THE SCIENTISTS AND THE BOMB SIR,—Rudolf Peierls in his article
discussed the fac- tors that influenced the authorities causing them to drop two atomic bombs on large cities, and he finds it difficult to condone such extreme action.
He has, however, neglected to consider the nature of the surrender desired by the allies. They did not want an 'academic' surrender logically arrived at by the Japanese Government after a demonstration on a desert island. A surrender which could lead to an occupation troubled by resistance groups and the eventual resurgence of Japanese imperialism. What was required was the complete defeat of Japan passively accepted by its people resulting in eventual emergence of a new, less imperialistic, Japan.
This type of surrender, with its high emotional content. could only be achieved by actually dealing the Japanese people a severe blow.
This argument does, I think, justify the use of the atomic bomb on a large population area, and might be stretched to justify the dropping of the second born b.—Yours faithfully, 13 Eccleston Square, SW! T. CROWE
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