o ften ▁psych olog ists , ▁mathemat icians , ▁chem ists , ▁or ▁philosoph ers , ▁... ▁rather ▁than ▁people ▁with ▁Washington ▁contacts , ▁who , ▁of ▁course , ▁realize ▁that ▁' had ▁they ▁a ▁new , ▁good ▁idea ▁about ▁Vietnam , ▁they ▁would ▁get ▁a ▁prompt ▁and ▁respect ful ▁hearing ' ▁in ▁Washington ." ▁ ▁The ▁topic ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁articles ▁of ▁D w ight ▁Mac don ald ▁published ▁after ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁who ▁" ask s ▁the ▁question : ▁To ▁what ▁extent ▁were ▁the ▁German ▁or ▁Japanese ▁people ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁at roc ities ▁committed ▁by ▁their ▁govern ments ? ▁And , ▁quite ▁properly , ▁... ▁turns ▁the ▁question ▁back ▁to ▁us : ▁To ▁what ▁extent ▁are ▁the ▁British ▁or ▁American ▁people ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁v icious ▁terror ▁bomb ings ▁of ▁civ ili ans , ▁perfect ed ▁as ▁a ▁technique ▁of ▁war fare ▁by ▁the ▁Western ▁dem oc ra cies ▁and ▁reaching ▁their ▁cul min ation ▁in ▁H iro sh ima ▁and ▁Nag as aki , ▁surely ▁among ▁the ▁most ▁un spe ak able ▁cr imes ▁in ▁history ." ▁ ▁The ▁article ▁brought ▁Ch om sky ▁to ▁public ▁attention ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁American ▁intellect uals ▁in ▁the ▁movement ▁against ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁war . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁on ▁the ▁ 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁‘ The ▁Res p ons ibility ▁of ▁Intel lect uals ’ , ▁a ▁conference ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁University ▁College ▁London . ▁In ▁ 2