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Flattening a city because a few of the noncombatants in it are supporting military activity is, to put it mildly, disproportionate. I trust that you would agree if you were one of the folks being flattened, rather than on the other side.
I do agree.
Unfortunately, we did not have the technology that we have today to deliver precision munitions to a specific target - that is a 21st century 'luxury'. Applying the accuracy of today's weapons during a mid-20th century war would have reduced the casualties substantially. I do not for second enjoy the fact that hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians died. But that is why every nation on earth, including the United States, must weigh its decision to go to war. And it is incumbent on the civilians to control the military because it will not just be the military that bears the casualties. Japan, and its people, did not or could not do so and bore the cost. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are just two examples of the cost.
Yes, we had to deal with Japan, but I don't know why we fought Germany. Yes, I know they declared war on us, but until they physically attacked us, we should have left the European theatre alone, and that includes giving/selling materials to England.
yes, we had to deal with japan, but i don't know why we fought germany. Yes, i know they declared war on us, but until they physically attacked us, we should have left the european theatre alone, and that includes giving/selling materials to england.
Herbert Hoover correctly commented after 12/7/41 that sticking pins in rattlesnakes had finally gotten us bit. That's not what the public was told by anyone, obviously, which is a shame and a permanent blot on both our political parties.
As for your scenario, I would prefer to keep my gun well-holstered and not hang out in bars in bad neighborhoods looking for a gunfight.
Please read At dawn we slept....
You will learn that japan no matter what we offered as early as June 1941 intended to attack Pearl Harbor.
If we withdrew from all asian countries would have changed nothing.
Thats assuming that we would also withdraw from our agreements to support countries that asked for our support and were promised said support. That would be Asian countries that had no desire to have Japan as a dictator over them.
Another issue is the fact that Japan wanted to make a point. That they were the real power in the region.
Do some honest reading and learn.
I hasve not read all this thread so apologies if my comments have already been made elsewhere.
I was born in 1955 so too young to remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But I have spoken to my mother and others of her generation who lived through it. They absolutely dreaded the thought of having to invade Japan and the number of Allied lives that invasion would claim. By the time the bombs were dropped they were tired of war, tired of hearing about brothers, fathers, sons, boyfriends, school friends who were killed. They just wanted it ended and they really did not care how many Japanese lives it cost.
Do not make the mistake of judging a decision made in 1945 and at the end of a bloody and costly war by the morality of 2009. It doesn't work.
There are many people who lost relatives during WWII.
Still has no bearing on the central point that USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945.
Sure ;it was kill or be killed. People then hate the japanese and the germans. If the japanese or geramns would ahve had the bomb they would ahve used it. It was outoput war and the oint was to kill the other guy until he surrendered. I do think that the japanese and the geramns shopuld have sureendered sonner but aht was their choice.Both had lost teh war far before they surrendered and we had no obligation to die by bullet instead of them by the bomb.
Nah, we didn't need to drop the bombs, but it sure was fun to fry all them Japanese!
Months before the end of the war, Japan's leaders recognized that defeat was inevitable. In April 1945 a new government headed by Kantaro Suzuki took office with the mission of ending the war. When Germany capitulated in early May, the Japanese understood that the British and Americans would now direct the full fury of their awesome military power exclusively against them.
American officials, having long since broken Japan's secret codes, knew from intercepted messages that the country's leaders were seeking to end the war on terms as favorable as possible. Details of these efforts were known from decoded secret communications between the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and Japanese diplomats abroad.
Nah, we didn't need to drop the bombs, but it sure was fun to fry all them Japanese!
Months before the end of the war, Japan's leaders recognized that defeat was inevitable. In April 1945 a new government headed by Kantaro Suzuki took office with the mission of ending the war. When Germany capitulated in early May, the Japanese understood that the British and Americans would now direct the full fury of their awesome military power exclusively against them.
American officials, having long since broken Japan's secret codes, knew from intercepted messages that the country's leaders were seeking to end the war on terms as favorable as possible. Details of these efforts were known from decoded secret communications between the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo and Japanese diplomats abroad.
The only problem with your post is this. The Japanese Military were firmly in control of the Japanese Government and had been for some time. Even after the Bombs they tried to prevent their Emporer from surrendering.
The terms they sought were unacceptable. They wanted to maintain the lands they conquered. They wanted to maintain their Military. Basicly the terms they wanted were Ok lets stop fighting. We keep what we took and you guys can have what you had before the war started.
Flattening a city because a few of the noncombatants in it are supporting military activity is, to put it mildly, disproportionate. I trust that you would agree if you were one of the folks being flattened, rather than on the other side.
It ended the conflict with Japan and saved probably thousands of soldiers lives - which was really the only priority at that time. In war, you do what you have to do to win.
Just as Japan didn't give a rat's A** about our civilians, just as Germany didn't give a rat's a** about civilians and millions of Jews.
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