-Paul Tibbets, Jr. was born in Quincy, Illinois on February 23rd, 1915. His Parents moved to Florida where he had his first airplane ride at age 12. He went to school at Western Military Academy for high school. Paul's parents wanted Paul to go into medicine but Paul wanted to fly. He decide to go to the Air Force. Paul became the Squadron Commander of the 340th Bomb Squadron in 1942. He went on many raids into occupied England. Tibbets flew 25 missions in B-17's. In September of 1944, Tibbets was told about the Manhattan Project. He was to organize and train a unit to drop the atomic weapon. His crew dropped the "Little Boy",code name for the atomic bomb, on August 6, 1945 at 9:15 am. General Paul Tibbets retired on August 31st, 1966, he had completed more than 29 and one-half years of service for the Air Force. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb brought a quick surrender and a reduction of Allied lives. General Paul Tibbets died on November 1, 2007.
Little Boy
The Little Boy- The Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
“I think this is the end of the war” (288)
-Paul Tibbets said this to Bob Lewis right after the crew dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima. This was the epic turning point of World War II. This act showed that the U.S. was far superior in technology compared to the Axis power. Tibbets was correct when he said this because the war ended with the Japanese shortly after we dropped the atomic bombs. After the crew dropped the bomb they looked at what was left of Hiroshima.
Enola_gay_20040710_170220_1.4
The Enola Gay Today
"Our Target? We weren't sure at this this time where we were going or on what unlucky city our atomic lighting would strike. It would be one of three: Hiroshima, Kokura, or Nagasaki."(217)
-Tibbets said this as he prepared for the next day, the day before his crew dropped the Atomic Bomb for the Enola Gay. The quotes significance is that this quote proves that America used the bomb as a scare technique so that the Japanese would quickly surrender and America would win the war. The unlucky city that was decide was Hiroshima. The means justified the action. The bombing reduced the number of Allies killed and it ended the second world war. However, many innocent Japanese people were killed by the bomb and it made Hiroshima a wasteland.
509px-Atomic_cloud_over_Hiroshima
The explosion of the Little Boy
"Although I came out of General Ent's office flattered by the importance of my new assignment, it wasn't until the next day that I became fully conscious of the terrible responsibility that was now mine. At the age of 29, I had been entrusted withe the successful delivery of the most frightful weapon ever devised, one that had been developed at a cost of two billion dollars in a program that involved the nation's best scientific brains and the secret mobilization of its industrial company." (161)
- General Paul Tibbets said this quote the next day after being briefed on the Manhatten Project and his duty to make sure that the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Tibbets had the prepare a plane that could drop the Atomic bomb, he also had to from and train a crew that would fly the plane that would drop the bomb. This was his greatest success in his lifetime, but it was also the most difficult. He modified a B-29 bomber airplane into the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. His crew was successful and they dropped the Bomb on August 6, 1945 at 9:15 am on Hiroshima.
"It had not occurred to me that I would be regarded as something of a hero"(244)
-General Paul Tibbets thought about this after the war ended. He never realized that dropping two deadly nuclear weapons on the Japanese would ever make him a hero. This quote shows Tibbets morals and he did not think that killing innocent people would make him a hero.
"This is why a way must be found to eliminate was as a means of settling quarrels between nations"(310)
-This quote is Tibbets response to how wars should be dealt with. General Tibbets was not a violent person. The only time he got in trouble was when he was making out with a girl in his car when he was nineteen. General Paul Tibbets has great morals and he did what he had to, so WWII would end.
"Nuclear warfare is indeed inhuman and ought to be banned. By the same token, other forms of warfare, such as the dropping of fire bombs and the shooting of soldiers with cannon and rifles, are likewise uncivilized and should be outlawed"(305)
-Tibbets did not believe in wars and he believed that wars should not happen to begin with. Tibbets only agreed to drop the bomb because they were already in a war. Tibbets morals are defined in this quote. Some people sent him letters condemning him as a war criminal, but the vast people who sent him letters expressed thanks for dropping the bomb that ended the war. General Paul Tibbets was a heroic man whose intent was always doing what was best for his country.
Thoughts on General Paul Tibbets-
General Paul Tibbets was a hero to many people including myself. He did the impossible for his time, drop an nuclear weapon that could have easily killed himself and his crew. He had no fears, and only cared about what was best for America. General Paul Tibbets will not be forgotten, and his actions has made America the country it is today.
The Tibbets Story by Paul W. Tibbets
BCBackground Information on General Paul Tibbets
-Paul Tibbets, Jr. was born in Quincy, Illinois on February 23rd, 1915. His Parents moved to Florida where he had his first airplane ride at age 12. He went to school at Western Military Academy for high school. Paul's parents wanted Paul to go into medicine but Paul wanted to fly. He decide to go to the Air Force. Paul became the Squadron Commander of the 340th Bomb Squadron in 1942. He went on many raids into occupied England. Tibbets flew 25 missions in B-17's. In September of 1944, Tibbets was told about the Manhattan Project. He was to organize and train a unit to drop the atomic weapon. His crew dropped the "Little Boy",code name for the atomic bomb, on August 6, 1945 at 9:15 am. General Paul Tibbets retired on August 31st, 1966, he had completed more than 29 and one-half years of service for the Air Force. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb brought a quick surrender and a reduction of Allied lives. General Paul Tibbets died on November 1, 2007.The Little Boy- The Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
“I think this is the end of the war” (288)
-Paul Tibbets said this to Bob Lewis right after the crew dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima. This was the epic turning point of World War II. This act showed that the U.S. was far superior in technology compared to the Axis power. Tibbets was correct when he said this because the war ended with the Japanese shortly after we dropped the atomic bombs. After the crew dropped the bomb they looked at what was left of Hiroshima.The Enola Gay Today
"Our Target? We weren't sure at this this time where we were going or on what unlucky city our atomic lighting would strike. It would be one of three: Hiroshima, Kokura, or Nagasaki."(217)
-Tibbets said this as he prepared for the next day, the day before his crew dropped the Atomic Bomb for the Enola Gay. The quotes significance is that this quote proves that America used the bomb as a scare technique so that the Japanese would quickly surrender and America would win the war. The unlucky city that was decide was Hiroshima. The means justified the action. The bombing reduced the number of Allies killed and it ended the second world war. However, many innocent Japanese people were killed by the bomb and it made Hiroshima a wasteland.
The explosion of the Little Boy
"Although I came out of General Ent's office flattered by the importance of my new assignment, it wasn't until the next day that I became fully conscious of the terrible responsibility that was now mine. At the age of 29, I had been entrusted withe the successful delivery of the most frightful weapon ever devised, one that had been developed at a cost of two billion dollars in a program that involved the nation's best scientific brains and the secret mobilization of its industrial company." (161)
- General Paul Tibbets said this quote the next day after being briefed on the Manhatten Project and his duty to make sure that the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Tibbets had the prepare a plane that could drop the Atomic bomb, he also had to from and train a crew that would fly the plane that would drop the bomb. This was his greatest success in his lifetime, but it was also the most difficult. He modified a B-29 bomber airplane into the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. His crew was successful and they dropped the Bomb on August 6, 1945 at 9:15 am on Hiroshima."It had not occurred to me that I would be regarded as something of a hero"(244)
"This is why a way must be found to eliminate was as a means of settling quarrels between nations"(310)
"Nuclear warfare is indeed inhuman and ought to be banned. By the same token, other forms of warfare, such as the dropping of fire bombs and the shooting of soldiers with cannon and rifles, are likewise uncivilized and should be outlawed"(305)
General Paul Tibbets was a hero to many people including myself. He did the impossible for his time, drop an nuclear weapon that could have easily killed himself and his crew. He had no fears, and only cared about what was best for America. General Paul Tibbets will not be forgotten, and his actions has made America the country it is today.
For More Information on this event visit http://www.theenolagay.com/index.html
Work Cited
"509px-Atomic_cloud_over_Hiroshima." Atomic cloud over Hiroshima. Image:Atomic cloud over Hiroshima.jpg. 7 June 2008. 29 November 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Atomic_cloud_over_Hiroshima.jpg>.
"Enola_gay_20040710_170220_1.4." Enola Gay on display. Image:Enola gay 20040710 170220 1.4.jpg. 30 January 2006. 29 November 2008 <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Enola_gay_20040710_170220_1.4.jpg>.
Enola Gay and the bombing of Hiroshima. Mid Coast Marketing. 29 November 2008 <http://www.theenolagay.com/index.html>.
"Little Boy." The Hiroshima bomb. 8 Insane Nuclear Explosions. 22 July 2008. 29 November 2008 <http://deepgoa.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/8-insane-nuclear-explosions/>.
"Tibbetswar." General Paul Tibbets Career Highlights. General Paul Tibbets. . 29 November 2008 <http://www.mottsmilitarymuseum.org/tibbets.html>.
Tibbets, Paul W. The Tibbets Sotry. New York: Stein and Day, 1978.