BRACERS Record Detail for 13035

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Collection code
RA1
Class no.
750
Document no.
00000006
Box no.
11.13
Recipient(s)
Hill, Mr.
Sender(s)
BR
Date
1954/04/07
Form of letter
ALD
Notes and topics

Communism. Defence of atom-bombing Japan. Baruch Plan.

"I do not agree with the points you make about Russia. You say 'the slaughter of non-combatants in war is opposed to Communist doctrine'. I cannot see that this is relevant. It is equally contrary to Christian doctrine. The Russian Government has slaughtered many millions of non-combatants in peace-time. Russia has wanted the bomb prohibited but has always opposed any adequate system of inspection. This has led the West to believe that Russia wanted Western bombs destroyed but would keep a secret supply for herself. You quote Prof. Blackett on the two atom bombs that were dropped in Japan. Prof. Blackett has a very extreme pro-Russian bias. At the time when the bombs were dropped American military authorities sincerely believed, rightly or wrongly, that if they were not dropped an invasion of the main Japanese islands would be necessary and would be very costly in human lives. It is difficult to be sure of the facts in this case, but I incline to the view that, as a result of dropping the bombs, fewer Japanese were killed than would otherwise have been. You say the Baruch proposal was favourable to America. I do not think there is any truth in this. Nor is it the case that the system of inspection to which Russia was willing to agree would have been in any way adequate. I sincerely hope that Russia is now more conciliatory than in the time of Stalin, but as yet it is impossible to know about this."

Permission
Everyone
Record no.
13035
Record created
Jan 10, 1990
Record last modified
Aug 17, 2020
Created/last modified by
duncana