67 Years Ago TODAY....

[JR50]

You have every right to your opinion........partially because the atomic bomb
was used by the United States of America.

There's no question about it!
An invasion of Japan would have weakened American forces to the point that an emboldened Stalin would have taken all of Europe and possibly more territory. History since 1945 would be quite different.
Yes, I'm biased! My dad was in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific at the time. He certainly would have been involved. Would I be here now? Dunno..

 

[littletommy]

Yes, I'm biased! My dad was in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific at the time. He certainly would have been involved. Would I be here now? Dunno..

And that's just the thing! I've always wondered how many of these people who throw around words such as "evil" in regards to the use of the atomic bomb, would not be here today if it were not for the bomb. I've always found the thought of it very interesting.

 

[Iroquois]

Any body who has a problem with Hiroshima and Nagasaki should read Flyboys, by James Bradley
(Flags of our father's) .It recounts the history of the cruelty of the Japanese military, from the
Terrible treatment of their own recruits to the wanton slaughter of every non-japanese that
Suited their desire. They killed not for victory but for pleasure....even for the meat of their
enemy. Ten times as many were punished for war crimes as the Nazis.
They murdered tens of millions more than Hitlers for no special reason, and in as many cruel
ways. There is proof that they used germ warfare and it was successful because some of their
own got sick
Personally I think Japan needed a big jolt to bring them back to humanity.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I honestly think that the Japanese really were seeking terms of surrender through the Russians to us when they were bombed. I believe that it is quite possible that the Japanese were at the end of their rope and would have accepted the terms they ended up accepting without a land invasion and without the a-bombs.

The Japanese were determined, cruel in war and butchered unarmed civilians in the areas they occupied. I am not taking a position on whether or not a civilian population "deserves" something like that. Total war is another can of worms all together.


I figure our military had this game changing weapon come online at the very end of the war and wanted to test it out before the war ended. They found a perfect target in the Japanese. No one in the world would shed a tear for the empire of the sun. They had raped and tortured their many enemies and their few allies were swinging from lamp posts.

Hiroshima got everyone's attention, Nagasaki showed that it was not a fluke, but something we could do on demand. I am not criticizing the decision to drop the bombs or arguing that the Japanese were innocent. I am saying that I think the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had more to do with Stalin than Hirohito.

Someone needed to get hit hard to make it clear to old uncle Joe that America considered the war over and would not tolerate another inch of screwing around. Japan was asking for it and they got smacked hard enough that Russia felt it.

I hate violence but do not deny that it is sometimes necessary.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Yea, it ranks right up their with the trail of tears and slavery.

Here is my response to your shameful statement...

 

[pirate]

Nothing like celebrating genocide... Woohooo America!

We tried others for War Crimes for killing innocent civilians, but threw parades for our very own that did the same. Then spent untold billions of dollars and American lives which continue today trying to keep the leash on the dog we bred and let loose.

I'm indifferent on whether it was morally right or wrong, but don't use the excuse that it was necessary because of what Japan's military (not civilians) were about to do.

As some other more respectful people have said, it is certainly a sobering act to remember, not celebrate.

 

[Kagnew]

Any body who has a problem with Hiroshima and Nagasaki should read Flyboys, by James Bradley
(Flags of our father's) .It recounts the history of the cruelty of the Japanese military, from the
Terrible treatment of their own recruits to the wanton slaughter of every non-japanese that
Suited their desire. They killed not for victory but for pleasure....even for the meat of their
enemy. Ten times as many were punished for war crimes as the Nazis.
They murdered tens of millions more than Hitlers for no special reason, and in as many cruel
ways. There is proof that they used germ warfare and it was successful because some of their
own got sick
Personally I think Japan needed a big jolt to bring them back to humanity.

Very good!

 

[Kagnew]

I honestly think that the Japanese really were seeking terms of surrender through the Russians to us when they were bombed. I believe that it is quite possible that the Japanese were at the end of their rope and would have accepted the terms they ended up accepting without a land invasion and without the a-bombs.

I honestly believe that's all pretty easy for you to say!

 

[Kagnew]

Nothing like celebrating genocide... Woohooo America!

If you want to talk about "genocide", read up on what the Japanese did in China, Korea, The Philippines, and every other country the occupied. (And then look up the word "sanctimonious".)

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I honestly believe that's all pretty easy for you to say!

How do you figure?

 

[littletommy]

Nothing like celebrating genocide... Woohooo America!

We tried others for War Crimes for killing innocent civilians, but threw parades for our very own that did the same. Then spent untold billions of dollars and American lives which continue today trying to keep the leash on the dog we bred and let loose.

I'm indifferent on whether it was morally right or wrong, but don't use the excuse that it was necessary because of what Japan's military (not civilians) were about to do.

As some other more respectful people have said, it is certainly a sobering act to remember, not celebrate.

And as I've stated already, you have the right to publicly state your opinion due to many reasons, one of those being the dropping of the atomic bombs.

 

[Caleb]

I don't really understand why we're arguing about something that happened 67 years ago

 

[churchmouse]

Nothing like celebrating genocide... Woohooo America!

We tried others for War Crimes for killing innocent civilians, but threw parades for our very own that did the same. Then spent untold billions of dollars and American lives which continue today trying to keep the leash on the dog we bred and let loose.

I'm indifferent on whether it was morally right or wrong, but don't use the excuse that it was necessary because of what Japan's military (not civilians) were about to do.

As some other more respectful people have said, it is certainly a sobering act to remember, not celebrate.

I do not celebrate this action. I remember it and pray it will never again have to be used. We can discuss/debate its merits and shortfalls but it is history past. Done and over with. We rebuilt that island nation into the economic power house it is today. History has been written.

 

[Kagnew]

Here is my response to your shameful statement...

 

[pokersamurai]

Here is my response to your shameful statement...

So you're saying you see absolutely no difference in destroying a strategic military target and slaughtering innocent civilians?

The loss of life is terrible regardless. However, the brave soldiers in the military signed up with the possibility that they may be killed in the line of duty. The unarmed civilians of a nation do not volunteer to fight in a war, they have no ability to fight back, and as such I do not think they should be specifically targeted, whether it be by the US, Japan, England, Germany or any other nation.

 

[KoopaKGB]

So you're saying you see absolutely no difference in destroying a strategic military target and slaughtering innocent civilians?

The loss of life is terrible regardless. However, the brave soldiers in the military signed up with the possibility that they may be killed in the line of duty. The unarmed civilians of a nation do not volunteer to fight in a war, they have no ability to fight back, and as such I do not think they should be specifically targeted, whether it be by the US, Japan, England, Germany or any other nation.

Total war is different. That’s how wars were won back then. You put enough hurt on any developed nation you are at war at and eventually it will be in their benefit to surrender. By that time our bombers had Japan buy the balls ie we either give up and not lose another city to this unstoppable American military or we continue the fight until every citizen is dead. That’s total War, hence the Japanese vs United States during WWII. Japan tried to destroy our whole Pacific naval forces and defenses so that they could freely bomb/kill/destroy our nation until we complied with their demands based on their force. Earlier Japan did the same with China and ended up owning large swathes of land, literally pillaging and raping everything and everyone...until we made them stop.

We had complete air supremacy over Japan by that time. Our bombers were able to make run after run unmolested. Put in MMA terms, we had Japan in an arm bar, they refused totap, so we broke their arm and then they tapped out.

 

[churchmouse]

So you're saying you see absolutely no difference in destroying a strategic military target and slaughtering innocent civilians?

The loss of life is terrible regardless. However, the brave soldiers in the military signed up with the possibility that they may be killed in the line of duty. The unarmed civilians of a nation do not volunteer to fight in a war, they have no ability to fight back, and as such I do not think they should be specifically targeted, whether it be by the US, Japan, England, Germany or any other nation.

Have you seen footage of London burning, Europe in ruins, Chinese civilians headless in piles, the torture of the Philippines, Pearl and surrounding areas strafed and bombed (many civilians killed hospitals strafed) the carnage of war truly sucks my friend. t is called war for a very good reason. World war means everyone is at risk. Carpet bombing killed un-told thousands of as you call them, innocent civilians. If the lived close to the targets, the were manning the machinery of war just as our civilians built the planes, tanks, bombs and such we dropped on them. Do I condone this, in a sense, yes. Morally it is questionable, strategically not so much. We killed as many civilians with the fire bombing of Tokyo leading up to the A-Bomb and they died as terrible a death but the push was on to get them to lay down the weapons of war. No one was innocent except the children. Tragic, oh yes. Avoidable, not with the technology of the day. We have become spoiled with "Smart War" you could not pick and choose your targets in the early 40's.
Japanese culture was far different. The cottage industry's that made parts and pieces for the war machine was intertwined through the entire city. You need to do some basic research before you condemn these actions, please.

It is history now. The world was forever changed by the events that took place from 12/7/41 until the treaty was signed by all sides.

 

[cobber]

So you're saying you see absolutely no difference in destroying a strategic military target and slaughtering innocent civilians?

The loss of life is terrible regardless. However, the brave soldiers in the military signed up with the possibility that they may be killed in the line of duty. The unarmed civilians of a nation do not volunteer to fight in a war, they have no ability to fight back, and as such I do not think they should be specifically targeted, whether it be by the US, Japan, England, Germany or any other nation.

True enough...

And don't forget Unit 731

 

[12many]

No, I don't think anybody (anybody here at least) would blame us from using it. I personally wont celebrate it's use as it brought about a massive loss of human life. That said, that massive loss of human life saved countless allied (mostly American) lives.

My Dad was set to be in that invasion force to Japan. I know he was glad it was used.

 

[12many]

When the same revulsion is voiced by the hate America firsters or the Japanese people themselves over Bataan, Laha, Parit Sulong, Palawan, Nanking, Banka Island, and the 20 million civilians murdered in China, Philippines, and other conquered areas (celebrated, close-up, gleeful, retail murder) then I'll consider shedding a tear for the Japanese that were bombed.

+1