Would you have used the atom bomb on Japan in WWII if you were Prez?

Japan escaped the worst fate and millions of Japanese men could have been taken to Siberia for forced labour, if Stalin had been given the opportunity to invade Japan. The atomic bombs served as warning shots to Stalin with the onset of the Cold War.

 

The betrayal was in the gifting to Stalin of half of Poland which was subsumed into Ukraine. That was the half where my family came from, and the reason I was born of a refugee in Britain, not Poland. The betrayal of Britain's longest standing and most loyal ally was further demonstrated by the refusal to allow Polish troops to take part in the VE celebration parade through London, for fear of upsetting Uncle Joe.

 

The issue of mentioning the Emperor was complex. Some people feared it would be seen as a sign of wavering willpower on our part, and would encourage the Japanese to reject surrender.

Some people believed that the proposed language for the Emperor would actually be seen as threatening towards the Emperor, and would make surrender less likely.

Some people feared that Japan was not going to accept this offer no matter what, and there would be a public backlash in the US if we were too soft on the Emperor.

And ultimately the existing language allowed the Japanese people to freely choose their own political system, and there was no doubt that they would choose constitutional monarchy.

Not at all. Japan really did have thousands of Kamikazes waiting to attack crowded troop transports when we invaded. They also had millions of well-trained and well-armed soldiers waiting to fight to the death when our guys came ashore.

There was nothing mythical about the Kamikazes waiting to attack crowded troop transports when we invaded.

And each Kamikaze had just enough fuel for a short one-way flight.

Because the A-bombs did not exist when there was fighting in the European theater.

Because the A-bombs did not exist when there was fighting in the European theater.

It certainly wasn't known during the war when the A-bombs were being dropped.

All anyone knew then was that Japan was still refusing to surrender.

Because we were at war with them. You attack countries that you are at war with, in the hopes that your attacks will make them surrender to you. The A-bombs were such an attack.

I hope you aren't going to represent this private diary entry as some sort of opposition that was presented to Truman.

Wrong. Not one military expert advised Truman against using the A-bombs.

Wrong and wrong.

Japan did not present this offer to surrender with one condition until after both A-bombs had already been dropped.

And we expressly denied what they were asking for.

No. Truman wanted Japan to surrender, something that they were still refusing to do when both A-bombs were dropped.

 

Whilst this is undoubtedly true it cannot be discounted that it was also a show of strength to Russia who were fast approaching their deadline to enter the war against Japan. The US didn't want to share post war influence with Russia in the Pacific theatre as they were being forced to in Europe. It also put a stop to any ideas Russia had of rolling on into Western Europe after the capitulation of Germany.

 

Truman knew the emperor would surrender soon. He rushed those bombs over there to show Russia who is boss. Plain and simple

 

He ''knew'' no such thing. After the first A-bomb it is more likely that he hoped for a surrender but as the Japanese were still refusing to talk about surrender a combination of both aims could have been the motive for the Nagasaki bomb. It is also possible the US military just wanted to test the differences between the two types of bomb.
''Plain and simple'' is rarely an accurate conclusion to make.....

 

What an awful way to test the differences between the two bombs. Have you seen the pictures of the children of Nagasaki?

 

No, that is a 100% false. The final decision was made when Japan refused a surrender officer - and one with very generous conditions.

The "experts" you cited wanted to instead use the atom bombs on communist Russia and Chinese communists to start an atomic WW3 against the communists. Ending all war was abhorrent to your so-called experts. They wanted us to switch sides, turning China and Russia into our enemies - and Germany and Japan into allies - and go to war against Russia and the Chinese communists.

Truman was branded a traitor and communist lover by your side for refusing to go to war against China and the USSR - for which your side introduced the McCarthy era and inserted "under God" in the pledge to separate us from the heathen communists. However, your war monger experts did succeed in creating the Cold War, and in declaring our Russian and Chinese allies instead our enemies - and our enemies of Germany and Japan into our allies.

While your side did not get their atomic WW3, they did succeed in causing the Korean war, creating the McCarthy era, corrupting the pledge of allegiance, and engaging in making Americans - even little children - terrified of Russia and nuclear war.

To indoctrinate hatred of Russians, your "experts" literally had school children required to go thru nuclear attack drills of crouching with their hands over their heads at their lockers - as if this would protect them from a nuclear explosion. YOUR experts had anyone who did not curse socialism in any form labeled a communist and blackballed from employment. YOUR experts are who mass bombed and firebombed cities in Germany and Japan. Your experts wanted to drop atom bombs on China and Russia. Your experts wanted WW2 to become atomic WW3.

Your team divided the world into capitalists versus socialists - and religious people versus atheists - and wanted to go to atomic/nuclear war against the atheist socialists. Your experts were extreme war mongers.

 

Have you seen pictures of the children of Nanking?
Pictures of American POWs held by the Japanese?
Pictures of American wives, parents and children crying over news that their husband, son, or father is another American killed by the Japanese?
What about pictures of children burned by YOUR so-called experts firebombing Japanese cities?

 

The Japanese were give a very generous surrender terms. We gave them exactly what they wanted. We just needed to make a point first. And then we gave them exactly what they asked for.

 

Sure, but it was war. In war there are always innocents hurt. Look at what the Muslims do to people, even without war. The US did the best it could with bad circumstances.

 

Yup. Civilian casualties happen, and have since the beginning of time. Back in the day, they would just torch entire cities.

 

Absolutely, I'm kind of glad my nation does not bear the guilt for that action if that were the sole reason for dropping the 2nd bomb. But as it was likely to be a combination of reasons and conventional fire bombing of Japanese cities caused just as much suffering and on some occasions even more deaths your appeal to emotions will fall on deaf ears with me....

 

Ok you are out. Nice talking to you

 

Pu ssy. LOL

 

Wow. I guess you really do have nothing. That is hilarious. Thanks for that!

 

Sorry, I thought I was out.
If you are not prepared to see, that unlike the black and white film clips of WWII you have watched the decisions made were full of nuance and in full colour, I don't know what I can say.
Enjoy your belief that you have nothing to learn as you stumble through life in blissful ignorance.......

 

Ok. Have a nice day!

 

You too, bye.

 

I've seen images of women with pointed sticks being trained to make suicide attacks on invading soldiers. Whilst it's possible that these were propaganda made to excuse the A-bomb, considering the numbers of face saving honourable suicides recorded during the over running of Japanese controlled islands in the Pacific, it is more likely that they are genuine.
On many islands almost whole garrisons had to be killed before fighting ended. There are also images of Japanese women with babies in their arms jumping off cliffs to avoid being captured.
The moral code of the time did not allow for surrender and even after the A-bombings there was a foiled plot to destroy the Emperors surrender message which was recorded for a broadcast to the people.

 

I had heard on a documentary that the US was looking for pristine Japanese cities with little damage to make their atomic point.

 

Have you seen photos of the children of Naking and of Japanese POWs?

 

War is hell. Atomic war is hell squared

 

Yup
But in a day and age where deliberately killing civilians, like in 9/11 is a no no. People behind it are "terrorists". No real difference with the US dropping nuclear bombs on cities, besides they are bigger terrorists than 9/11.

 

If the atom bomb wasn't used, the war was estimated to have lasted another two years, and the loss of life would have eclipsed the civilian casualties at Hiroshima, and Nagasaki a hundred fold.

The fact that Japan surrendered just six days after the second atomic bomb was used, means that's what ended the war.
Since these bombings no other nuclear weapons have been used.