August 8: ON THIS DAY in 1945, dead too numerous to count, Japanese say

August 8, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Boston — Attorney General J. Weston Allen, who is conducting an investigation of the foreign exchange business of Charles Ponzi, announced today that he had furnished transcripts of the interviews he has had with Ponzi to federal authorities both in this city and in Washington, together with all information his office has obtained. The attorney general sought another interview with Ponzi yesterday, but the head of the Securities Exchange Company failed to appear and was quoted as saying he would not again visit the State House. In commenting upon this, Mr. Allen said that he had no authority to force Ponzi to appear or to compel him to give testimony … Ponzi repeated today his announced intention of starting a new business Monday under the name of the Charles Ponzi Company, through which he has declared he will establish a chain of banks and conduct a general import and export business.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1926, the Eagle reported, “Boulogne, France, Aug. 7 (AP) — Gertrude Ederle, American swimming marvel, was toasted by veteran fisherfolk all along the Pas De Calais coast tonight as Neptune’s favorite daughter, because of her victory over the treacherous English Channel. Thanks to the New York girl’s success in swimming across the English Channel, Neptune’s prestige, which suffered somewhat since aviation came to the fore, has been restored to its former place. Judging from the sheaves of congratulatory messages from all parts of the world, which continue to pour in to Miss Ederle’s quarters on Cape Griz-Nez, it is evident that admirers of sea exploits are of greater number than those interested in the most brilliant aerial exploits.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Guam, Aug. 8 (UP) — Tokyo conceded today that most of Hiroshima had been destroyed completely by a single American atomic bomb Monday and said blasted and blistered corpses ‘too numerous to count’ littered the ruins. ‘The impact of the bomb was so terrific that practically all living things, human and animal, were literally seared to death by the tremendous heat and pressure engendered by the blast,’ one Tokyo broadcast said. American reconnaissance photos confirmed that four and one-tenth square miles — 60 percent of the built-up area — of Hiroshima had vanished almost without trace in the world’s greatest man-made explosion. Unofficial American sources estimated Japanese dead and wounded might exceed 100,000 … As Tokyo painted a fearful picture of the catastrophe, some sources saw a possibility that Japan might reconsider her rejection of the Allied demand for her surrender before she is invaded. ‘It shouldn’t take the Japanese long to think this over,’ one ranking officer said. ‘We plan to present them with bursting atoms as often as possible.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1951, the Eagle reported, “Tehran, Aug. 8 (U.P.) — Optimism ran high at the start of formal Anglo-Iranian oil talks today and Britain’s chief negotiator disclosed he already has submitted an official outline for a final settlement. Two key Iranian negotiators expressed confidence that the dispute over Iran’s nationalization of Britain’s huge oil interests would be settled peaceably. They said Britain’s friendly attitude at a preliminary session Monday night was a good sign. At the same time, Britain’s Lord Privy Seal Richard Stokes, chief of the British delegation, said the general atmosphere both here and in the oil port of Abadan had ‘vastly improved.’ Stokes disclosed that he had presented a memorandum to Iran, containing Britain’s general ideas for settling the oil dispute. The British delegation, he said, was awaiting Iran’s reply before getting down to details. The only ominous note today came in Iran’s official demand that Britain recall and reprimand its consul at Khoramshahr, an oil town, for asking the recall of two Iranian oil officials as ‘undesirable elements.’”