Yesterday, it was 65 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. On Monday it will be 65 years since the A-bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

I was wondering what opinions you all hold about these events. I really am no expert on what went on during World War 2. I've read that the Japanese would never surrender, or that a planned land invasion of Japan would have claimed many more lives than the bombs did. Also, the bombings were seen as revenge for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Within the first few months after the bombings it is estimated that the death toll in Hiroshima was up to 160,000 people, and in Nagasaki, 80,000.

Was such massive loss of life really necessary to stop the war? Would a land invasion have claimed even more lives? If an atomic bomb was used like this today, surely it would be seen as a heinous act, not a heroic one?


This is what President Truman said in the hours after the bombing:

"Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, an important Japanese Army base. That bomb had more power than 20,000 tons of T.N.T. It had more than two thousand times the blast power of the British "Grand Slam" which is the largest bomb ever yet used in the history of warfare.

It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed against those who brought war to the Far East.

We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. We shall destroy their docks, their factories, and their communications. Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war.

It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.

The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold."


My knowledge on this is limited, so I'd appreciate some educating on this issue!

Here are some articles relating to this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate_over_the_atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasak i
http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v16/v16n3p-4_Weber.html - Was Hiroshima necessary?

Seph,

You seem to have read the main lines of those events and I am not sure if I can add much to that from historical perspective.

Maybe this. If you deepen your research of the times to include the raise of the Reich in Germany, you might find some odd matters there. As in who financed the, until then, marginal fringe party known as the National Socialists. Once there I believe you find your way to conclude that all the blood letting and dying was not disputes between nations, but much, much more sinister enterprise by the people in power.

Reflecting more philosophically. Those same forces are at work to this day, my friend. Just that we, the people, have become slaves in every corner of the world. Sold down the river for minimum wage and enough debt to make us labor the rest of our lives. Once democracy is corrupted -- that form of governance is a real pain to reform.

The above is in no way tempting to equate the horrendous conditions for the slaves of then and now to the more comfy slavery of the commoners. Rather that we are in the same ship in so many ways.

Seph,,

I am a member of my local American legion hall, we have an archive of videos ,letters and assorted memorabilia from the war. After seeing the evidence and hearing the storys from the gentlemen of that era i have know doubt that the Japanese would not have surrendered . They speak of whole companys of men who would commit suicide rather then being captured,the wives and children of the men on the smaller islands, threw themselves and there children off cliffs rather than being taken prisoner.One of the things that bothered me most was there was a chance it could have been done without the bombs but the whole thing revolved around the emperor keeping his throne and all powers with it. I am amazed that a people that could build a navy as they had with the most modern of weapons of the times, would follow one man because of so called divine rite , being an American i will never understand that.

People do make funny choices..... King Dubya comes to mind....even when the said good people are free to choose.

Traditions makes things more complicated, as it was with the Japanese at the time. It was an honorable thing to do for them (to die) whereas surrender was seen worse than death.

Being an American or not I think has little to do with this matter. Nations do the most atrocious things in the name of whatever -- unfortunately the people follow too easy. As an American you only need to take a look at the hype (GWOT I believe the cause was known by) your country still accepts and lives by too often. Even as a Finn I can see that...;-)

On July 16, 1945 "the atomic age" was born : the very first test explosion of the atomic bomb was detonated in the State of New Mexico, USA.
Most of the credit for the bomb's design is given to Los Alamos Director J. Robert Oppenheimer (more like a curse, rather than credit).

After the initial euphoria of witnessing the explosion had passed, test director Kenneth Bainbridge commented to Oppenheimer, " Now we are all sons of bitches ! "

Oppenheimer later stated that while watching the test he was reminded of a line from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita:
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."



Most of the hydrogen bombs of today are approx 6 to 10 times more destructive than that dropped on Hiroshima. May our World live in peace, and never use such devastating power !

Article on atomic bomb vs. hydrogen bomb = http://wardhayeswilson.squarespace.com/a-bomb-v-h-bomb/