President Obama will speak Friday at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, where the United States first dropped an atomic bomb on Japan nearly 71 years ago.
In announcing Mr. Obama’s visit earlier this month, the White House said he would not revisit President Harry S. Truman’s decision to drop the bomb or apologize for the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But some New York Times readers who answered our request for suggestions for the president’s speech said he should do just that.
Other readers recalled atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers during World War II and the Japanese empire’s militarism. They suggested that Mr. Obama defend the decision to use atomic weapons to hasten an end to the war and, ultimately, save lives by avoiding an invasion of Japan.
Most of the hundreds of respondents suggested that the president acknowledge the harsh realities of war, underline the increasingly close relationship between the United States and Japan, and look forward to a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.
Below are selected excerpts from Times readers’ responses, lightly edited for length and clarity.
Offer an Apology謝罪すべきだの考え
He should apologize for the fact alone that not just one but two bombs killed indiscriminatingly huge civilians, whatever the situation of the war or the purpose of using the weapons was.
— MAKI WAKIYAMA, Urawa, Japan
Of course President Obama should apologize to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. His apologies would set a tone of reconciliation that all nations can respond to. Prime Minister Abe can take Obama’s cue and give heartfelt apologies for Japan’s World War II atrocities against her Asian neighbors, thereby engendering lasting respect from former enemies.謝罪すべきだ。彼の謝罪が総ての国々の和解へと導くだろう。安陪首相はオバマの行為を手がかりに心からアジアに対する日本の残虐行為を謝罪すべきだね。
— DAVID ROTHAUSER, Brookline, Mass.
He should say sorry. Japan should say sorry. Why can’t modern nations symbolically apologize for what happened? It does not matter if it was the right thing to do or if it would save lives. All lives lost is a tragedy, even if it is just one life.
— JOHAN SWELDENS, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Defend a Strategic Decision 戦術上の判断を支持
Quite simply put, what happened in this city in 1945 is the result of Japan being ruled by autocratic militarists who valued conquest and glory over their own citizens.
— MICHAEL STERNFELD, Gaithersburg, Md.
戦争を始めたのが誰か、まで問いかけている。
The United States made the decision to drop the atomic bombs to force an end to a war which it did not start, in order to minimize further casualties for all the combatants and civilians. We regret all the casualties of war, but that is the price of freedom from tyranny.独裁から市民を解放するための、さらなる被害・犠牲を出さないための決断だった。←？
— PETER WIDNESS, Sarasota, Fla.
Hiroshima is the end result of Japanese militarism and lack of democracy. President Obama should speak out against the forces of militarism and authoritarianism.［日本の非民主主義的軍事化を終わらせた広島！軍事力と権威主義に対して話すべきだ！］
— BILL BOTH, Terrace, British Columbia
I believe the president can reflect back on that sad day in history, which was necessary to end the war. He can say it was unfortunate that the U.S. made a strategic choice to use nuclear weapons to end the war with Japan. We subsequently saw the devastation caused by nuclear weapons, and learned we must try to refrain from ever using nuclear weapons again. We saved untold numbers of American soldiers’ lives by dropping the bomb and not invading Japan. The president must not apologize for that event.核を落とし、日本に侵攻せず米兵を救った。謝罪すべきではない。
— JOSEPH SWARTZ, New York, N.Y.
He should talk about the cost of war and the consequences of aggression in this modern age. Mr. Obama should not apologize for ending a war Japan started. The action taken saved millions of lives, both Allied and Japanese.何百もの人間の命がそれで助かった！見方も日本人も。
— DAVE BURT, Houston
President Obama should say the truth: That unfortunately at the time, Japan’s military machine was not going to end the war, even though they were warned about the consequences. That countless lives were probably saved on both sides averting a continuation of a war that would have had a much greater share of death and destruction through conventional means. War is always a horrible thing and we should always do whatever is needed to avoid it.これは典型的な正当派の論理ですね。
— PHILLIP P. KARIDES, Orland Park, Ill.
He can lament the death and suffering but should not apologize. I thank the president for his bravery in visiting Hiroshima, the first president to do so while in office — an action many criticize him for.多くの死や悲しみを悼むことはしても謝罪はしていけない。広島訪問は勇敢は行為だ。批判もあるが、どの大統領も成しえなかった。
— JOAN BOYLE, New York, N.Y.
Look Ahead
Neither defend or apologize for the use of the bomb. Instead review the many ways in which Japan and the U.S. have formed a strong political and economic alliance; and could strengthen these even further. Obama should note that Japan is a bulwark of Asian democracy — and he should mention that this enormous benefit to the Japanese peoples is a result of the enlightened postwar leadership by the U.S. in Japan. Stress the commonality — and move on.
— JON DAMA, Charleston, S.C.
President Obama should relay a sense of sorrow for the horrors of war, and demonstrate his commitment to building a world culture that is not haunted by the looming threat of nuclear warfare. War is gruesome, and although the president should not apologize for the bombings that promptly ended the Pacific Theater, he should convey an understanding of the horrible ramifications experienced by Japanese and Korean civilians.
— ARCHER HAUCK, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Though President Obama should not apologize for the bombing, he should say that both the U.S. and Japan should focus on the future. We should work together more to further policies of mutual benefit. Those policies should include fair trade and military defense. Obama should say that both countries should explore how Japan can pay for and build its own military force to defend itself. He should state that America, as a superpower, can help defend Japan, but the Japanese people must bear their fair share of the responsibility.
— RICHARD WHITE, Bloomfield, Conn安保肯定論でおもいやり予算をさらに肯定！.
President Obama should tell the world that he has not forgotten the promise he made in his Prague speech to work for global nuclear disarmament, and his first step will be to veto the $1 trillion he previously approved to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons programs. He should tell the world that his visit to Hiroshima confirms his belief that nuclear weapons are a threat to humanity, and the U.S., the only nation to use nukes against another nation, must provide the leadership to achieve nuclear disarmament.
— THE REV. HOLLY BEAUMONT, Santa Fe, N.M.
