World War II and the Enola Gay – together in history, until death do you part. Or in this case, until the Smithsonian Institution decides to put the Enola Gay on display for “plane restoration.”

The exhibit sugar coats all that the Enola Gay stands for, as a symbol and reminder of the beginning of the nuclear age. One would think that the Smithsonian would play on this measure. Instead, they have chosen to show the fuselage of the B-29 bomber under the title: “What is aircraft restoration?” and a 16-minute video of the crew members telling their story. Where’s the historical context?

Sure, the exhibit placard acknowledges that the bomb caused “many tens of thousands of deaths” and “led to the immediate surrender of Japan,” but it fails to capture any historical significance of the plane or its mission.

The Smithsonian Institute had taken an aircraft that single-handedly ended World War II and put it up on a pedestal for all to see. But for what? Its restoration process?

The Smithsonian is shielding the American public from a vital part of history, one that defined the United States as the next world power. By displaying the Enola Gay as just a piece of metal, the American public is being cheated out of a much deserved historical analysis of World War II.