I CANNOT understand Colin S Jeffrey's reference to Britain's "shameful past" (Letters, August 24).
His examples of "slave trading and imperialist acquisition of a global empire" were acceptable at the time and were encouraged by the church as a means of introducing Christianity.
Whether for good or no is not a question in point, although the abolition of suttee in India must be for the good. Dresden was a legitimate wartime target, so that argument can be dismissed. Yes, I slept contentedly after Japan surrendered in 1945.
Professor Sugimoto writes that there can be no justification for dropping the atom bombs. I maintain that they forced Tojo and the military junta to sue for peace, and thus saved lives which would have been lost if the allies had been forced to invade.
A G Reeson,
Huntington Road, York.
Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, August 31, 2005
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