War's End

Starred review from July 31, 1997
Sweeney begins this riveting chronicle by reminiscing about his childhood days, when school officials would drag in "some poor old guys" to talk about what they had done during the Spanish-American War. "Now I'm the old guy doing the telling," Sweeney says--and what a story he has to tell. As a 25-year-old Army Air Corps captain, Sweeney was the only pilot to fly on both U.S. atomic missions against Japan, over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Here, he does a fine job of capturing the spirited atmosphere of life on a wartime flight line. Writing with a wit that is sometimes lacking in military memoirs, he presents the dramatic events surrounding the development of the awesomely powered B-29 bomber, which would eventually deliver the atomic weapons. His portrayal of legendary general Curtis LeMay, who would later become Air Force chief of staff, is masterful. The bombing missions themselves are relayed with tension and drama, including the startling revelation that the men delivering the first bomb did not know if they would be able to fly clear of the explosion. Emphasizing that he hopes that such destructive weapons are never again deployed, Sweeney argues forcefully that the decision to use the weapons against Japan was the correct one. This memoir should be required reading for all students of WWII. Photos not seen by PW.