Madam, – David McNeill’s article on Hiroshima (World News, August 6th) was reasoned and informative. However, it did not address the reason why the killing of approximately 220,000 mainly Japanese civilians does not rank with Auschwitz and Katyn as being a major crime against humanity. When all that is being asked from the United States is a formal apology for something that happened 65 years ago, it does seem incredibly defensive not to give one.
President Obama is to be applauded for attempting to rectify this deep hurt. He has offered to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The extent that he is supported in this by his fellow countrymen could prove very revealing about their attitudes to him and the people of Japan. Hopefully, it proves to be positive. – Yours, etc,