The Capri Lounge: Rants and Raves from Rolling Stone's Editors

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New Photos From Hiroshima: An Unfriendly Reminder

May 6, 2008 3:18 PM

Hillary Clinton recently revealed what a Clinton Presidency would consider in response to a scenario in which Iran attacks Israel:

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran...In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."

If news out of Iraq hasn't changed the tone and tenor of her words then I might suggest to the junior Senator from New York to take a look at a set of images, also a recent revelation.

Ten images taken by an unknown Japanese photographer shortly after the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 were discovered in a cave outside the city among some rolls of unprocessed film by Robert L. Capp, a serviceman who was part of the U.S. occupation force. Capp, now deceased, held on to them most of his life until he donated them to the Hoover Archives in 1998, with the provision that they not be reproduced for ten years, until now.

Good timing.

Take look at these, Mrs. Clinton. They show a city obliterated by our hands, and are a devastating reminder of the effects of war on a civilian populace. See the rest here.

[Photo: Hoover Archives/Robert L. Capp]


Sacha Lecca
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14 Comments


Reason | May 16, 2008 4:41 AM

Even though we are capable of destroying Iran completely, I think Hillary was just embellishing. We are not socially capable of destroying civilian populations like back in the 40's. Information travels too far too quickly these days. I hate Hillary, but get real. She was just talking tough.

Anonymous | May 11, 2008 9:14 PM

The Robert L. Capp collection at the Hoover Institution Archives contains ten photographs purportedly showing the immediate aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing. Mr. Capp was assigned to the occupation forces outside Hiroshima after World War II. According to to Mr. Capp's oral history (available along with the photographs in the Robert L. Capp collection), he found these photos among rolls of undeveloped film in a cave outside of Hiroshima. Since making these photographs publicly available, I have received reliable proof that at least some of these photos are actually of the 1923 Kanto earthquake. It appears that the Hoover Archives have been deceived and the the designation of the collection was incorrect. I take full responsibility for my own failure to take additional steps to verify that the original archival designation was correct. I have removed the photographs until and unless their source can be verified.

mr cool | May 11, 2008 4:51 PM

Rape of Nankang? Babies flung into air and bayoneted? Filipino women forced into sex slavery? This article is complete baloney.

Morgan | May 8, 2008 1:05 PM

Yeah- those photos show the horror of war, to be sure. But to be fair, you should have framed the historical context of what was going on in the world at that time during WW2. How about digging up some photos of the beheaded American or staved POW on our side as well. We dropped the bombs, the war was over, putting and end to a war that had killed over 60 million (yeah, with an M) people world wide, and probably only a third of which were combat (ie- non-military) related. War is hell, obviously, so I'm not really sure what you're getting at with your photos.

Elle | May 8, 2008 3:36 AM

Since we have nuclear weapons we might as well use them for something, namely threatening and deterring. Clinton did nothing but threaten to attatck Iran IF they attacked another country. Part of diplomacy is playing those sorts of games. It sure beats the actions of Bush, which have caused nothing but suffering.

Sane Individual | May 7, 2008 10:54 PM

To Sacha Lecca: Please do some research and find some photographs of severed heads of American GI's in the south pacific during WWII. It was well understood we had to use overwhelming force on Japan since they made it clear that surrender would not be an option. Once overwhelming force was used in the form of A-bombs, a surrender negotiation was finally reached. Has the United States committed atrocities over the course of her history? YES! But this is a very uneducated and poor execuse for an example.....Go sell crazy somewhere else. We're all stocked up here.

Cat | May 7, 2008 8:20 PM

Has history taught us nothing? War is useless, especially in ending the feud between countries... It's time politicians figured out a different way to sort out their differences.

drbehavior | May 7, 2008 3:14 AM

Isn't revisionist history interesting - not! I'm not by any means advocating a repeat performance of dropping and 'A' bomb on any one for any reason. However, when inflammatory statements accompany inflammatory graphic images which tell only one side of a story then the 'perpetrator' is as sullied as was Mrs. Clinton for even suggesting such a thing. How many American Service Men died in the South Pacific? How many more would have died if the war was not brought to a complete and sudden stop? Despite the bomb being dropped not once but twice did the Japanese immediately surrender in order to stop the carnage wrought on their people? I concur, as said, that the mere mention of using the bomb is atrocious - one needs full context.

Kram Namtrough | May 7, 2008 1:25 AM

To all you bleeding hearts-

REMEMBER PEARL HARBOUR FIRST...

And all the Atrocities in China, Burma, Philipeans and on and on-

WE DIDN'T START THIS WAR, BUT BOY WE KNOW HOW TO FINISH...BEWARE.

SO SCREW YOU...

aa1prime | May 7, 2008 12:50 AM

looks like auschwitz to me

jpl | May 6, 2008 10:58 PM

how could anyone after seeing thease pictures even think of brining such destruction to a country. Wether it be here in the States or another country. will man ever learn that war gets us nowere.

former clinton supporter | May 6, 2008 10:28 PM

Pandering Pandering Pandering to anyone who'll listen to her. She is desperate and showing her ass because of it! Well I'm glad she showed her true colors and showed me the light - McCain ["kick Russia out of G8"], Clinton ["We can obliterate Iran"] two crazies just as bad as the rhetoric sabre rattlers of many other countries! She is not getting my vote - How Frigtening

From CA | May 6, 2008 9:44 PM

Sentor Clinton must be a bit on the insane side to even think of such a thing. We should send her to Peace Park to get a first hand feeling of how you feel as an American to stand there at ground zero. I did and it doesn't feel good.

me | May 6, 2008 9:25 PM

extraordinary ridiculous analogy ... grow up!

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