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By The Numbers: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima

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US is the only country using weapons of mass destruction on civilian population!

-18 ( +13 / -31 )

US is the only country using weapons of mass destruction on civilian population!

Excuse me? Ever hear of Saddam Hussein and Halabja chemical attack against the Kurds? Not quite.

The US may be the "only" country to have dropped nukes, but chemical warfare is also a WMD. Keeping blinders on with regards to history does no one any good.

Long live Japan and America. Best allies ever due to stupidity of the bushido militaristic and business leaders of the past. All forgiven. Let's move on.

Well said!

8 ( +17 / -8 )

One more number:

0: How many bombs were needed. The Japanese had been seeking ways to surrender for several months before the bombing, knowing full well that their defeat was imminent.

-15 ( +14 / -28 )

0: How many bombs were needed. The Japanese had been seeking ways to surrender for several months before the bombing, knowing full well that their defeat was imminent.

I don't buy this. Surrender is easy. Have your representative contact their representative and say 'we want to surrender'. If they didn't do that, it's because they didn't really want to surrender.

7 ( +16 / -9 )

Another number:

2 - the number of nuclear weapons programmes that Japan had.

The Japanese Army had the Ni-Go project and the Imperial Navy the F-Go project, the former based on U-235 and the latter on heavy water. Neither could obtain sufficient supplies of their chosen elements to progress beyond the lab stage, though few people doubt that had Japan developed such a weapon, they would have used it, especially with the record of Unit 731 using biologicial weapons. Ironically, the only mine in Japan for Uranium was at Ishikawite, Fukushima.

15 ( +21 / -6 )

People forget that America was not the only country to pursue the development of an atomic bomb those 75 years ago. Britain when it stood alone against Germany, attempted it but decided to hand it on to America. Both Germany and Japan also pursued an atomic bomb project but without the success that America had. On April 1943 , Nishina tells Gen. Nobu-uji that the weigh would be enormous ( jindai ) and that’ as a bomb’ it is not considered suitable ( tekito narazaru ). Heisenberg in Germany, talked of the critical mass of U235 as having a radius 54 cm and weighing 10 tons. The dividing line between success and failure is perhaps not as obvious as it may appear.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

The bombings were not necessary, Japan had nearly depleted its natural resources and was losing the fight.

Japan was going to be defeated and America knew it, also Hiroshima and Nagasaki were hardly worthy targets of an attack if the goal was to indeed win the war.

The only true reason they bombed Japan was to see the effects it would have on humas (hence the planes had cameras and such to study the population).

As soon as the first bomb exploded the US President warned the Soviet leader to back off from West Germany, as the USA and major EUropean powers were worried that the Soviet Union was preparing to exert greater influence in the West of Germany and therefore Europe.

The first bomb was basically a warning, the second was just to show off they had more..

Racism played a certain elemet in to it as the USA thought "They're just Japs" therefore felt it to be acceptable to use Japanese people like lab rats.

Important to notice that Germans were much less harshly treated than the Japanese, war criminals included. With many German nazis having escape punishment rather easily.

-17 ( +14 / -31 )

Japan was going to be defeated and America knew it, also Hiroshima and Nagasaki were hardly worthy targets of an attack if the goal was to indeed win the war.

All this is true. But then one has to remember the IJA had orders to kill all POWs in Japan in the event of an invasion - and if the emperor hadn't ordered a surrender they might still have anyway. This doesn't change the fact that these bombs were horrendous weapons. Nothing good came out of their creation

4 ( +11 / -7 )

Regardless of whether or not the use of atomic weapons against Japan was a good or moral decision. The truth of the matter is that the U.S. are allied with Japan in one of the strongest most mutually beneficial arrangement between any two countries. It is certainly the most important alliance that Japan has and arguably the most important alliance that the U.S. have.

There are certainly the occasional tensions between the two nations within the business world, in trying to determine trading rights, and sadly the current spying issue. However, both countries have moved on from the atrocities of World War Two.

Though I have no realistic solution to the international relationships between Japan and its frustrated neighbors, the current U.S./Japan relationship demonstrates that it is possible to move past terrible things.

17 ( +18 / -2 )

@Miyagi Ken

Very well put. That is the most construct comment I have read on a JT thread in a very long time. Breath of fresh air.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Thanks to my employment in the "Merchant Navy' that i got to tour major Japaneses city's of Nagoya, Yokohama and Tokyo in the 1980's and 1990's. Was impressed by the high standard of living and the discipline and cleanliness of Japanese city's.It was difficult to believe that in 1945 entire Japan was a economic ruin as also the first and only country in the World to have two atomic bombs dropped on it.In a war although there is a ultimate victor and a loser its actually a no-win situation for both the parties involved in War.Today in 2015 numerous Country's possess "ATOMIC WEAPONS" which could trigger a accidental nuclear war and sadly hope the history of Hiroshima and later Nagasaki keeps World Nuclear powers on the alert to use their weapons only as "SHOWCASE DETERRENTS" akin to "MUSEUM ARTIFACTS". The next nuclear bomb or bombs could mean the end of Planet Earth.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Really? Only 12 comments on such a grand subject? Let us get things moving...

Late to board, just got back from my crusade on CNN and CBS board, it was this very news. Nevertheless better late than never as they say.

@TheTiger Well said, I couldn't agree any more. Oh please don't even mention Saddam Hussein, the war or rather beat down was at best filled with lies and corruption. I need not waste time as many have already published books on the matter, the facts remain that, forevermore Iraq will be wartorn and a base for terrorist groups, it's a common sight, bombs go off every day in Iraq, is Iraq better off today than it was with Saddam?

@Frederic Bastiat "The Japanese had been seeking ways to surrender for several months before the bombing, knowing full well that their defeat was imminent." Perhaps they wanted to surrender, perhaps not, the fact is, the US known very well the destructive nature of the Atomic bombs, (they've already tested similar atomic bombs in the deserts or Mexico prier to the mission on Japan) Knowing full well of the destructive power that the atomic bombs possessed, the Einstein in charge of dropping the bombs decided to detonate them a few hundred feets above ground.

Unfortunately those carrying out the "mission" lacked any true brains. It would have been wiser to drop the first bomb on an unpopulated area of Japan, I am sure many smaller settlements, smaller than the 350,000: Population of Hiroshima existed. The sheer raw of the blast would have been enough to gain the surrender that the US desired. The true mission was to see the adverse effects Atomic Nuclear weapons had on fellow human beings, who would have thought such devilish people existed, I feel a sense of disgrace that my extended familys are Americans, you will often see that I fail my upkeep of communications with them, the last correspondence was 25 years ago, their as good as dead to me, they've refused the offer to migrate to Briton and drop their American heritage.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

More numbers;

6- days it took Japan to actually surrender after Nagasaki

10,000- the number of kamikaze aircraft available to attack an invasion fleet

900,000- the number of IJA soldiers ready to repel an invasion

35,000,000- the number of civilians who were training as a Home Guard to attack the allies

And the Most Important Number:

0

The number of allied servicemen who died in the invasion of Japan

Also the number of Japanese who died during said invasion

14 ( +20 / -6 )

the current U.S./Japan relationship demonstrates that it is possible to move past terrible things. Agreed unfortunately there are many on JT that think this relationship is worthless and the US should be tried for so called war crimes against Japan. All of these haters werent even around during that war have never experienced what war is like. But somehow theyre experts on war crimes and the morals if war . Been force feed too much media propoganda

1 ( +3 / -2 )

0 The number of allied servicemen who died in the invasion of Japan

As of Memorial Day, June 23rd 2013, there are recorded 241,227 deaths directly related to the invasion of Japan.

Dont ever forget this please.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

It might be worth pointing out to anyone reading these comments that the JT poll currently shows only 36% of readers of this site think the bombing was morally justifiable. Whether they are right or wrong, it seems like many of the commentors and those giving thumbs down on this thread and others are just part of the vocal minority.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Japan should choose her surrunder soley under Soviet Union forces before August. With Stalin protection Japan could save face and lives and two nuclear catastrophes could be avoided. The wartime japanese military high command were in a total chaos and infighting between factions that lead to US permanent occupation and humilations. Japan had lost her soul forever.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

for all the rememberance and sorrow and so on about the nukes being dropped, how about this for macabre http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/hiroshima-bombing-app-shows-scale-of-destruction-by-simulating-what-would-happen-if-little-boy-bomb-was-dropped-on-your-hometown-10442223.html

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, that's too bad and war is hell. Japan started the war with the U.S., so the U.S. finished it with the best option that could end the war most quickly with least losses of lives and wealth on both sides. For those in Asia who were victimized brutally by their Japanese invaders, the bombs could not have been dropped a day sooner. And Japanese who whine about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should be thankful that the U.S. did not take over their island nation to plunder, pillage, raze, rape and murder with no inhibition, like their imperial army had done all over Asia and Pacific.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Japan should choose her surrunder soley under Soviet Union forces before August. With Stalin protection Japan could save face and lives and two nuclear catastrophes could be avoided. The wartime japanese military high command were in a total chaos and infighting between factions that lead to US permanent occupation and humilations. Japan had lost her soul forever.

Tough choice, US or Soviet Russia.....I for one would take my chances with the US, at least they didnt "purge" anyone.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Pray for thet dead.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The sheer raw of the blast would have been enough to gain the surrender that the US desired.

Really? THen pray tell why didnt Japan surrender right after Hiroshima? Why did they wait for 6 days after Nagasaki? WHy were there officers trying to stage a coup to stop the Emperor from making his surrender speach?

You are off your rocker, the bombs hastened the surrender, but there were still too many Japanese in the military that wanted Japan to fight to the last man, woman, and child.....THAT is the reality, your views of history are looking from hindsight and not even attempting to take into account what was happening at THAT time.

Yes the US was racist towards Japan, but guess what, THEY are allies now, and THAT is all that matters today.

Quit using 21st Century information to judge something that happened 70 years ago....on this YOU are wrong.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Today we remember all The innocent that died on that day with humanities deadliest weapon. When will you people here learn that is just about this. I dare you just to walk one minute in Hiroshima for you to realise this.

Comments of justification or guilt are atrocious.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

America has done plenty of things wrong in the past. Ending WWII as quickly as possible wasn't one of them. I feel sorry for the innocent children who were too young to know anything and died or suffered as a result of the Atomic Bomb. However, I do not feel sorry for Japan who groomed their people for a generation to be cruel and inhuman. Sometimes it takes a bigger stick to stop a bully, the Atomic Bomb was that big stick and Japan was stopped.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

@Mitminow,

And THAT was the best comment I have seen all day in the various threads regarding today's anniversary. Absolutely spot on!

May we remember all and may we never ever forget, especially the innocent that paid the ultimate price.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Yubaru "Yes the US was racist towards Japan"

Was and still is.

"They are allies now"

Americans always try to convince Japanese in it. True ally never speak about.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

20,000-number Koreans killed in Hiroshima.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The bombs were sick as well as those who try to justify them.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Now different the end of the pacific war could have been for the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki but for an ironical word. Cultural differences are inherent in all languages and prime minister Suzuki’s casual use of the word ‘ mokusatsu ‘ set events on an unstoppable course to destruction. As Confucius said” if the written words can be misinterpreted, they will be.”

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Later, wannabe dectaters began bragging they will use A Bombs to accompliah their goal. So, Japan;s one former PM decided to quit hia political life, preached dangerous areas in middle east etc to purauade not using A Bomb. Euaku Satoh later he received Nobel Peace Prize,

The above data do not include cancer patients whose body and skun decayed rapidly and died.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

300,000: Total death toll to date, including those who have died from radiation-related cancers.

What is the point if this statistic? There were 350,000 people in Hiroshima on that day, 70 years ago. It is not surprising that most of them have passed away.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Here's my question for people who think the atomic bomb was justified: Imagine there was a hostage taker making threats to murder 100 hostages, would it be justified to grab an innocent person off the street and publicly execute them in an electric chair in the hopes that this display of what punishment might await the hostage taker might dissuade him from acting on his threats? How can you ever morally justify this where an innocent person has been deliberately murdered?

Now, what is the difference between this and destroying an entire city and burning the skin off women and children in order to send a message to the Japanese government? It's unjustifiable even if it was expedient.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

After 70 yrs. it's time to move on. Tired of reading the butt-hurt posts of those who still think the bombings weren't justified. All is fair in love & war.

But I think Vast Right-Wing Conspirator said it best. 2nd place goes to Miyagi Ken.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

At that time, cancer treatment was not like today. They just sufferred and died. Becaise desert nead current Las Vegas was unswefround A bomb test site, there is a museum that has A Bomb movie theater. It simulates Pikadon sounds and tremble but I skip theater. There is a cancer hospital, When Chicago Mafia business men began making casinos in Vegas, they were scared of effect of cancer than hitmen that they all were contributers to cancer hospital. One guy even contributed to other area cancer hospitals that American Cancer Society awarded him Humanitarian of the year. Las Vegas did not want to be left from Cancer Society, So it planned an award. Then FBI noticed that it is going to artreet him. So Las Vegas asked to delay. He died with Kidney failure befor arrested but story here is even Mafias were awares of A bomb cancer. They were gone with other reasons now. Every time nuclear waste sending plan to NV is planned by US top to bottom oppose. There is no nuclear energy power in NV. People are paranoia maybe. But cancer scare still exists in NV

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

You know, the fact that they named these bombs "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" says to me that there was "love" in doing them, that is so twisted...

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

The bombs were a godsend and it killed the racist, fascist Japanese era in history. Japan should thank the US for those bombs and saving them from an even more shameful WWII legacy.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

8:15 the time that most Hiroshima residents finished breakfast and went out to work and other activities.

8:15 the time of the blast.

No, this was not a coincidence.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@YubaruAug

Get your had out ya A$$ man Just cos ur American dosnt mean Americans are free from guilt in all wars etc,making a comparative between chemical weapons and The Atom bombs is like beer and vodka.

All nations need to move on a LEARN from such terrible times, as do people. I hope Abe doesnt end up with foot and mouth next month but im unsure about what will be show from the dear leader. Fingers Crossed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

in `1945; work start hours M to SAT OFFICE 8 AM LABORERS 7 AM

S

orning laborers 7 AM OFFICE ELITE 8 AM

2 ( +2 / -0 )

White Light, Black Rain........ those were among the descriptions after the blasts. It is that time of the year again when i really get very, very sad and begin to hate hearing the words "WAR" ; "Nuclear" ; "ATOMIC BOMB" even more. Enola Gay's~ "Little Boy" was dropped in Hiroshima and followed 2 days after by "Fat Man" in Nagasaki - making those Two Atomic Bombs no doubt the World's 1st and World's Most deadliest weapon in History ever used in a Country and its innocent Civilians. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sadly only the random unfortunate targets. Up to now, 70 years after, still thousands and thousands of people in those two cities are still suffering, living the effects from radiations and turmoils from that fateful day of Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, including their children's children and the many, coming generations of those who survived and were radiated.

I am sickly tired of hearing people justifying those A-bombs to be (so-called) "necessary" to end WW2, and continue assuming that Japan would not surrender hadn't the US used those bombs in those two cities which weren't even a threat to the US at the time. Stop it, we all know what really made Japan to surrender and it wasn't because of either of the 2 bombs. We also know why Truman decided to use it when it could've been avoided. NO ONE AMONG US HUMANS HAS THE RIGHT TO PLAY GOD. These numbers says it all, these numbers have each a "face" and each have an equally "life & living" that were all- of-a-sudden ended and forever changed in effect of those bombings.. literally and instantly nuking them alive. if not killing them. It's "NUCLEAR WEAPON" we're talking here, and twice at that! Picture it happening to your country.. to your loved-ones. It should NOT have been made and be used again, ever, by any human to an equal human. Truman should've been hanged too and punished as much as those Imperial Japanese Militaries that were executed for war crimes. Bombing innocent Civilians is not only cowardice but totally a War Crime against Humanity. If some say the US wasn't the only country to have used a Nuclear weapon capable of mass-destruction in history.. then i say the US started it all. They opened the gates to our civilization's own doom and created a scary, massive, terrifying World of Nuclear Age! No wonder did Japan ever engage their country in a war after that (WW II). And no wonder too that the United States has been in to EVERY wars there is then.. and until now. Many Lives will never ever come back, but reflecting on what it has done to the whole mankind, and learning lessons out of it may hopefully serve as inspirations in our continued goal and willingness towards World Peace.... No to Atomic bombs.. NO to Nuclear Weapons! Never again..

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

toshiko the trinity test was in New Mexico not Mexico nor Nevada. The ground is still radioactive today and only a limited period of exposure is allowed. http://www.atomicheritage.org/history/trinity-test-1945

I should not dwell on the American bombs as they make me dislike Americans. I think about the pictures of the burned children and adults and it becomes a rage. Nagasaki was home to the Catholic church in Japan so I think the attack was one on the mother church by Protestants. The bomb detonated 500 meters from the Urakami Cathedral.

The Americans are imitating Joseph Stalin when he stated "The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic." So try not to be so angry and cold heart in justifying what can not be justified. Killing so many civilians to save troops is a fowl war crime.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Researchers carried out detailed studies of the health effects due to radiation exposure to large populations. They studied over 1,22,000 persons. Cancer deaths is found to increase linearly with dose at radiation exposure at levels above 200 mSv . At lower doses there are uncertainties. The A-bomb survivors studies helped in arriving at robust, practical radiation protection standards.

More recent data showed that radiation exposure can cause health effects other than cancer. Some researchers using different type of analysis of the same data available from Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) demonstrated the presence of a threshold dose below which cancer incidence does not occur. They claimed that this observation is in line with the latest findings at molecular level in tissue. This view is yet to get wider acceptance.

There are a few other important facts on the long term health effects of radiation. Unfortunately, media ignore them. No double headed monsters were born to the survivors of A-bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No genetic effects were seen among the children of the survivors. Since harmful mutations were seen when fruit-flies, mouse etc were studied, radiation safety professionals assume, as a matter of abundant caution, that they are likely in man also . Scientific community must be grateful to A-bomb survivors for their cooperation in participating in the long term studies on them. Over 58% of the survivors have died.

The following links lead to two my articles on the health effects at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/09/06/stories/08060003.htm http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/scientists-question-basic-conclusion-of-abomb-survivors-study/article3742692.ece

5 ( +6 / -1 )

@yuri: I wrote underground tests in Nevada]

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

10-30 MILLION

number of people who probably were spared death by the a-bombs. The ATOMIC BOMBS SAVED JAPANESE LIVES!!!!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

So try not to be so angry and cold heart in justifying what can not be justified. Killing so many civilians to save troops is a fowl war crime.\

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?????

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Here's my question for people who think the atomic bomb was justified: Imagine there was a hostage taker making threats to murder 100 hostages, would it be justified to grab an innocent person off the street and publicly execute them in an electric chair in the hopes that this display of what punishment might await the hostage taker might dissuade him from acting on his threats? How can you ever morally justify this where an innocent person has been deliberately murdered?

This analogy does not work, you know nothing of war, nor the time period in question if you are trying to come up with comparisons like this, stop it please, it just makes you look more and more ignorant.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Saying it is not justifiable doesn't make it unjustifiable @toshiko....in fact the A-bomb did not just save US military lives it saved millions of Japanese civilian lives...who would have been killed when the US invaded the home islands. This day should be spent by Japanese apologizing for the war that they started, which killed millions of people. Instead we get the yearly Japan-was-the-victim nonsense which really shows that Japanese today have ZERO idea of how bloody the war was that they started....

0 ( +5 / -5 )

It's believed the Nipponjin would have surrendered without invasion, without Russia entering the PTO, and without dropping a bomb. The real reason we dropped it. We were running out of money. It's damn expensive supplying weapons to every nation and we wanted to make a statement to the Soviets and use it as leverage while dividing the spoils. It didn't work.

Ike's response ..

In [July] 1945… Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act. …the Secretary, upon giving me the news of the successful bomb test in New Mexico, and of the plan for using it, asked for my reaction, apparently expecting a vigorous assent.

During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of ‘face’. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude….

Admiral Leahy...

It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons.

MacArthur ... MacArthur’s views about the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were starkly different from what the general public supposed …. When I asked General MacArthur about the decision to drop the bomb, I was surprised to learn he had not even been consulted. What, I asked, would his advice have been? He replied that he saw no military justification for the dropping of the bomb. The war might have ended weeks earlier, he said, if the United States had agreed, as it later did anyway, to the retention of the institution of the emperor.

The Potsdam declaration in July, demand[ed] that Japan surrender unconditionally or face ‘prompt and utter destruction.’ MacArthur was appalled. He knew that the Japanese would never renounce their emperor, and that without him an orderly transition to peace would be impossible anyhow, because his people would never submit to Allied occupation unless he ordered it. Ironically, when the surrender did come, it was conditional, and the condition was a continuation of the imperial reign. Had the General’s advice been followed, the resort to atomic weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki might have been unnecessary

Almost all military agreed, that we had already won, no invasion was needed to win, no bomb was needed. It was over, except for formalities. The Imperial Navy was destroyed, Japan no longer had anything but a pawtry air presence. They were basically under siege and the nation would have soon starved without rice from China. So why drop it? Because it was too expensive not to, and someone in the executive branch wanted badly to use their new toy. The idea that it was to save American lives was a justification. It was to save American dollars and to make a political statement to the world.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Those that think Japan was beat on August 4th are deluding themselves. There were hundred of thousands of civilians training to fight to the death against an invader. There was active Japanese military operations ongoing, not the mark of someone who was beaten. The bloody price that was paid by the US in Okinawa made the invasions of the home islands led US planners that over 1 MILLION lives would be lost by the US alone. The Japanese Government may have had factions that wanted to surrender but those in charge were for the war. It was only after the first bomb was dropped that the surrender argument was given a boost. The first bomb was also why Russia decided to join the war. The bombs saved lives.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

@Yubaru

This analogy does not work, you know nothing of war, nor the time period in question if you are trying to come up with comparisons like this, stop it please, it just makes you look more and more ignorant.

I have no doubt that people are more prone to commit moral atrocities under the pressures of war and some such as yourself might more readily forgive them in those circumstances. The only question that I'm interested in is whether it was objectively immoral to knowingly take the lives of innocent people for no other purpose than to send a message with their deaths. No matter how laudable or necessary the objective is, does anyone have the right to decide that an innocent person must die so that others might have a greater chance to live? There is no easy answer of course.

(I also note that while you poo-pooed my question, you also failed to answer it, which tends to suggest that perhaps you can't?)

0 ( +3 / -3 )

0-The amount of health care Korean hibakusha received from the Japanese government prior to the landmark Japanese Supreme Court ruling that denial of such aid was discriminatory and illegal (The Overseas Hibakusha Case,[1] SCOJ 2005 No.1977).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Where is the evidence that 140,000 people were killed? The American researchers did an extensive random sampling of the surviving population, asking how large their family was and how many had been killed. From the results it was calculated that 25% of the civilian population had been killed. The great unknown, of course, is how large the population was at the time of the explosion. But even if high estimate of 350-400,000 people were present in Hiroshima on August 6, the death toll ought not to exceed 90,000, if the American methodology was sound. The Hiroshima police estimated the dead and the missing total of about 90,000, if all the missing are presumed dead.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Nagasaki was home to the Catholic church in Japan so I think the attack was one on the mother church by Protestants. The bomb detonated 500 meters from the Urakami Cathedral.

@Yuri. Ha-ha. Ridiculous comments like these ONLY justifies the bombings further.

They were basically under siege and the nation would have soon starved without rice from China. So why drop it? Because it was too expensive not to

Rice from from China? but, you're right war is costly not mention human life.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I forgot to mention that the source for the above is Wikipedia, "The Overseas Hibakusha Case."

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@asap @toshiko....in fact the A-bomb did not just save US military lives it saved millions of Japanese civilian lives...who would have been killed when the US invaded the home islands. This day should be spent by Japanese apologizing for the war that they started, which killed millions of people. Instead we get the yearly Japan-was-the-victim nonsense which really shows that Japanese today have ZERO idea of how bloody the war was that they started..

=============================================

I never wrote saved US military wrote I was glad Japan lost war and I am still alive though and I am JT member for many years. Don't make up lies.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Article states: 140,000: Estimated death toll, including those who died from radiation-related injuries and illness through Dec. 31, 1945. 300,000: Total death toll to date, including those who have died from radiation-related cancers.

How did Japan get 300K death? The 1946 U.S. had figure of 90,000 dead. Deaths after Dec 1945 evidently were not very numerous. The survey found that approximately 75% had died by Dec. 1945, and that an additional 5-6% had died between then and 1950. Interestingly, the latter death rate is slightly above 1 percent a year, almost exactly the normal mortality rate for the Japanese population. Counting deaths as of the end of 1945 must have captured essentially all of them.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Yabaru "Really? THen pray tell why didnt Japan surrender right after Hiroshima? Why did they wait for 6 days after Nagasaki? WHy were there officers trying to stage a coup to stop the Emperor from making his surrender speach?"

You've answered your own question in your response.

Yes there were officers trying to stage a coup to stop the Emperor from making his surrender speach?, nevertheless we are interested in the leader (in this case the Emperor) once again, The sheer raw of the blast would have been enough to gain that very same surrender speach from the Emperor wouldn't you agree?

Many talk about the US/Japan alliance, "In the end we have the best alliance between two nations" please don't kid yourself about Japan US alliance, ask yourself, do you see a single American complaining? No you don't, why would the us complain? They get the better end of the bargain, on the other hand, we have many Japanese across Japan kicking and screaming, where is Japans base on US soil? There isn't one yet the US has many Military base in Japan with or without Japans agreement.

The Japanese people not only get nuked but are to this day 70 years on being oppressed by the US, now that's what I call the living example of pouring salt on the wounds.

Enough said.....

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@Strategist: THen pray tell why didnt Japan surrender right after Hiroshima? Why did they wait for 6 days after Nagasaki? WHy were there officers trying to stage a coup to stop the Emperor from making his surrender speach?"

I am not Yubaru but I know why. Japan was under totalitaliam military Govt which ordered everything has to be same. For instance, northern farmers and southern farmers had tocultivate same amunt of rice. So nice weather southern twice a crop farms had to hide crops Vegetarian time so id north has 2 Esiah owners of farns (junushi) in cities had to hide huge extra crops/ Then linens nabt items, There was no freedom of speech. There were people who tried to speak up and they were verdict of death sentence, nO ONE COULD SPEAK UP.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Other numbers;

Civilian war deaths in Asia prior to Hiroshima bombing: between 5,424,000 (Rummel estimate) and 20,365,000 (Gruhl estimate). Civilian deaths after the Nagasaki bombing: ?

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The only question that I'm interested in is whether it was objectively immoral to knowingly take the lives of innocent people for no other purpose than to send a message with their deaths.

Those "innocents" you refer to, besides the children, were willing to die defending their country. Children are always the losers in any war, and sadly so, however what happened happened, and now is the time to keep the peace.

Japan is running away from "keeping the peace" into the arms of war. The government hasn't learned it's lesson.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Strategist: Rice I mentioned was short grain white rice. Japanese disliked Chinese ling grain rice. There were military officers who tried to chabge vovt but they were shito death.

After war, medua dug stories.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Interesting the barrage of thumbs down for those opposed to the use of the A Bombs - meaning that the prevailing Meta Narrative pertaining to the rationale behind the use of these weapons is still alive and well.

From that, I get tacit approval for the use of Nuclear weapons in the future, should it be deemed....'necessary'.

Be very careful what you wish for.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Those "innocents" you refer to, besides the children, were willing to die defending their country.

Let's be honest, that's pure speculation and propaganda. Most conflicts in world history have shown that civilian populations simply don't go on fighting to the death. Most just want to move forward with their lives. Even in Okinawa it was only a fraction of civilians who actively fought against American forces, mainly because they were forced to do so. And even if you are right, why not wait to drop them bomb after confirming that Japanese women were not going to lay down their bamboo spears?

The danger with your point of view is that it blurs the line between civilians and the military. Every civilian wants their own country to win the war and it's not uncommon for civilians to be given some military training, but you can't treat them all as legitimate targets.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

CNN will have GOP candidate trebate now and annljncer mentklned Hiroshma 140,000 sied and that was if.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

And none of these numbers EVER haf to happen. Period.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

*had to happen

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Atomic bombing prevented the creation North Japan and South Japan as independent country just like South/North Korea, South/North Vietnam, East/West Germany. Large Army (even greater than the US Marines and invading Force) were already in Russian Far East and Sakhalin for the planned Japan invasion.

Well it's good thing that it never happened. For the past 20 years, I drove several times to northern Japan from Tokyo for Ski. People there are friendly and the scenery are great.. and the best thing happen in Japanese life is that a parcel of its homeland was never ruled by the Soviet.

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"In 1945 ... , Secretary of War Stimson visited my headquarters in Germany, [and] informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act.... During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and second because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face.' The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude, almost angrily refuting the reasons I gave for my quick conclusions." - General Dwight D. Eisenhower

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@notasap "The first bomb was also why Russia decided to join war"

FYI, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin promised to allies to join war on East after defeating NAZIs. That is why from May to August of 1945 major Soviet troops were redeployed from Europe to Far East. Soviet plan of attack of IJA was developed long before bombings. Besides, Soviets wished to re-gain territories of Sakhalin and Kuriles which were lost for Imperial Russia after Russo-Japanese war in 1904-1905.

"The bombs saved lives" No need to repeat an utterly idiotic myth created by Americans specially for young, uneducated imbeciles. It is the same level of idiocy as to insist that "NAZIs gassed million of Jews to save lives of NAZI soldiers in Europe, because Jews could become active fighters against NAZI troops" .

@AU user since _ 1998 "for the planned Japan invasion". It is a plain lie. Soviets helped Chinese and Koreans on north part of the peninsula to establish a new administration. Some military also kept more than half of million of IJA POWs.In short, all military units were busy. Besides, Soviets had absolutely no amphibious crafts to perform invasion to Japanese mainland. And Soviets had no plans to invade Japan because long before American, British and Soviet leaders in Yalta conference had strictly determined spheres of influence for every ally both in Germany and in Japan after capitulation. It is well documented. Those stupid myths about "threat of Soviet invasion", about "saving lives by A-bombs" were created by Americans after WWII in desperate attempts to justify their horrible crimes against "Japs"(racial slur that was used by Americans on official level, in national news, magazines, newspapers).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Kallikattu Sivarama Parthasarathy praised the research done by the US allies after dropping the bombs, stating that only this research allowed for the setting of standards and understanding in healthcare and industry when dealing with radiation.

There has been a lot of similar arguments to use the German Camp Medical tests on Cold Water Drowning and high and low atitude testing. in fact there are lots of old Nazi testing on live humans that equal what the allies did in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Observe, take notes and photos- but render no aid

I am sorry - the argument is not a good one, the country was in ruins and blockaded, it would have fell in a few months. the bombs were not necessary- not for Japan- maybe to stop Russia from Europe but nor for Japan

0 ( +2 / -2 )

2: the number of times longer it took for Japan to react to the bombings and surrender, than was allowed them between the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombing of Hiroshima was barbarous - at most they should have bombed the Tokyo bay, or the top off Mount Fuji. The bombing of Nagasaki was gratuitously evil.

39,000–80,000 The number of people, most of them women and children, murdered in Nagasaki.

"The Japanese started it," even if that were relevant to burning children to death, which it is not, economic blockades are an act of war and US, Britain, and the Dutch blockaded Japan in July 1941, causing the war in the Pacific.

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@timtak"economic blockades are an act of war and US, Britain, and the Dutch blockaded Japan in July 1941, causing the war in the Pacific."

Good point. The rotten nature of westerners is exposed perfectly. History shows that they did it many times, in various parts of the world, with various countries. Usually they create special conditions for a certain nation, forcing it for active military operations. Then declare that nation a 'rogue' and blame in all possible sins.

For example, they have been trying to do it with Iran for years. Nowadays they declared economical war to Russia.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

What did the minds of the time have to say about it?

Who supported the atomic bomb and who opposed it? Did anyone oppose or try to prevent the atomic bomb? What did they do to stop it?…show more 3 Answers • Military

Best Answer (Chosen by Voter) Back in 1945, a lot of people opposed the atomic bombs because they questioned its morality and necessity.

On one side you had the scientists who questioned the morality of using atomic bombs. People here included Albert Einstein, Leo Szilard and the scientists of the Manhatten Project led by Dr. James Franck. Albert Einstein went as far to suggest that Truman's real intention of using the atomic bomb was to end the Pacific war before the Soviet Union could get a piece of Japan.

– "President Roosevelt would have forbidden the atomic bombing of Hiroshima had he been alive... it was probably carried out by Truman to end the Pacific war before the Soviet Union could participate." – Albert Einstein (from The New York Times, 8/19/46)

– "[In 1945] I opposed the atomic bombs with all my power, but not as effectively as I wished... Suppose Germany had developed two bombs and dropped one on Rochester and the other on Buffalo. Can anyone doubt that we would have defined them as war crimes, and that we would have sentenced the Germans who were guilty of this crime to be hanged at Nuremberg?" – Leo Szilard (from U.S. News & World Report, 8/15/60)

– "If the United States were to be the first to release this new means of indiscriminate destruction upon mankind, she would sacrifice public support throughout the world." – Dr. James Franck (from a report submitted to the Interim Committee and Truman in 1945)

On the other side you had the military who questioned the necessity of using atomic bombs to end WWII. Prominent people on this side included Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, William Leahy, Carl Spaatz and Curtis LeMay. These men were high ranking American military commanders and they were against the atomic bombs on the reasoning that Japan was already defeated and so using atomic bombs to end the war was unnecessary. Furthermore, these men were taught in military academy to never deliberately wage war on women and children, and by doing so they would be committing a war crime. For these men, using the atomic bombs was a bitter pill to swallow because it was against their better ethical judgment and made them feel guilty.

– "In 1945 Secretary of War [Henry] Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act...on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary...I thought [atomic bombs] were no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives." – Dwight Eisenhower (General of the Army)

– "The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace. The atomic bomb played no decisive part, from a purely military point of view, in the defeat of Japan." – Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet)

– "There was no military justification for the dropping of the bomb[s]. The war might have ended weeks earlier, if the United States had agreed, as it later did anyway, to the retention of the institution of the [Japanese] emperor." – Douglas MacArthur (General of the Army)

– "The use of [the atomic bombs] at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons... I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children." – Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy (Chief of Staff to President Truman)

– "When we didn't need to do it, and we knew we didn't need to do it, and [Japan] knew that we knew we didn't need to do it, we used [Japan] as an experiment for two atomic bombs." – Brigadier General Carter Clarke (U.S. Military Intelligence)

– "Prior to 31 December 1945 and in all probability prior to 1 November 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if the Soviet Union had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated." – Paul Nitze (Vice Chairman, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey)

– "If we were to go ahead with plans for an invasion, I believe the Japanese thought that they could inflict heavy casualties on us and as a result get better surrender terms. On the other hand if we told [Japan] that no invasion would take place, [Japan] would've surrendered." – General Carl Spaatz (Commander of the United States Army Air Forces)

Unfortunately for the U.S. military commanders, they did not have the power to directly question orders and if the U.S. government ordered atomic bombs to be dropped, the U.S. military could not disobey it:

– "The dropping of the atomic bomb was done by a military man under military orders. We're supposed to carry out orders and not question them." – General Carl Spaatz (Commander of the United States Army Air Forces)

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@ YAMASHI:

For those who do not know yet including you, PRes. Roosevelt talk secretely to Stalin to help invade Japan because of the relatively high US casualties in the Pacific Island-hopping campaign. Stalin had in mind the strategic importance of Japan. Before the official surrender of Japan, Stalin (thru his far-east general) talk to MacArthur of having Hokkaido (at least) be in the hands of the USSR. It's good thing that MacArthur replied "OVER MY DEAD BODY". If Pres Roosevelt was still alive, he could have allowed to participate in the invasion of Japan.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The RUDE responses from Americans on this forum and in person makes me like Americans even less. You speak about them as they are not people but all raving lunatics wanting to die for the emperor. That is a bald face lie though the leaders at that time were bringing the country to destruction.

Japan was trying to surrender but had one condition the emperor. Truman said no conditions and the killing did not stop. Then after the bombs a deal was made to keep the emperor. The surrender happened not long after and the American occupation began. Some people say the US military occupation never ended.

Again and again I will NEVER thank Americans for killing my family. Your numbers do you discredit, they were people not numbers and the vast majority civilians. The civilians had nothing to do with the war. The military took over the government and the civilians had to follow or be arrested.

Oh I will never apologize for the actions of the past. I will work to end the defense treaty with the USA.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

On this 70th anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing, Let Pres Obama vist the Peace memorial and let PM Abe visit Peal harbor. Forget all the statistics thereafter.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Japan was trying to surrender but had one condition the emperor.

Then Japan wasn't trying to surrender. If you are surrendering, you don't have the right to place conditions on your surrender. You either surrender or you don't. If they had wanted to surrender, they could have. The fact that they were placing conditions on it means they didn't want to surrender just yet.

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@AU user since _ 1998

"Roosevelt to talk secretely to Stalin to help invade Japan."

It's a lie. There were no evidences about. All agreements of Yalta conference were well-documented.

"Stalin (thru his far-east general) talk to MacArthur of having Hokkaido". Another lie. Which one "far-east general"? His surname ? Place of his talking to MacArthur ? Cheap mythology. FYI, all generals of Stalin's units were busy to command their troops before invasion into Manchuria. They had neither time nor special order to find MacArthur somewhere in Pacific ocean and talk to him. Your pceudo historical anecdotes are suitable only for Americans who traditionally know nothing from history.

"It's a good thing that MacAthur replied"OVER MY DEAD BODY"

ROTFL. Bullies always like to invent various rather primitive folktales to paint themselves as sort of "tough guys". Bullies who abuse women and children but who are very afraid to clash with real Warriors. If you aren't aware, Soviets helped North Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese to establish Communist Rule in their countries. Americans tried to come and resist. In all mentioned cases DEAD BODIES of Americans were finally thrown into the ocean.

@YuriOtani"The civilians have nothing to do with the war. True, but all history of the USA is based upon violence that was mercilessly applied to civilian people. First of all they organized genocide of Natives and stole their territory. The rest of Natives are sealed in infamous reservations now. Then they started dozens of aggressive wars in various parts of the world. They burnt to ashes women and children in towns and villages of Filippines and Vietnam. Only when a strong rival, the Soviets had come into the local wars, Americans were beaten.

"I will work to end the defence treaty with the USA". That is good. Japanese soil must be cleaned off. American invaders whose ancestors brutally bombed Japanese people, must be kicked out. Japan must revive national Armed Forces and Navy, fully regain the independence.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

@ YAMASHI,

having read the YALTA conference and make your uptake based on it makes you sound a CHINESE-CPP educated fellow rather the the Japanese-sounding name you are using in this forum. Classified information during the 1940's to 50's were not taught to Chinese historians even though those information were already de-classifed already in the past decades.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It didn’t take a military genius to see that, while it might be possible to fight a decisive battle against one great power invading from one direction, it would not be possible to fight off two great powers attacking from two different directions. The Soviet invasion invalidated the military’s decisive battle strategy, just as it invalidated the diplomatic strategy. At a single stroke, all of Japan’s options evaporated. The Soviet invasion was strategically decisive and it foreclosed both of Japan’s options, while the bombing of Hiroshima (which foreclosed neither) was not. The Soviet declaration of war changed the calculation of how much time was left for maneuver. Japanese intelligence was predicting that U.S. forces might not invade for months. Soviet forces, on the other hand, could be in Japan in as little as 10 days. The Soviet invasion made a decision on ending the war extremely time sensitive.

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@SFJP330

YES, I agree. YAMASHI didnt know this. If the war in the Pacific continue, America cannot stop the USSR of not joining in. And when the war ended and the Soviets are already in Hokkaido or northern Japan, Japan will be divided by the participating Allied Nations. America cannot expelled Allied Nation (the Soviet) and monopolized Japan after the war. So while there were not Soviet boots on the ground, the US should end the war as soon as possible. I am sure that the US Think-Tank were smarter than the Chinese CCP at that time who only believe in the provisions of the YALTA Conference.

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sfjp330 "The Soviet invasion made a decision on ending the war extremely time sensitive."

I certainly agree on this.

In the last course of WWII, Truman had enlisted the help of the Soviets. However after doing this it is told and believed that he regretted the decision as it would provide the not completely trusted Soviets the opportunity to move further east. In result to all of this Truman needed a way to end the war quickly, and the US had already been testing atomic bombs, the timing could not have been more perfect. Soon after the testing had finished in New Mexico, President Truman was informed that the US had atomic bombing capabilities, the perfect solution to his problems. The US would be able to end the war quickly, and at the same time show the Soviets the potential of destructive force and power the US had. Soon the first bomb was dropped, but Japan did not surrender as they did not wish to fall to the terms of unconditional surrender. Under these terms their emperor system would be removed, and they could not stand for this. Therefore surrender was heavily debated on, eventually they decided to ask the Soviets for help, but it was too late for them, as the Soviets had been near the border of Japanese territory, and closing quickly upon the inland of Japan. It was now when Joseph Stalin declared war upon the Japanese. Eventually the US had another bomb to drop. They arrived to Japan within 5 hours, and the alarm had been set off in Nagasaki. But it turns out that the first plane sent was merely a weather recording plane, and the alarm was lifted. Soon after more planes came, this time carrying the bomb. They could not however drop the bomb without the third plane which had not yet arrived. Eventually they decided that they had wasted enough fuel, and decided to drop the bomb upon Nagasaki in order to make it back to the US safely because it would be the only way, they had to drop the excess cargo, the atomic bomb "Fat Man". Hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Children killed, children who survived found themselves without parents or family. Thousands died later due to radiation. The US had responded rashly and without thought only trying to show the world that they still held power. And it was never recorded once that Truman or his officials ever questioned the use of the bomb either. It was decided without any further thought or questioning. And when the Japanese did surrender, the US cheered, but did they actually know what had happened? Children touching the bodies of their parents only to see the bodies poof into a cloud of ashes and particles only to be swept away. People everywhere died from radiation. The US responded to the attacks not once but twice, causing the Japanese to decide to use kamikaze pilots. US had made them desperate with the second bombing. BUT the SOVIETS joining in to the war against Japan had pull off the trigger for surrender and it foreclosed all of its options of battle strategies for the Japanese..

Still. Many lives could have been saved if they only had stopped after the first atomic bomb, Little Boy, which wasn't justified either. America could have negotiated instead...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

No more Hiroshima, No more Nagasaki, and No more Perl Horbor. Let's stop saying who started it or whose fault it was, the important thing is that we do NOT repeat the same mistake we humans made in the past.

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Frederick Bastiat

Great Post. Sobering I would have thought for many of the people who are so vehemently pro-bombing on this forum. Especially the Americans.

Stangerland

Japan wasn't trying to surrender. If you are surrendering, you don't have the right to place conditions on your surrender. You either surrender or you don't. If they had wanted to surrender, they could have.

Refer to aforementioned post and re-read.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Refer to aforementioned post and re-read.

My comment still stands.

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The Real Reason America Used Nuclear Weapons Against Japan. It Was Not To End the War Or Save Lives. http://www.filmsforaction.org/news/the_real_reason_america_used_nuclear_weapons_against_japan_it_was_not_to_end_the_war_or_save_lives/

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'm glad these terrible weapons haven't been used since. The human race is doing well in that WW3 has not occurred. As a former marine who volunteered for NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) training and taught a class in nuclear weapons I've come full circle as a hawk to a dove. I hope we can abolish these weapons. I pray for the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My love for Japan comes from the fact of her emergence from the devastation of nuclear attack and defeat to a place that exemplifies the best in all of us. Give peace a chance.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

My comment still stands.

Ha ha! Despite a veritable tsunami of expert opinions to the contrary from men who were actually involved and there at the time. Some of the greatest names of the 20th century.

Love it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Toshiko Thanks for the explanation. Although the military controlled everything, the Emperor had the final say on any matter right? Hence the need for the Emperors' "surrender speech" that untimely led to the surrender.

Every nation has its (Rambo) within its military, by "Rombo" I mean a group of soldiers who try to "run the show" by disobeying orders to surrender etc.

The fact remains, the atomic bombs need not be dropped on humans (soldiers and civil) to end the war, it could have been dropped on some less populated area, crop field, forest etc away from the main towns, why do I insist it still be dropped on land?

A teacher in Art & Culture at the university in London I once lectured at suggested that the Atomic bomb should have been dropped just off the coast of Japan into the sea, it was obvious to me before running the CGI simulation that, the sheer power of the Atomic blast would have resulted in a man-made tsunami one that's high in radiation. The best option would be the less populated area on land.

I am sure many places existed with less than 350,000: Population that Hiroshima had before the bombing, of which 40,000 were military.

The sheer raw of the blast would have been enough to gain the final piece of the puzzle, the all important "surrender speach" from the Emperor that lead to the end or the war cooling off to an end, wouldn't you agree?

I find such human experiments to be the work of the devil, it's simply crude and grotesque such actions are puke inducing, yet the Japanese are forced to give the apologetic speech for something Japan already paid dearly for. The thinking behind some American laws are as twisted as the gun-law, that's why I love the UK.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

By the number...will Japan continue to observe Victimhood Day in 3015 a thousand yrs from now 1070th anniversay of VD observance or does this PR charade have a sell-by date?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Every nation has such days of remembrances. This includes the USA' UK' Russia etc. It's serves as a reminder to the new generation, so that they do not make such mistakes

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@AU_user_since_1998

All your stories about Soviet invasion of Hokkaido and dividing Japan ("we saved you from Stalin, so thank us for nuking you!") are complete rubbish. Soviets simply did not have enough forces for any significant landing operation. They had very powerful armies in Manchuria, but very insignificant amphibious capability, they COULD NOT bring their tanks and infantry to Japan. In landings at Sakhalin and Kurile islands the Soviet Pacific Fleet mustered about several dozen ships to transport several battalions, it was its max. But Japanese garrisons there were even smaller, and that was enough. So stop spreading nonsense and instead read some book on the subject.

By the number...will Japan continue to observe Victimhood Day in 3015 a thousand yrs from now 1070th anniversay of VD observance or does this PR charade have a sell-by date?

@Danny Bloom

And what about Pearl Harbour Day at Arizona memorial? Does it have a sell-by date, or you will continue your victimhood show?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

But what was the "mistake".......strategist? Attacking hawaii? 0r dropping A bomb?.0r both? Then why hiroshima events never mention who started war? In denial 70 yrs on. Gen macarthur should have nixed emporor system after war imho

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Danny Bloom Please read suzuran8061945wasurenagusa Aug. 07, 2015 - 03:40PM JST post above, the mistake is mentioned.

I'll highlig it, the mistake was the use of nuclear weapons.

suzuran8061945wasurenagusa: "They could not however drop the bomb without the third plane which had not yet arrived. Eventually they decided that they had wasted enough fuel, and decided to drop the bomb upon Nagasaki in order to make it back to the US safely because it would be the only way, they had to drop the excess cargo, the atomic bomb "Fat Man". What an irresponsible thing to do.

"Hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Children killed, children who survived found themselves without parents or family. Thousands died later due to radiation. The US had responded rashly and without thought only trying to show the world that they still held power"

Please read the entire post above.

As for Hawaii...

As John Koster Aug. 07, 2015 - 12:34AM JST put it:

"Using Pearl Harbor to justify Hiroshima and Nagasaki is dumber than dumb. The Japanse attack on Pearl Harbor was triggered by Harry Dexter White, a Soviet agent in the U.S. Treasury Department under orders of Vitalii Pavlov of the Soviet NKVD. Four recent books have confirmed this: OPERATION SNOW by John Koster explains how Prince Konoye tried to head off the war but Harry Dexter White kept pushing for it with increasingly drastic demands. He made it sound as if Japan was about to be colonized.

Benn Steil in THE BATTLE OF BRETTON WOODS confirms that White was the single most important instigator of the U.S.-Japanese war because White was a Communist sympathizer and secret agent and Japan was anti-Communist.

White also tried to destroy post-war Germany -- not just the Nazis but the entire population -- with the Morgenthau Plan. Read John Dietrich's book THE MORGENTHAU PLAN and confirm White's role with STALIN'S SECRET AGENTS. The FBI identified White as a Soviet agent in 1950.

PS: Most civilian casualties of Pearl Harbor were killed by misplaced American anti-aircraft fire. Everybody in Hawaii knows this. even the Chinese and Koreans who hated Japanese militarism.."

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japan-to-mark-70th-anniversary-of-hiroshima-atomic-bombing#comment_2030231

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Strategist...oh i see....dexter. got it now. So japan never surprise attacked pearl harbour. So japan did not start pacific war. I see.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The impact of the Russian entry into the war can't be underestimated http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/30/the-bomb-didnt-beat-japan-stalin-did/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The cenotaph carries the epitaph "安らかに眠って下さい 過ちは 繰返しませぬから", which means "please rest in peace, for [we/they] shall not repeat the error." In Japanese, the sentence's subject is omitted, thus it could be interpreted as either "[we] shall not repeat the error" or as "[they] shall not repeat the error". This was intended to memorialize the victims of Hiroshima without politicizing the issue, taking advantage of the fact that polite Japanese speech typically demands lexical ambiguity in the first place.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

€Anyone who want to feel how it could be when A bomb was dropped, come to Vegas. Way from Vegas Strip, Las Vegas Museum has A bomb simulation theater. gamblers tourists visit there in the morning to be scared before gambling, It was desert and A bomb underground test site. Sometime, DR. M Green explain about test and scare visiters. The time was when there were no casino in Vegas yet. NEVADA Utility only have solar energy power plants. It is hot here that casinos have /air con full blast but not with nuc energy,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ASAKAZE:

When the Soviets declared war, who was afraid or concerned about it.

The USA wanted to end the war before the Soviets joined the invasion is TRUE (or more accurately half-true. The other half was from the Japanese side itself). But as SFJP330 said, JAPAN itself wanted to surrender as soon as possible before the SOVIET started to join Japan's invasion. Atomic bombing could had been the right timing. (When the Soviets made decisive victory in Machuria on August 8, both the USA and Japan were (separetely) concerned of the effectiveness of the Soviet Army. It was, in fact, the declaration of war by the Soviets and the invasion of Manchuria along with the bombings of Hiroshima and then Nagasaki that finally forced the Japanese to surrender. Had the Soviets been given the opportunity to invade from the north (from HOKKAIDO), it was no secret that the atrocities committed by the Soviets would be catastrophic to say the least (given past behavior in Eastern Europe, Germany notwithstanding). Japan was so afraid of the atrocities and evil deeds of the Soviet Red Army. They were more afraid of the Soviets on Japanese (women's belly or in-between legs) than American bombers overhead. Whether the Soviets can land tanks and heavy equipment on Japanese shore in August/Sept/Oct or in 1946 or 1947 was out of question. Japan would surrender before the Soviet start to land in Hokkaido. The USA would continue bombing Japan Cities so as to fast forward Japan surrender. Although by August 1945, the USA had only 3 atomic bombs, for sure before the year 1945 end, 5 or more can still be manufactured. And since they were very expensive to make, the USA will use them all at that time until Japan surrender before the Soviets join the invasion.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

JAPAN Communist Party members suddenly became free to express Marxism after American began occupying Japan. Their plan was Soviet occupy Japan to help Japan to stand on own. So, one of none military bureaucrat who was in Sugamo prison was released and anti communism and anti socialism spreaded in Japan. Old right wing also lost power.

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@AU_user_since_1998

Another trainload of crap. Do you know anything about history?

For starters, just read the article Christopher Glen gave link to. Very well-written, it will give you a correct picture of what was going at the Japanese Imperial HQ, what they thought and planned. If you finish the reading, then you'll see what b...t you wrote. Particularly bizarre ideas of yours are:

JAPAN itself wanted to surrender as soon as possible before the SOVIET started to join Japan's invasion

Japan decided to surrender because with USSR entering the war it lost the last chance to broker a "honourable" end of war with Moscow as mediator for a peace settlemebt with Allies. And why Japan should have been more concerned with not imminent Soviet invasion while it had a powerful US invasion fleet near its shores?

Had the Soviets been given the opportunity to invade from the north

Have you read my previous posting properly? May be Stalin wanted to invade Hokkaido, I don't know, but he did not have any possibility to do it. One more time, if you missed it: the Soviet did not have enough ships to land and supply any sizeable invasion force. Large invasion was technically impossible.

atrocities committed by the Soviets would be catastrophic to say the least (given past behavior in Eastern Europe, Germany notwithstanding)

Lie. Latest research shows that Soviet troops' behavior was not worse then Alles', and while there were of course excesses (very understandable, given the real atrocities by German troops on Soviet territory), Soviet command dealt with them effectively, and the Soviet troops were not hordes of rapists as you try to paint them. In Manchuria and Korea Soviet soldiers saved Japanese population from local anti-Japanese mobs. In fact, Japanese had much, much more to worry about US rapists from the occupying forces, while the Japanese police were not even allowed to arrest perpetrators.

The bottom line: you should read and learn before posting abything on historic subjectss.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"@AU_user_since_1998

For starters, just read the article Christopher Glen gave link to. Very well-written, it will give you a correct picture of what was going at the Japanese Imperial HQ, what they thought and planned. If you finish the reading, then you'll see how far from reality you are. Particularly bizarre ideas of yours:

JAPAN itself wanted to surrender as soon as possible before the SOVIET started to join Japan's invasion

Japan decided to surrender because with USSR entering the war it lost the last chance to broker a "honourable" end of war with Moscow as mediator for a peace settlemebt with Allies. And why Japan should have been more concerned with a not imminent Soviet invasion while it had a powerful US invasion fleet near its shores?

Had the Soviets been given the opportunity to invade from the north

Have you read my previous posting properly? May be Stalin wanted to invade Hokkaido, I don't know, but he did not have any possibility to do it. One more time, if you missed it: the Soviet did not have enough ships to land and supply any sizeable invasion force. Large invasion was technically impossible.

atrocities committed by the Soviets would be catastrophic to say the least (given past behavior in Eastern Europe, Germany notwithstanding)

Lie. Latest research shows that Soviet troops' behavior was not worse then Alles', and while there were of course excesses (very understandable, given the real atrocities by German troops on Soviet territory), Soviet command dealt with them effectively, and the Soviet troops were not hordes of rapists as you try to paint them. In Manchuria and Korea Soviet soldiers saved Japanese population from local anti-Japanese mobs. In fact, Japanese had much, much more to worry about US rapists from the occupying forces, while the Japanese police were not even allowed to arrest perpetrators.

The bottom line: you should read and learn before posting anything on historic subjects.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@AU_user_since_1998

For starters, just read the article Christopher Glen gave link to. Very well-written, it will give you a correct picture of what was going at the Japanese Imperial HQ, what they thought and planned. If you finish the reading, then you'll see how far from reality you are. Particularly bizarre ideas of yours:

JAPAN itself wanted to surrender as soon as possible before the SOVIET started to join Japan's invasion

Japan decided to surrender because with USSR entering the war it lost the last chance to broker a "honourable" end of war with Moscow as mediator for a peace settlemebt with Allies. And why Japan should have been more concerned with a not imminent Soviet invasion while it had a powerful US invasion fleet near its shores?

Had the Soviets been given the opportunity to invade from the north

Have you read my previous posting properly? May be Stalin wanted to invade Hokkaido, I don't know, but he did not have any possibility to do it. One more time, if you missed it: the Soviet did not have enough ships to land and supply any sizeable invasion force. Large invasion was technically impossible.

atrocities committed by the Soviets would be catastrophic to say the least (given past behavior in Eastern Europe, Germany notwithstanding)

Not corret. Latest research shows that Soviet troops' behavior was not worse then Alles', and while there were of course excesses (very understandable, given the real atrocities by German troops on Soviet territory), Soviet command dealt with them effectively, and the Soviet troops were not hordes of rapists as you try to paint them. In Manchuria and Korea Soviet soldiers saved Japanese population from local anti-Japanese mobs. In fact, Japanese had much, much more to worry about US rapists from the occupying forces, while the Japanese police were not even allowed to arrest perpetrators, US troops were in fact "above the law".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

For all times sake, we can't leave it at that (100 comments)

It's been a pleasure to witness the diverse opinions of JapanTodays members.

"To speak openly is to encompass the essence of freedom-of-speech, to live in fear of oppression is tantamount to torture...." Isaac Brixham.

"If a man cries his still a man, it does not make him a lesser human......" Strategists

"Men cry, not for themselves but for their fellow comrades whom fallen in battle...." Tim Wrexham author of "War an ugly affair"

Many have come to the conclusion that dropping the bomb was not the only option to end the war, this was but America acting rashly.

Never again shall men be put through such suffering. Forevermore shall the pages of history remember the actions of USA, the only nation whom unleashed the destructive forces of the atomic bomb on another nation, on fellow human beings. Only the devils advocate will try to justify that any good come of such suffering.

Current foreign affairs shows that no lesson was learnt by the USA. The US still continue to flex their military might, what maks matters worse is that many of these regions have not gained any stability. What good has come of US's involvement?

Finally hit 101, to honour and respect such a grand subject and all those whom perished, it's deserving of three digits and more...

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Tens of thousands nuclear bomb was manufacture on Earth after Hiroshima Nagasaki bombing means humans didn't learn any lesson. Humans are doomed species.Earth is so beautiful planet it deserves much better treatment.

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