Of all the anniversaries associated with the end of World War II -- the liberation of the death camps, Hitler's suicide, the forming of the United Nations organization, etc. -- the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the only event that engenders controversy among Americans.
This book of resources for the local church commemorated the tragic destruction of those two cities. Included is a chancel drama (dramatic dialogue) in which the pacifist Albert Einstein and the builder of the bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, debate its use. There is also an order of service which remembers the sufferings of those killed and injured without placing collective guilt and national recrimination. And there are several chapters of topics for discussion which canvass all viewpoints. All generations will find this material enlightening and fascinating.
Gaillard T. Hunt attended Georgetown University and the University of Chicago and graduated from the Columbia Law School. His interest in the moral, ethical, and legal issues of war goes back to the Vietnam era, when he represented several conscientious objectors. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife, who is attending seminary, and his daughter.
