7, 1941, air and naval forces of Japan attacked the United States without provocation.' 'No politically correct, revisionist historian can change the fact that on Dec. 'We are particularly concerned that the exhibit portrays the Japanese as victims, fighting to preserve their culture, while characterizing American motivations as vengeful and racist,' complained Senate Republican Leader Robert Dole and his colleague John Warner of Virginia. In the dispute over the Enola Gay, though, the clout of the 3.1-million member American Legion and other veterans groups fuels the political rhetoric. The controversy comes as Gingrich and other Republicans are questioning the influence of elites in the media, Public Broadcasting, the arts and other entities that deal with the public or receive taxpayer money. The betting among some Capitol Hill leaders, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is that the regents will significantly scale back the presentation to focus simply on the Enola Gay.

On Monday, the Smithsonian Board of Regents will meet to decide whether to go ahead with opening of the exhibit in May. For most Japanese, it was a war to defend their unique culture against Western imperialism.' 'For most Americans,' the early Smithsonian script said, 'this war was fundamentally different from the one waged against Germany and Italy _ it was a war of vengeance.