Discuss “Answers to last week”

Carnegie Mellon students seem to be familiar with U.S. history. Over half of the students responding to last week?s poll recalled correctly that the United States? justification for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to force Japan?s surrender and save both American and Japanese soldiers? lives.

However, students were indecisive when they were asked to pick out quotations from the United States? current stance on nuclear weapons. The responses make it clear that students are more familiar with our nation?s past than our nation?s present.

The clearest perspective as to why the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb is found in President Truman?s statement issued to Americans after the bombing of Hiroshima. In that declaration, Truman stated,...