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1523 North Orson Avenue Hollywood 46, California

September 10, 1946

Rear-Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Navy Building Washington D.C.

Dear Sir:

   I think it may safely be said that of all the irresponsible statements made in press conferences your recent one tops the list.  

   It is horrifying to an average citizen like me to hear a man, who by virtue of his position, commands a wide audience, call the ATOM BOMB a "toy".  The most terrifying fact ever know in the universe becomes to an Admiral in the United State Navy a "toy"!

   No content with this, you falsify history in the most outrageous manner.  You know, we all know, that the scientists to a man did not want the bomb dropped on civilians.  You know that it was a decision made by the Armed Forces and the Executive branch of the government to drop the bomb on Japanese cities.  To try to put the responsibility for this fearful act upon the scientists is a malicious distortion of fact.  If you want the United States Navy to be respected I would suggest that you watch you public statements in the future, or better still, make none.  

                                           Yours very sincerely,
                                           Florence E. Reynolds  (Miss)  

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 Secretary of the Navy