Evening star., 1945-08-08

wrought Dy the uTSJ pOmD cropped
on Japan, where go per cent of q
city the size of Memphis was wiped
out, promises an early victory.
How soon the Chief Executive
once more would seek to impress
this viewpoint on the enemy was
conjectural, but one able military
authority said that inevitably
Japan will be told-quickly-that
she must either quit or face the
onslaught of the most terrible
weapon ever devised.
Another declared that the jap
anese may be expected to make up
their minds within six weeks wheth-
er to get out of the war or see their
home islands devastated from the
air.
AS an alternative, the President
might seek to underscore the force
Of the prospective warning, by broad
casting an ultimatum directly to
the Japanese people as was done
at Potsdam where he was joined
by Prime Minister Attlee and Gen.
eralissimo Chang Kai-shek in SPELL
ing out the terms of unconditional
surrender to the Japs.
Propaganda Value Stressed.
There was still the possibility,
however, that for the moment, the
Allies of the Pacific would be con-
tent to capitalize on the tremendous
propaganda value of the first atomic
bomb strike on the army city of
Hiroshima, and on the threat of re-
peat performances. This would give
the Japanese a chance to change
its mind about accepting the Pots
dam ultimatum, which was quickly
rejected by the enemy.
125-Hour Trip.
President Truman disembarked at
Newport News at asa pm. yester-
day, after a 125-hour trip from
Plymouth, where he was sped on
his way by King George. The Au-
gusta averaged 261a knots on the
crossing.
The presidential party immediate
ly boarded a special train and ar
rived in Washington at 1880 last
night. The Chief Executive found
members of his cabinet awaiting
him at the White House, and spent
IS minutes with them.
Copy of Protocol.
He brought back with him the
official copy of the protocol signed
with Britain and Russia to keep
the peace of Europe. He also car
ried with him agreements with
Britain for the final blow against
Japan.
He was gone from this country
80 days.
War Mobilization Director John
w. Snyder rode with Mr.. Truman
and his party from Newport News,
and the two conferred on the
mounting problems of reconversion.
In Mr.. Truman's party were Sec
retary of State Byrnes, Admiral Will
liam D. Leahy, his personal chief of
staff; Brig. Gen. Harry H. Vaughan,
military aide; Capt. j. K. Varda-
man, naval aide; Judge Samuel I.
Rosenman, presidential counsel, and
a small staff of State Department
experts.
On the final afternoon at sea the
party attended smoker" on the
we'll deck of the Augusta.
The program came to an unex-
pected end when the ring posts COL
lopSed during a boxing match, and
a spectator, Boatswain's Mate H.
w. Beemans of Provo, Utah, was
slightly injured by falling post.
He was rewarded by a. sick-bayi
visit from the President and Secre-1
tary Byrnes who wanted to be sure
he was not seriously hurt.
The owl was busy at propaganda,
filling the air with information on
how the atomic bomb rivals with
reality the fantasy of some of
Japan's favorite comic strips.
The attack on Hiroshima appeared
calculated to impress Japan's civil
ians as much as the military.
Revolution Is Possible.
Military leaders here are hopeful |
that the frightful destruction work
ed by the bomb may foment revolu-
ton bred of terror-but they are not
counting on this.
The master plan Of the Allies still
calls for invasion of the homeland |
of the Japs.
One of the effects of the new
explosive that has been carefully
calculated for its psychological ef-
feet on the japanese people is that
its burst can be seen and felt far
beyond the range of its destruction
The brilliance of the flash carries
more than 100 miles, and the earth
shock can be felt far beyond that.
Thus while thousands of people
may be killed by the force of the
explosion, millions in crowded
Japan will know every time one Of
the bombs goes off.
Conflicting views developed In
Washington on how atomic bomb
ing would affect administration
plans for postwar universal mill
tary training.
Some authorities thought a we'll
trained, disciplined reserve should
be in readiness in the event super
weapons ever should be turned
against this country.
Evidently only the future, and
years of additional experimentation
and development, will determine
what the use of atomic forces can
mean to business and trade and
whether they can replace such pres
ent sources of power as coal, oil and
falling water.