Best TV interpretation or documentary on foreign affairs
Award Year: 1995
Award Name: The Edward R. Murrow Award 1995
Recipient: Sherry Jones, Elizabeth Sams, Martin Smith, Peter Jennings
Affiliation: ABC News
Honored Work: “Hiroshima: Why the Bomb was Dropped”
Starting from the controversy over the display of the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian, Jennings and Smith explored the hidden debate within the Truman Administration over using the atomic bomb on Japan. They asked whether alternatives might have ended the war as quickly, questioned Truman’s claim that 1 million American lives were saved, and highlighted America’s determination to end the war before Stalin could get involved in Asia and share credit. Probing interviews with current historians added value to this narrative.
Citations for Excellence:
Linda Mason, David Browning
CBS Reports (CBS News)
“Victory in the Pacific”
CNN International (CNN)
“Rwanda: Cry Justice”