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But like all victories, it is a bittersweet one. I have heard the decision to cancel the original exhibit described as a victory. I am confident the American Legion will support and cooperate with the Smithsonian Institution, whenever and however we are asked, as officials there work to put this controversy behind them. I believe that is the minimum the American people want and deserve. Continue to insist that the Enola Gay be displayed, in its entirety, without political commentary, as soon as possible, but sooner than later. That includes catalogs, descriptive narratives and video tapes. We understand that the Smithsonian will not produce such materials, and we will hold them to that promise. Insist that no materials related to the canceled exhibit will be disseminated. The American people need to be assured that their freely given support is in accord with their own wants and values. Our representatives should review, and they should scrutinize, very closely, the decisions that led up to this exhibit. Urge Congress to proceed with the hearings that are already scheduled in the House and the Senate. The American Legion, and I as its commander, will, however, do the following: Their actions had all the appearance of those driven by a fervent ideology.Īs national commander of more than 3.1 million American wartime veterans, I have not - and I will not - discourage our members from maintaining their support for the Smithsonian Institution. They consistently ignored the signals sent by Congress, and they defied the directions sent down by superiors at the institution. They were threatened with counter displays and exhibits by the peace movement. When it listened to our viewpoint, and made minor changes in the direction of balance and fairness, museum officials were attacked by the same historians who had advised and assisted. In the process, the museum alienated supporters and critics. The American Legion still has no solid answer to the central questions remaining: "How did this exhibit come to be so biased and one-sided in the first place? Why was this controversy permitted to continue for so long?" We don't have the complete picture, but it has become clear that the Air and Space Museum was committed to the negative message and intended to present it no matter what, or who, they offended. There is ample evidence that the curators and the director realized it early in the process. "The Last Act" exhibit was flawed from the start. The American Legion accepts this decision as, perhaps, the best solution to a problem that we saw coming long ago.
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THE SMITHSONIAN Institution's Board of Regents decision to replace "The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II," with a display of the fuselage and recollections of the surviving crew members is a significant first step in the right direction: The eventual display of the complete Enola Gay - a historic aircraft with a historic mission to its credit.