This text was to have been the script for the National Air and Space Museum's exhibition of the Enola Gay, focusing on the end of World War II and the decision of the United States to use of the atomic bomb. The Enola Gay was a B-29 aircraft that carried the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. The atomic bomb brought a sudden end to World War II and ushered in the nuclear age. The event was one of the critical turning points of the 20th century. This exhibition describes the war between Japan and the United States and its allies, the building of the atomic bomb, the decision to use it, the military effort to carry out that mission, the effects of the bombing, and the surrender of Japan. Each entry in the exhibition program would accompany a display at the Smithsonian. [This material offers the educator material to stimulate discussion, analysis, and critical thinking in world history, modern history, or U.S. history courses.] (EH)