Remembering Hiroshima

[asterisktom]

This day in history was, of course, a tragic one for Hiroshima in 1945. With that in mind I thought I might share those old article from our trip there in 2015. The article is not as wordy as my later posts, but it produced several good pictures, I think - and a lasting impression came from this trip.

WordPress.com

 

[Van]

Thanks, I, too, believe we (all humanity) should remember the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima. But I have a different take on the event.

1) The city had been preselected as a potential target for the bomb due to military targets. But, as the OP points out, the real purpose was to demonstrate the devastation of the weapon for the purpose of bringing about surrender.

2) The bombing is not a stain of the "professed moral character" of our country. It was an effort to bring the war to a close, which might actually reduce the total number of deaths, including both Axis and Allied lives. Some, in a effort to disparage America, claim our estimate of more than 100,000 American lives lost in a land invasion of Japan is overblown to justify the bombing. Our experience on Iwo Jima and Okinawa indicated many would fight to the death, resulting in very high loss of life on both sides.

3) President Truman certain had his flaws, but I do believe he did his best to fulfill the vast responsibilities of the Office, something that cannot be said for our current occupant.

 

[Salty]

Many will protest this event to end war -
but will they also protest on 7 Dec when Japan struck Hawaii?

 

[David Kent]

I once read that the bomb was originally planned for Germany, but the war in Europe ended before the bomb was ready.

 

[David Kent]

The Nagasaki bomb also effected POWs, British, but there may also have been US prisoners.

 

[OnlyaSinner]

Thanks, I, too, believe we (all humanity) should remember the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima. But I have a different take on the event.

1) The city had been preselected as a potential target for the bomb due to military targets. But, as the OP points out, the real purpose was to demonstrate the devastation of the weapon for the purpose of bringing about surrender.

2) The bombing is not a stain of the "professed moral character" of our country. It was an effort to bring the war to a close, which might actually reduce the total number of deaths, including both Axis and Allied lives. Some, in a effort to disparage America, claim our estimate of more than 100,000 American lives lost in a land invasion of Japan is overblown to justify the bombing. Our experience on Iwo Jima and Okinawa indicated many would fight to the death, resulting in very high loss of life on both sides.

3) President Truman certain had his flaws, but I do believe he did his best to fulfill the vast responsibilities of the Office, something that cannot be said for our current occupant.

100,000 American lives and perhaps 5-10 times as many Japanese lives. My son is married to a Japanese lady whose recently deceased father was born in 1934. Living in Gifu Prefecture near Nagoya, he could remember being given wooden fake rifles in 1945, so to help "defend" against the potential invasion. The human carnage of such an event would've been beyond horrendous.

 

[Revmitchell]

If Japan did not want tog et bombed in any way they should have left the US alone. We tried to stay out of the war altogether until Pearl Harbor.

 

[kyredneck]

If Japan did not want tog et bombed in any way they should have left the US alone. We tried to stay out of the war altogether until Pearl Harbor.

Good to see you posting Rev! It's been a while.

 

[shodan]

The wordpress link takes me to my own wordpress. (???)

Still, today, we cannot calculate the half-life of propaganda. How many have ever read the comments by the top military leaders of the day? Eisenhower, Nimitz, LeMay, etc .
Or have seen the shadow pictures?
Hiroshima,75 Years Ago: Top Military Leaders Speak

 

[shodan]

A book all Americans ought to read is the classic Hirosima by John Hershey, written shortly after the war. Reasonable price for used books hard to find. See your library. BookFinder.com: Search Results