On June 7, 2013, the Los Angeles Times published an eloquent op-ed by Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in support of creating a Manhattan Project National Historical Park, “Preserving the History of the Manhattan Project.”
Acknowledging the controversy surrounding nuclear weapons, Meeks addresses the concern of some that the park would glofiy the bomb. “Opening up these sites as a national park would provide an opportunity for Americans to consider the Manhattan Project in its full scope and complexity, encouraging the sort of thoughtful reflection that is the best way to avoid glorifying the bomb.” Highlighting the transformative legacy of the Manhattan Project, she goes on, “Few events have affected as many aspects of American life as deeply as the Manhattan Project. It irrevocably altered the global standing of the United States and set the stage for the Cold War. It sparked innovations in medicine, science and technology. And, of course, the deadly force of the atomic bomb humbled us all. A new national park, managed by the Department of Energy and the National Park Service, would encourage visitors to consider the Manhattan Project’s many ethical, cultural and scientific implications.”
Meeks notes that the National Park Service, which will interpret the history for the new park, has received widespread acclaim for intepreting controversial sites. “The [National Park Service] has earned the respect of many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for its sensitive interpretation of another World War II site, the Minidoka National Historic Site in Idaho. At its peak, Minidoka imprisoned more than 9,000 Japanese, many of them U.S. citizens. Preserving the camp does not glorify this painful chapter of American history; on the contrary, it reminds us of the danger of letting fear govern our actions.”
We hope this terrific op-ed will spur progress in Congress and encourage the public to learn more about the Manhattan Project and the proposed park.