Japan surrendered because Truman used the bomb, twice.
In doing so he saved perhaps millions of lives. The Japanese would not have quit fighting and dying until the Emperor told them to do so. The bombs brought that about, even though it is likely that the fire bombing of Tokyo took more lives.
An older brother went through the Philippines campaign. His division was slated to be in the invasion of the Japanese homeland. When one considers how the Japs fought for Iwo Jima and Okinawa think how they would fight and die for mainland Japan. I for one applaud the decision of President Truman.
I hope that if this country were ever invaded we would fight like the Japanese did but I doubt it. Prosperity has made us soft. People will sleep out for days to get the latest electronic device or buy a ticket to some concert but <profanity edited - LE changed to "complain"> if inconvenienced for any other reason!
My uncle was at Iwo Jima and saw them raise the flag. One other uncle made my mom a bracelet out of a Jap zero. He said some of the guys were making bracelets out of their canteens and telling the people they made them out of a Jap zero but his was the real genuine thing. I have that bracelet. On it is sketched "Okinawa 1945."
One uncle survived in the Pacific by hiding in a swamp, breathing through a reed, in order to not be discovered and tortured. It left its scars. He died at the young age of 42. Another cousin ended up blowing out his brains from what the war did to him. Nearly every male relative of mine on both sides of the family including my dad and brother have served this nation in one of the branches of service or intelligence, some in war time, others in "peace" times. Some fought in the Revolutionary War. Some in the Civil War. Some were lost. Some survived. Americans have always been known throughout history for our ruggedness, the ability to survive against all odds, for ingenuity, for greatness. I am proud of the legacy handed down to me by all who sacrificed for this nation.
Unfortunately, I agree with you about the softness of Americans, maybe not of our generation but those younger, the "me first" generation. We all know who they are.... Right or wrong, we were a united country in WW2. The recent wars have been political ones, for the wrong reasons, IMO, not fought with the goal of winning, too many ROE that tie the hands of our troops, too much political correctness, too much nation building (who ever heard of building a nation before bringing it to its knees? Crazy, misguided, waste of American lives, limbs, and treasure, IMO).
We are divided from within. I remember when Kruschev pounded his shoe on the desk and said he would bury us. How prophetic. And the Russians didn't even have to declare war on us, we have done it to ourselves at the ballot box and through corruption, electing socialists/communists to rule us. We are no longer E pluribus unum, out of many, one. We are too divided, from within and from without, too in debt, and we will fall. No foreign enemy need invade us. We already have enemies from within in the highest positions of power in our Land.
:tear: :tear: :tear:
well, enough of my sadness for today.... :tear:
