Was it Wrong to Drop the Atom Bomb on Japan?

It has been estimated that over 1,000,000 American troops would have died invading and subduing Japan.

It was the right thing to do then. It remains so. No American needs to apologize for it. Ever.

If they do, it's because of their own misguided sense of guilt and here's betting they have never faced an enemy determined to take their life, especially one who didn't mind dying or killing his entire family in the process.

 

Some people claim that the 1 million estimate was a lie that the U.S. government made up after the fact to justify Truman's decision. However that allegation is patently false since the government had nearly a million Purple Heart medals manufactured in preparation for some of the bloodiest combat expected for 1946 and perhaps 1947. I understand that they were using the same stock of medals all the way into the Vietnam War until there was a redesign.

1.) We didn't have the option of simply isolating the Japanese homeland, for they would starve, and their soldiers were still in other places, causing harm. Moreover, there were Allied soldiers being used as slave labor in the country that would certainly die.

2.) An invasion would kill the vast majority of the citizenry, since even children were being taught to resist unto death. It would have essentially ended Japanese culture and would have been a greater bloodbath than we can imagine. Also, Allied soldiers would have almost certainly been executed under those conditions.

3.) The incendiary attacks killed many more people than the atomic bombs, and they continued in hopes that it would compel the government and the Emperor to surrender to save lives all the way around. The atomic bombs were just the latest technology in that campaign. The psychological power of the atomic bombs evaporating whole cities at a time, brought a rapid end to the war and ended the massive bloodshed on all sides.

 

So you agree? Why the rolling eyes? Are you so compelled to attack me that you can't help yourself?

 

What gets lost is that we dropped papers into Japan, warning them of a new superweapon that would blast them if they did not immediately surrender to the allied forces.

 

The Japanese only understood force of arms.

They have to actually be used , not threatened.

A battle for the Japanese islands would have been a war of attrition, just like Okinawa. Only 100 times worse (or more) for both sides.

 

True, as the Emperor would have been a living god to them, so would they not fight to the death?

 

That’s nonsense.

That is steaming bovine excrement.

Uh huh.

In this thread, I am presenting a position that is basically in line with a conservative viewpoint on the matter (not that I tie interpretation of history to a political viewpoint), because it most closely aligns with the facts.

During my early college career, I was at a state school and took history classes where we spent at least three sessions on nuclear politics, including the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan. I’ve read a fair amount of material against it and, mostly on my own, read and reasoned a fair amount of material for it. I have also relied on my father’s recollections of the mood of the times based on his service in the South Pacific during WWII.

I have heard the allegation about casualty figures being overhyped on several occasions, so I know what I’m talking about, but you can’t stand to see me express an insight on anything because you have decided certain things about me in your mind.

In the word of our President, sad.

 

And yet you were the one rolling your eyes at a post that contained nothing contrary to a conservative viewpoint. I mean if Carpro threw a like on it, it's probably not a liberal talking point.

 

actually speculative historical second guessing (what if ... ;what if ... what if ...) is IMO just as dumb as speculative theology second guessing (what if ... ;what if ... what if ...).

Yes, I've done both.

Rather, how about learning from the past and try some speculative peace second guessing and ACTION - like convincing Kim Jong Un to scrap his nukes, kiss and make up with Moon Jae-In and stop or at least postpone Mutually Assured Destruction.

Even if it happens, unless the LORD intervenes IMO a thermonuclear war is inevitable.

 

Some of the Islamic radicals want to force that though, as their Islamic theology has the nuke war causing Jesus to return and to slay the Jews and Christians for Allah!

 

Ah yes, they are the folk of The Religion of Peace(Jihad version).

 

Carry on, then.

 

I think this is a fascinating question one of which I've talked to people about for years. Was it right or wrong for the U.S. to do something so catastrophic? I can't deny there are good arguments made by those who differ in opinion. I wonder if the answer to this would be different if the question was asked from all different countries of the world. An American opinion might veer on claiming it was justified simply for the reason it might be difficult to admit the nation did something horribly wrong. It would be like a shame one would feel like they had around their neck. Believing it was justified settles all that. I might tend to be too simplistic but I kind of feel all wars should be fought by men in a battlefield and leave innocent citizens out of it.

 

Yes true but the soldiers in the battlefield, especially the grunts, are taken from the ranks of these innocent civilians, usually fresh out of high school and only know "you are fighting the commies!" which is true on the surface of things rational, but in reality the whole scope of the truth is usually far more complex than that (on both sides).

After a year of training in electronics and computer technology I ended up in an intel/info unit attached to the 2856th ABW at Griffiss AFB in upstate Rome NY on/IN the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) a row of defense units which ended up in Thule Greenland. we watched the Russians watching us.

Several months into my assignment reality struck -these people really want to destroy us! And they have the tools to do it.
And i was convinced it was more than just "defense" on their part.

We stood in the way of their dream of global communism with mother Russia (Actually the USSR) at the helm.

 

To the Japanese in WWII, there was no such thing as an "innocent citizen". They got what they rained down on others.

 

My maternal Grandfather island-hopped through the Pacific. Because the nature of his job, the odds would probably not have been in his favor had he spent much time participating in a mainland-Japan invasion. He was lucky to survive Okinawa and told me that those bombs were lifesavers.

Though I feel sympathy for those on the receiving end, had they not been used there is a good chance I may not exist.