Truman's decision saved lives

In ``War of Words Over Enola Gay,'' Oct. 14, I join those who hope the Smithsonian display will be modified to reflect history, not conjecture.

When President Truman said he ordered the bomb to be dropped to save American lives, I believed him. Mine was among those spared by Japan's sudden surrender in 1945. Truman's thoughtful, wise choice gave Japan's Emperor Hirohito a valid reason to stop the war quickly, unconditionally, and with honor, a necessary face-saving ingredient. To state otherwise is to malign the memory of a great president. Richard Zacher, Oceanside, Calif.

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