conversations between Japanand her overseas representatives and knew that Japan was in a hopeless position months before the bomb. Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomisation was politically, militarily and morally indefensible, but where humanity is concerned the terrible people in control have simply no scruples whatsoever. Elections in Pakistan, Japan, Italy, France, and West Germany are sure indications that the little people are on the qui vive against the possibility of a repetition of Korea in other places. The decade of lies and further atomic blackmail against the world’s working people has failed. Almost everything newspapers praise and publicise is ultimately harmful to the jnasses.—Yours, etc., MELVILLE B. MITCHELL. August 9, 19Jj5.

Sir,—Your footnote to Melville B. Mitchell’s letter could have added that the Japanese Cabinet, in ignoring the ultimatum to surrender, had no compunction in letting it become known that in the event of an invader putting his feet on the sacred soil of Japan, all prisoners of war held by the latter would be exterminated.—Yours, etc., O. M. BRUNDALL. August 9, 1955. f

Sir,—Professor P, M. S. Blackett was concerned with atomic developments during the war; in his book, “The Military and Political Consequences of Atomic Energy,” tie suggests that the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were more to intimidate the Russians than defeat the Japanese. This was followed up later by systematic anti-Soviet propaganda as intending aggressors, to frighten the American taxpayer to pay, in the name of defence, for more and more costly powerful atomic bombs, with more and more profits to United States big business. Now the later developed hydrogen bomb is found to have a boomerang effect from wherever if may be dropped. The Soviet Union, intimidated, has produced similar atomic and hydrogen bombs and American big businessmen realise they have brought about a Frankenstein threatening their own contemptible selves. Hence the move for an understanding, with the Soviet Union.—Yours, etc., A.H.S.H.

August 9, 1955. [Contrary to the correspondent’s opinions, the Western countries concentrated on atomic weapons because these were the most economical means of counterbalancing Communist armed might; and as these were developed and produced mainly bv government agencies, the “profit motive” for private business has probably, been the lowest in the history of the armaments industry.—Ed., “The Press.”]