World War II Military History: Morris R. Jeppson Autograph Letter Defending Atomic Bomb Use and Opposing “Revenge” Narrative, 6 August 1945

Morris Jeppson

Manuscripts & Autographs

Jeppson, Morris R. handwritten autograph letter signed, 6 August 1945, presents a sustained justification for the use of the atomic bomb by the weapons test officer aboard the B-29 Enola Gay during the Hiroshima mission. Morris R. Jeppson (1922–2010), who armed the Little Boy device in flight and served with the 509th Composite Group, responds in this two-page manuscript to questions concerning revenge, presidential decision-making, and strategic alternatives. The letter directly supports research into World War II strategic policy, the moral and political framing of atomic warfare, and postwar memory as articulated by Manhattan Project personnel and combat participants. Rather than focusing on technical procedure, Jeppson here situates the bombing within the broader trajectory of Pacific War casualties and the projected invasion of the Japanese home islands.

Jeppson, Morris R. 6 August 1945. Two pages. Approximately 8.5 x 11 inches. In this holograph letter written in question-and-answer format, Jeppson rejects the notion that the bomb constituted retaliation for Pearl Harbor: “There was no need to consider the use of the atomic bomb for ‘revenge’ for Pearl Harbor. The response to the Japanese attack was the immediate declaration of war in December 1941.” He continues that after “3 1/2 years of devastating warfare in the Pacific,” a decision was required “in an attempt, and hope, to put an end to the war,” noting that “an even more destructive phase of this war was to start with the invasion of Japan in November 1945.” Addressing alternatives, he states that “the only other alternative was the planned invasion to defeat Japan,” citing the heavy costs of Okinawa, Iwo Jima, the Philippines, and the Marianas as evidence of Japanese resistance. He concludes, “Hiroshima provided the alternative to end the war quickly,” and affirms that these were “the justifications for using the atomic bombs against Japan.” Signed, “Sincerely, M. Jeppson / Weapon Test Officer / Enola Gay Mission / Hiroshima 6 Aug. 1945.”

Composed retrospectively and dated to the day of the mission, the letter reflects the enduring debate over whether atomic use was necessary to avoid invasion and further mass casualties. Jeppson’s explicit rejection of revenge as motive and his emphasis on projected losses during Operation Downfall situate his reasoning within a postwar narrative that framed atomic bombing as a strategic instrument to forestall a bloodier campaign. His invocation of declassified Japanese and U.S. War Department materials signals engagement with evolving historiography and public discourse. As one of the few individuals who physically armed the weapon in flight, Jeppson’s written defense carries particular evidentiary value in understanding how direct participants articulated the political and military rationale of atomic warfare. Minor edge wear and light handling creases; ink strong and fully legible; paper clean. Overall very good to near fine condition. A substantive, self-authored justification of atomic use by the Enola Gay’s weapons officer, anchoring strategic argument within firsthand participation in the mission that inaugurated the nuclear age.

Item #12572

Price: $1,250.00