August 6, 2008 8:14 AM

Hiroshima

Sixty three years ago today, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the civilian population of Hiroshima, incinerating over 140,000 people. Military historians debate the value of the bombing to bring about a Japanese surrender (I think that those who argue that less horrific means were possible, and that the Soviet Union was as much the virtual target have the better argument). Americans all too easily forget (though the rest of the world does not), during moments of international debate on the risks of nuclear proliferation, that we bear sole responsibility for the only use, thus far, of nuclear weapons.