WWII bombs still spark debate

I was very favorably impressed with the quality of Claire Panosian Dunavan’s review of “Conduct Under Fire” (Book Review, July 10) until I came to her comment about whether or not we did right in deploying the atomic bomb in World War II, which she says is “one question that still haunts us all....” If she really believes that this question haunts us all, I suggest that her universe is way too small.

As a World War II combat veteran redeployed from the European Theater of Operations and slated for the assault on the Japanese home islands, I can say that literally millions of soldiers, sailors and Marines and their families were grateful to President Truman for his fortitude in giving the go-ahead for use of the bombs. What a small coterie of revisionist historians has since argued reflects only upon them, not upon the decision makers of World War II.

HARRY PARKER

Venice