If the newspapers would just cut out the s**t: “You’ve killed so many civilians.” That’s their tough luck for being there.
You’re gonna kill innocent people at the same time, but we’ve never fought a damn war anywhere in the world where they didn’t kill innocent people. Paul Tibbets: Oh, I wouldn’t hesitate if I had the choice. Studs Terkel: One last thing, when you hear people say, “Let’s nuke ’em,” “Let’s nuke these people,” what do you think? He did something for the world and people don’t understand. Studs Terkel: What about the bomb? Einstein said the world has changed since the atom was split. None of this business of taking them to court, the hell with that. We’ve got to get into a position where we can kill the bastards. But they’re gonna do it in their own sweet time. Because they’re gonna strike again, I’ll put money on it. These people, we don’t know who they are or where they are. But we knew who they were and where they were. We’ve fought many enemies at different times. When they bombed the Trade Center, I couldn’t believe what was going on. I don’t know any more about these terrorists than you do I know nothing. Since September 11, what are your thoughts? People talk about nukes, the hydrogen bomb. Studs Terkel: What did General LeMay have in mind with the third one? You and your crew are going to fly it.” I said, “Yes sir.” I sent word back and the crew loaded it on an airplane and we headed back, to bring it right on out to Tinian and when they got it to California debarkation point, the war was over. He said, “Where is it?” I said, “Over in Utah.” He said, “Get it out here. He said, “You got another one of those damn things?” I said, “Yes sir.” Then I got a phone call from General Curtis LeMay.
The second bomb was dropped and again they were silent for another couple of days. See, the first bomb went off and they didn’t hear anything out of the Japanese for two or three days. Paul Tibbets: Unknown to anybody else – I knew it, but nobody else knew – there was a third one. Studs Terkel: Why did they drop the second one, the Boxcar on Nagasaki? I knew we did the right thing because when I knew we’d be doing that I thought, yes, we’re going to kill a lot of people, but by God we’re going to save a lot of lives. Of course, that applied to airplanes and people. Maybe I did make a mistake: maybe I was too damned assured.Īt 29 years of age I was so shot in the ass with confidence I didn’t think there was anything I couldn’t do.