Question

describe the choice, made by the smithsonian national air and space museum, that caused controversy on the 50th anniversary of the hiroshima and nagasaki bombings.

hold a banquet celebrating the pilots and others responsible for dropping the bombs
hold a conference detailing why that attacks on hiroshima and nagasaki were a great success
display the fuselage of the enola gay, the plane responsible for dropping the 1st atomic bomb.
display the bodies of people killed by the atomic bombs

Explanation:

Analyze the historical context of the exhibition

The question asks about a controversial decision made by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for the 50th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings (which occurred in 1995). This event is closely tied to the history of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The museum originally planned a highly detailed, politically and emotionally charged exhibition that would address the devastation of the bombings, the suffering of the victims, and the debate surrounding the decision to drop the bombs.

Evaluate the proposed plans and the resulting controversy

The original script for the exhibition drew intense criticism from veterans' groups, Congress, and the public, who argued that it was too sympathetic to the Japanese and portrayed the United States as an aggressor. In response to the massive political backlash, the Smithsonian canceled the original expansive, context-heavy exhibition. Instead, they scaled the display down to a very simple, politically neutral, and minimalist presentation.

Identify the final choice made by the museum

To avoid further political conflict, the museum decided to display only the restored fuselage of the Enola Gay (the B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima) along with a very basic label detailing its technical specifications and crew, completely omitting the graphic photos of victims, historical debates, and broader context of the decision.

Match with the given options

Let's evaluate the options based on this historical outcome:

• Option 1: "Hold a banquet celebrating the pilots..." — Incorrect. The museum did not host a celebratory banquet for the pilots.
• Option 2: "Hold a conference detailing why that attacks... were a great success" — Incorrect. The museum did not organize a conference celebrating the success of the attacks.
• Option 3: "Display the fuselage of the Enola Gay, the plane responsible for dropping the 1st atomic bomb." — Correct. This was the minimalist display that was ultimately put on view after the original exhibition script was canceled.
• Option 4: "Display the bodies of people killed by the atomic bombs" — Incorrect. Graphic images and artifacts representing the victims were removed from the final exhibition plan to appease critics.

Answer:

• Hold a banquet celebrating the pilots and others responsible for dropping the bombs
• Hold a conference detailing why that attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a great success
• Display the fuselage of the Enola Gay, the plane responsible for dropping the 1st atomic bomb. (Correct answer)
• Display the bodies of people killed by the atomic bombs