William R. Kennedy

An American Hero William R. Kennedy

Arthur Forbes, Publisher and Managing Editor of the New York Herald Express and Staff Reporter Jason Scott were requested to be at the White House in Washington, D. C. the following morning to meet with the President of the United States for an important meeting. The year was 1944. Franklin D. Roosevelt explained to them that the United States would have to invade the Japanese homeland to end the war with Japan which would result in American casualties of at least one million men. Or he could sanction using a weapon that was more horrifying than any weapon ever created by man. He was referring to the atomic bomb which had recently been perfected and was ready to be made operational. Optimism ran high that the bomb would be a huge success and that it would end the war almost immediately. Roosevelt explained that it had been decided that the humane thing to do was to warn the Japanese what fate was in store for them. Forbes and Scott wondered how they could be of help to the president. The President of the United States was put in a position where he had to trust someone whom the Japanese respected and who could bring a highly secretive message to them. Scott was the logical choice. It was to be the beginning of a career that would catapult Scott into international fame and fortune.