Brian Klaas

Yeah, I mean, this is one of those stories that I think it really makes clear that when we tell history, we always focus on the sort of obvious factors. And this one is really not obvious. So Henry Stimson goes on vacation. He's a U.S. government official at the time. He goes on vacation, basically, in this tour of Asia to Kyoto, Japan in 1926.

Yeah, I mean, this is one of those stories that I think it really makes clear that when we tell history, we always focus on the sort of obvious factors. And this one is really not obvious. So Henry Stimson goes on vacation. He's a U.S. government official at the time. He goes on vacation, basically, in this tour of Asia to Kyoto, Japan in 1926.

And some some incredible historians have done this work to track down. They went to the Miyako Hotel near the rail yards of Kyoto and they found the room number and everything. I mean, they went to the records because the Miyako Hotel still exists and they found, you know, the actual ledger where he stayed.

And some some incredible historians have done this work to track down. They went to the Miyako Hotel near the rail yards of Kyoto and they found the room number and everything. I mean, they went to the records because the Miyako Hotel still exists and they found, you know, the actual ledger where he stayed.

And some some incredible historians have done this work to track down. They went to the Miyako Hotel near the rail yards of Kyoto and they found the room number and everything. I mean, they went to the records because the Miyako Hotel still exists and they found, you know, the actual ledger where he stayed.

And the reason they did this is because 19 years later, Henry Stimson ends up as America's Secretary of War. And he's sort of the chief civilian in charge of the targeting decision for the first atomic bomb. And the generals and the scientists and the civilians sort of are together on what's called the Target Committee. And they come up with a list of recommendations for where to drop this bomb.

And the reason they did this is because 19 years later, Henry Stimson ends up as America's Secretary of War. And he's sort of the chief civilian in charge of the targeting decision for the first atomic bomb. And the generals and the scientists and the civilians sort of are together on what's called the Target Committee. And they come up with a list of recommendations for where to drop this bomb.

And the reason they did this is because 19 years later, Henry Stimson ends up as America's Secretary of War. And he's sort of the chief civilian in charge of the targeting decision for the first atomic bomb. And the generals and the scientists and the civilians sort of are together on what's called the Target Committee. And they come up with a list of recommendations for where to drop this bomb.

And they agree that Kyoto is the best pick. And the reason they argue this is it's got an airplane factory. It's a historic capital. It's got propaganda value. It hasn't been destroyed that much during the war. So it sort of will demonstrate the destructive power of the first atomic bomb. And Stimson, fortunately for the residents of Kyoto, liked Kyoto.

And they agree that Kyoto is the best pick. And the reason they argue this is it's got an airplane factory. It's a historic capital. It's got propaganda value. It hasn't been destroyed that much during the war. So it sort of will demonstrate the destructive power of the first atomic bomb. And Stimson, fortunately for the residents of Kyoto, liked Kyoto.

And they agree that Kyoto is the best pick. And the reason they argue this is it's got an airplane factory. It's a historic capital. It's got propaganda value. It hasn't been destroyed that much during the war. So it sort of will demonstrate the destructive power of the first atomic bomb. And Stimson, fortunately for the residents of Kyoto, liked Kyoto.

He sort of was seduced by the city and the sort of beauty of it, the history of it. And he also didn't want to have, you know, this destruction of this cultural heritage site. So the generals start to call it his pet city because he starts talking so much about how they can't bomb it. They must not bomb it. And he twice meets with President Truman to convince him to take Kyoto off the list.

He sort of was seduced by the city and the sort of beauty of it, the history of it. And he also didn't want to have, you know, this destruction of this cultural heritage site. So the generals start to call it his pet city because he starts talking so much about how they can't bomb it. They must not bomb it. And he twice meets with President Truman to convince him to take Kyoto off the list.

He sort of was seduced by the city and the sort of beauty of it, the history of it. And he also didn't want to have, you know, this destruction of this cultural heritage site. So the generals start to call it his pet city because he starts talking so much about how they can't bomb it. They must not bomb it. And he twice meets with President Truman to convince him to take Kyoto off the list.

And eventually Truman relents. And so the first bomb goes to Hiroshima instead of Kyoto because of this vacation that was taken 19 years earlier. And the second bomb is supposed to go to Kokura. That's the primary target on August 9th, 1945. And because of a passing cloud where they basically couldn't see the target site, they end up going to the secondary target, which is Nagasaki, of course.

And eventually Truman relents. And so the first bomb goes to Hiroshima instead of Kyoto because of this vacation that was taken 19 years earlier. And the second bomb is supposed to go to Kokura. That's the primary target on August 9th, 1945. And because of a passing cloud where they basically couldn't see the target site, they end up going to the secondary target, which is Nagasaki, of course.

And eventually Truman relents. And so the first bomb goes to Hiroshima instead of Kyoto because of this vacation that was taken 19 years earlier. And the second bomb is supposed to go to Kokura. That's the primary target on August 9th, 1945. And because of a passing cloud where they basically couldn't see the target site, they end up going to the secondary target, which is Nagasaki, of course.

And, you know, there's a sort of element where when you look at the Miyako Hotel on the target plans, they drew up bombing sort of target maps and so on. And the bullseye for where they plan to drop it is the rail yards right next to where the Miyako Hotel still is today. And so you sort of wonder, you know, the psychology of this moment where Stimson is looking at these maps.

And, you know, there's a sort of element where when you look at the Miyako Hotel on the target plans, they drew up bombing sort of target maps and so on. And the bullseye for where they plan to drop it is the rail yards right next to where the Miyako Hotel still is today. And so you sort of wonder, you know, the psychology of this moment where Stimson is looking at these maps.

And, you know, there's a sort of element where when you look at the Miyako Hotel on the target plans, they drew up bombing sort of target maps and so on. And the bullseye for where they plan to drop it is the rail yards right next to where the Miyako Hotel still is today. And so you sort of wonder, you know, the psychology of this moment where Stimson is looking at these maps.