加瀬英明著・KKベストセラーズ社刊
今回は、第８章です。
原爆投下は必要なく、投下したことはアメリカの歴史において未曾有の残虐行為だったと第三一代アメリカ大統領のフーバーはその大著『Freedom Betrayed』の中で述べています。
「日本は原爆投下の二週間前に、ソ連に対して和平の明らかな意向を持っていることを知らせていたが、トルーマンも、バーンズ、スティムソンも日本の外交電文を傍受解読して承知していた。…トルーマン大統領が人道に反して、日本に対して、原爆投下を命じたことは、アメリカ政治家の質を疑わせるものである。…アメリカ国民の良心を永遠に責めるものである。」
しかし、アメリカでは原爆を投下したことによって日本が救われたと考える人が圧倒的です。筆者は１９９０年８月に原爆投下実施部隊（陸軍航空隊第５０９混成旅団）の最後の戦友会に招かれて講演をしています。原爆投下訓練が行われたウエンドオーバーで航空隊員（家族含めて５００人あまり）に原爆を投下しなくても降伏した、原爆投下は無用だった、国際法に反する、人道にもとる残虐行為だったが、戦争の狂気の中で行われたことであったから、今では日本国民はアメリカを恨むことは全く無いと話したそうです。話しているうちに一人さり、二人さり、最後は４０人あまりしか残っていなかったそうです。その中にティベット准将がいて、「よい話だった」「日本側の見方がよくわかった」と言ってくれたそうです。
筆者は、ニューヨーク・タイムズ社のオーナー夫人のサルツバーガー主催の昼食会で、スティムソン陸軍長官のもとで陸軍次官を務めトルーマン大統領が原爆投下を決定したホワイトハウスの会議に出席したジョン・マクロイに会ったので、「もし、あの時、日本が原子爆弾を一発でも持っていて、アメリカのどこかに落とすことができたら日本に核攻撃を加えていたでしょうか」と質問したそうです。そこにいたタイムズ記者のジェームズ・レストンが「なぜそんな当たり前のことを質問するんだ。聞かなくてもわかっているだろう」と口を挟んだそうです。マクロイは、勿論投下することはありえなかった」と答えたそうです。
広島の有名な碑に書かれている「過ちは繰り返しません」という意味は、原爆を持っていなかった過ちのことなのだろうか？サッチャー首相も、日本がなぜ原爆を投下されたのか聞かれると、それは日本が原爆を持っていなかったからだ、と答えたという話もよく聞きます。これが世界の常識なのでしょう。
日本文は、http://hassin.org/01/wp-content/uploads/Greater88.pdf
英文は、http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater8.pdf
英文は、下記の通り、英文Newsletter で海外に発信しました。
「史実を世界に発信する会」茂木弘道拝
The Greater East Asian War: How Japan Changed The World
By Kase Hideaki
(Published by KK Bestseller in Japanese, 2015)
Chapter 8 – The United States and the Atomic Bombings of Japan
This link is to Chapter 8.
Roosevelt’s predecessor as president, Herbert Hoover strongly denounced the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in his memoir, Freedom Betrayed;
Nearly two weeks before [the atomic bombings], the positive proposal of Japan was made to Russia of which Truman, Byrnes and Stimson had full information from intercepted telegrams. (p. 560)
Truman’s immoral order to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese …Not only had Japan been repeatedly suing for peace but it was the act of unparalleled brutality in all American history. It will forever weigh heavily on the American conscience. (p.882)
However, majority of American people believe that Japan was saved thanks to the atomic bombing. In August 1990, Mr. Kase made a speech at the final reunion of the veterans of the United States Army Air Forces’ 509th Composite Group held in the town of Wendover. The 509 Composite Group was formed as the atomic bombing team, which was trained in the secret base in this town. He spoke to about 500 attendee that Japan would have surrendered even without the atomic bombings and thus there was never any need to drop the bombs. He concluded the speech by saying that, while the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were atrocious acts contrary to both international law and basic humanity, they took place in the madness of war, and for that reason, Japanese people have already forgiven it and bear no resentment against the United States.
During his speech, people rose from their seats one by one and finally only forty or so people remained. However, Brigadier General Tibbets was among those who stayed behind. After Mr. Kse had left the stage and Tibbets had exited into the hallway, more than thirty people line up to shake his hand. They thanked him personally and told him things like, “That was a good speech” and “I truly understand the Japanese viewpoint.”
Mr. Kase was once invited to a luncheon party held by Mrs. Iphigene Sulzberger owner of The New York Times Company. There he met Mr. John McCloy, who had been Assistant Secretary of War during the final year of World War II. Since he knew that McCloy was a participant in the conference where the decision to drop the atomic bomb had been made, he asked him, If Japan was in possession of even a single atomic bomb at that time, and had the capacity to drop it anywhere in America, would the United States still have subjected Japan to a nuclear attack?” Mr. James Reston of New York Times, who happened to be there immediately interjected, “Why would you ask something so obvious? You should know the answer without having to ask.” McCloy said, “Naturally, you too know the answer. If Japan also had had an atomic bomb, then making a nuclear attack on Japan would have been unthinkable.”
URL: http://www.sdh-fact.com/book-article/671/
PDF: http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater8.pdf
Author profile: http://www.sdh-fact.com/auther/kase-hideaki/
*For your reference; Chapter 1. Up to the Day Japan Surrendered
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/The-Greater1.pdf
Chapter 2. The Trap Laid by the United States
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater2.pdf
Chapter 3. The Greater East Asia Conference and the Dream of Racial Equality
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater3.pdf
Chapter 4. The Noble Spirit Which Inspired the People of Asia
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater4.pdf
Chapter 5. Freedom From Racial Discrimination
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater5.pdf
Chapter 6. Japanese Army’s “Spirit-First Policy”
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater6.pdf
Chapter 7. Why Do We Praise The Kamikaze?
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Greater7.pdf
Questions are welcome.
MOTEKI Hiromichi, Acting Chairman
for KASE Hideaki, Chairman
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact
Phone: +81-3-3519-4366
Fax: +81-3-3519-4367
Email moteki@sdh-fact.com
URL http://www.sdh-fact.com
Note: Japanese names are rendered surname first in accordance with Japanese custom.
