Oliver Stone visits Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima

Why is this a leading story? Who cares what Oliver Stone is doing? Stone "felt bad" as he walked around the park. So what? What relevance does this have on current events?

BigPoopin: "What relevance does this have on current events?"

Check out the date. What do you know that happened on and/or around this time in, let's say.... 1945? Stone is an American, and a well-known, world-wide (as much as war apologists hate him), so why would it NOT be in the news on a Japan-related news site? might be the better question, if it weren't on.

Don't patronize me. I know full well what happened. My point, which you obviously missed, is why is it a LEADING story? There are far more important things going on in Japan and the world that given more attention than what Oliver Stone is doing. Did you learn something significant from this story? And, if so, what is it? That Stone felt bad?

why is it a LEADING story?

More importantly, where are the tarentos and the people dressed up as mascots (genpatsu-chan, hibakusha-kun etc.)? You can't have an American celebrity visiting without those...

Oh...

He will make a movie exposing the fact that the US committed this crime against humanity.

Watch out, he'll make another movie.

Probably the thing to learn from this story is

Stone and Kuznick, co-author of “The Untold History of the United States,”

This series has been shown on NHK sattelite and is available online for those who are interested.

The bombings and the decision to use nuclear weapons feature heavily in the book and tv series.

In the prelude to the series, Stones explains his disquiet at what his children were learning in history classes at school and went on a quest to show what is NOT being taught and in a sense what is purposefully being forgotten.

Check it out and judge for yourselves.

Are they attending the memorial service on 8/6? If so, very good, isn't it?

Is he going to comment on Abe's gaff, point out that Japan needs to deal with Fukushima or discuss how little this country really knows about what lead up to Hiroshima? No? Then I don't care that some "celeb" director is visiting Hiroshima.

Well, it's a little bit more interesting than pictures of lolita's that much I'll say.

American opinion on dropping atom bombs is not uniform. Leftists like Stone object to it as a crime against humanity, but when I studied in the states in the late 90s, I also met very conservative Christians who strongly objected to dropping them on religious principles (and see Pat Buchanan, ultraconservative Christian and former presidential candidate). I was surprised that people on the left and the right agreed, but for different reasons. Also, General Eisenhauer, later president, said the bombs were not necessary, and Admiral Nimitz said they made no difference. Most people had not really thought about is. Also recently I read that among young Americans under 25, of the almost 80% who know that the atom bombs have been used, 70% thought they were dropped on Korea. So it is being forgotten in the US.

Would have been a lot more appropriate if Mr. Stone was led through sites by a Japanese historian instead of a Boston professor. Anyways, this story is not worth the print!

Mr. Stone is the only American trying to show the real face of the USA, of course most Americans here on JT don't like him LOL

None of the comments here indicate that people don't like him. The comments say that people don't think that the fact he visited Hiroshima is newsworthy. I agree.

His efforts to increase Americans' knowledge of their own and global history deserve to be and have been applauded. On the other hand, your critical thinking skills deserve to be given a thumbs down.

Would have been a lot more appropriate if Mr. Stone was led through sites by a Japanese historian instead of a Boston professor.

Why? My money is on the prof for knowing more about the place than your average Japanese war historian.

My point, which you obviously missed, is why is it a LEADING story?

If you can't figure that out yourself then you could be on the wrong thread. Guess you wanted more AKB48 stuff as usual?

@BigPoopin: This is a headline because of the date and his name recognition in the world.

I think in Stone's next movie he'll try to prove that it wasn't Lee Harvey Oswald who dropped the atomic bomb, but some other guy, maybe the CIA or the Mafia.

@Galspa: Which page his book mentioned about Oswald? Was Oswald born in 1945?The book mentioned Truman. Mafia was too busy in Nevada, then. Maybe you will write fiction and submit to movie studio.

@Galspa: Which page his book mentioned about Oswald? Was Oswald born in 1945?The book mentioned Truman. Mafia was too busy in Nevada, then. Maybe you will write fiction and submit to movie studio.

never mind Toshiko-san... go back to your comics and karaoke

@hammer:-san: If you go back to cowboy/ I am older than Karaoke time. No TV era.

from the era before sarcasm

@hammerr-san: What do you think of Stone visit?

Don't patronize me. I know full well what happened. My point, which you obviously missed, is why is it a LEADING story? There are far more important things going on in Japan and the world that given more attention than what Oliver Stone is doing. Did you learn something significant from this story? And, if so, what is it? That Stone felt bad?

I guess it's time for more patronizing. Events happening in "the world" would be listed in the "World" section of JT, not the "National" section. As a prominent American acknowledging the suffering the survivors at Hiroshima had to endure, Stone shows that not all Americans think that dropping the bomb was a righteous duty, like some people apparently think. I feel sorry for you if you weren't able to realize this. Reading for comprehension requires more than just reading the words printed in front of your face. It requires the ability to use context - including historical context - in order to gather the full meaning behind the story.

In that great American tradition of forgive and forget, in May of 1955, only 10 years later from that August day we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, TV audiences from coast to coast watching a popular TV program "This is Your Life" witnessed first hand as a surprised survivor of Hiroshima nervously shook hands with the co-pilot of the plane that dropped the bomb. To learn more about this "bombshell" visit Hiroshima Hits Home http://envisioningtheamericandream.com/2012/08/07/hiroshima-hits-home/

Fadamor, you skipped name of quote writers because you are decent and did not write Big-Poop-In? I had to go back to top to see who wrote and when I could not find, (I skip dirty name) I realized that big bowel movement name. Now. you have excellent analysis.

I visited Hiroshima for the first time 3 years ago, and I walked through the Peace Memorial Park. It's very touching to see the whole area that was devastated in person, and I hope everyone will take the time to go there if possible. I have seen some documentaries and read a few books, but I didn't get a true sense until I saw some of the victim's personal items after the destruction, and those very graphic photographs (trust me those pictures are not in the history books). I am not going to waste my time trying to place blame on the events that happened. We should all hope that something like this will never happen again.

Fadamor--

Thanks, homie. With all your condescension and fake, internet tough guy bravado, you really convinced me. You're correct, Oliver Stone's opinion on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima should be the top priority on all the news sites. Now I am wondering why they aren't following Japan Today's lead and posting this story in the lead.

Wait....i had a thought. Wait........ahhh.....nope, I still don't care about Oliver Stone's visit or his opinion.

Besides there was nothing insightful about this story, which was my whole point. I'm not here to apply my critical thinking and comprehension skills to decipher what a story may or may not mean. I went to school for that. I am here to get the NEWS. In my opinion, this story is not significant enough to be placed at the top. And I am not alone in that assessment.

I guess you should practice what you preach and learn to COMPREHEND the meaning of other people's opinion.

@Vernie: Thank you for sharing your experience.

American University is in Washington, DC, not Boston.

No more bickering please. Also, please change your user name. It is vulgar, as you very well know.

@Galapogos So it is OK to make jokes about dropping atom bomb and vaporizing tens of thousands of people? Then why is everyone upset that Aso makes jokes about the Nazis?