Original Child Bomb

The fact that the Post-Dispatch editorialized that people should watch this specific movie speaks dramatically about the mindset of the editorial staff, Christine Bertelson, the Editorial Page Editor, and the publisher, Terrance C.Z. Egger.

The film begins with color film footage of “innocent” Japanese men, women, and children, going about their daily lives on the day the atomic bomb was dropped. The scene changed to black and white footage of American military men on the plane with the bomb, preparing for its delivery. Then back to more color of “innocent” Japanese. Then the bombing occurs.

A little later we are treated to an emotional discussion by American high school students who have little if any understanding of World War II. The rest of the film focuses on what happened to those men, women, and children as a result of the American “atrocity.” Time is also given to the student’s lecture on nuclear proliferation.

There was no mention in the film of what the Japanese military and political establishment, with the support of the civilian population, had done to merit such harsh treatment. Specifically, there was no mention of the senseless massacre of over 350,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers, in Nanking, China, all of whom were disarmed and helpless. There was no mention of the “Bataan Death March” in which 10,000 American and Filipino P.O.W.s died while in Japanese custody. No mention of Korean Comfort Women. No mention of Japanese chemical weapon attacks. No mention of Japanese germ weapon attacks. No mention that to this day, Japanese are still trying to “white-wash” their crimes during WWII.

The modern Post-Dispatch never misses a chance to proclaim how bad modern America is or proudly point to others of a similar point of view. This propaganda piece they wanted us to view is but the latest attack on their own country.

Joseph Pulitzer would be ashamed.

Lee A. Presser