All I remember reading was dropping those bombs saved thousands of American lives because it shortened the war and Japan was never going to surrender. I really had No sympathy for the Japanese military. My great uncle lost his life in the Bataan Death March! Brutal and barbaric! I did not agree with what happened to Japanese women and children!!
I would rather the bombs weren't used. The problem is would Japan have surrendered or would the allies have to invade Japan? Estimates for allied casualties for an invasion of Japan were very high.
That seems to be the standard history: that if Japan didn’t surrender soon enough, the Allies would have to invade and endure significant casualties.
However, by most accounts, the Japanese war effort was in its final days. Stalin had entered the war against Japan through Manchuria, the Japanese Navy had been depleted, and Japanese officials in the weeks and months prior to the use of the atomic bomb were attempting to hammer out a negotiated surrender with the Allies.
It is believed by many that neither an invasion nor the atomic bomb were necessary to end the war. Hoover, Eisenhower, MacArthur, and various others all took this position.
I don't know for sure. I do know that the U.S. military was gearing up and planning for an invasion of Japan. I know that anyone involved in combat arms was relieved that that didn't happen. I would have been.
Well, if you have heard the history some speculate as the big WWII was coming to an end the desire for a hegemony - the seed of that desire was planted firmly and I suspect that informed the decision to drop the needless bomb of harm. Then the hegemony desires were in full bloom, and now here we are.
Now, if you go back a bit before the whole WWII thing happened there are some who argue that all Hitler wanted was to get Danzig back.
The rest is history I reckon but with the value of time passed, I think it is fair to speculate that nefarious forces were about then who wanted war - sort of the same situation we find ourselves in today and is that not pathetic to say the least?
Great slice of history.
All I remember reading was dropping those bombs saved thousands of American lives because it shortened the war and Japan was never going to surrender. I really had No sympathy for the Japanese military. My great uncle lost his life in the Bataan Death March! Brutal and barbaric! I did not agree with what happened to Japanese women and children!!
Can't share on Twitter because of Elon's censorship police. I have been using Facebook, Gab, and Truth Social instead.
I would rather the bombs weren't used. The problem is would Japan have surrendered or would the allies have to invade Japan? Estimates for allied casualties for an invasion of Japan were very high.
That seems to be the standard history: that if Japan didn’t surrender soon enough, the Allies would have to invade and endure significant casualties.
However, by most accounts, the Japanese war effort was in its final days. Stalin had entered the war against Japan through Manchuria, the Japanese Navy had been depleted, and Japanese officials in the weeks and months prior to the use of the atomic bomb were attempting to hammer out a negotiated surrender with the Allies.
It is believed by many that neither an invasion nor the atomic bomb were necessary to end the war. Hoover, Eisenhower, MacArthur, and various others all took this position.
I don't know for sure. I do know that the U.S. military was gearing up and planning for an invasion of Japan. I know that anyone involved in combat arms was relieved that that didn't happen. I would have been.
A small but confusing mistake in the last paragraph of an otherwise excellent article:
You wrote:
By no means were Eisenhower, Leahy, Truman, and MacArthur the only prominent individuals at the time to oppose the nuking of Japan.
Obviosuly you meant to include MacArthur in that list NOT TRUMAN, who was the man responsible for dropping the bombs.
Corrected. Thanks for pointing that out!
"War is a racket"
Smedley Butler
Did you learn your lesson in military school - or do they not teach about what Smedley said anymore?
Well, if you have heard the history some speculate as the big WWII was coming to an end the desire for a hegemony - the seed of that desire was planted firmly and I suspect that informed the decision to drop the needless bomb of harm. Then the hegemony desires were in full bloom, and now here we are.
Now, if you go back a bit before the whole WWII thing happened there are some who argue that all Hitler wanted was to get Danzig back.
The rest is history I reckon but with the value of time passed, I think it is fair to speculate that nefarious forces were about then who wanted war - sort of the same situation we find ourselves in today and is that not pathetic to say the least?