YES, I'D DROP THE BOMB AGAIN

Express U.K. ^ | Tuesday May 25,2010 | Ed Pilkington

[Repeal The 17th]

Theodore Van Kirk is sitting at his desk in a detached bungalow in the gated community outside Atlanta, Georgia, where he lives. The room is cluttered with boxes, trinkets, shelves full of books on wartime history and photographs of planes on the walls...

[TXnMA]

FReepmail for you...

[RinaseaofDs]

“Wouldn’t defeating Germany and Japan also be one of the highest points? How much devastation and brutality would have happened if they had not been stopped?”

Not the point. In fact, Churchill would have railed at the waste. He warned about what was going to happen in Europe in 1930. Europe did nothing until it was VERY NEARLY too late.

[Retain Mike]

Thank you. I just got a new book from the U.S. Naval Institute press called “Hell to Pay” by D.M. Giangreco, which gives a comprehensive study of the consequenses of invading the Japanese mainland. I think it would be worth picking up.

[TYVets]

I had the pleasure of working with a man who was in a similar circumstance when the bomb was dropped, training for the landing that was expected to cost a million lives.

During the 1990's Paul Tibbets, Tom Ferebee (the bombardier) and "Dutch" Van Kirk toured the US on a book and photo signing tour. My grandson and I went to one of the locations on that tour.

I had the privilege of a short conversation with Tibbets and then with Dutch.

I told Tibbets that I had an uncle who was one of the Marines preparing for the invasion of Japan at the time the bomb was dropped and that my uncle was very thankful that it ended the war. Tibbets replied, "We would like to think we made a difference" . He was very humble when he made that statement.

I said the same thing to "Dutch". He said " thank you" and then asked "did he turn out to be a good man?"

I answered yes. Dutch didn't speak, he simply gave a nod of approval.

[TXnMA]

"What a story! (Are you a writer?)"

Not really, but -- thanks for the compliment! <Grin!>

I agree, there have been some excellent insights posted here. Perhaps you could just copy/paste some of them as an "appendix" to your short note to him.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't use my "Nihonjin na tomodachi"'s name, but otherwise, what I wrote, I wrote for you to use as you see fit.

~~~~~~~~~~

Remember those orange, plastic "snow pushers"? I swore I was going to strap mine atop the car and head south until someone asked,

"Say, Mister, what the hell is that there thang?"

Then I'd know I could start looking for a place to retire... '-)

[TYVets]

Let us hope your young Canadian is simply ignorant, but not stupid.

You might want to read the book: Code-Name Downfall (The secret plan to invade Japan and why Truman dropped the bomb) by Thomas B Allen & Norman Polmar.

An interesting and I believe factual book about using the atomic bomb and the options of using other types of weapons that The United States military and civilian government discussed as how to defeat and/or destroy Japan.

It could have been much worse!

[Fantasywriter]

It sounds like a fascinating book. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Fantasywriter]

Thanks for the ping. Absolutely nothing to worry about where proper names are concerned; I’m as close as the tomb. ;) I loved your snow shovel story. Snow wasn’t the worst of what I wanted to flee when I lived in MA, but I haven’t missed it as often as I’d have imagined. What can I tell you? Southern by the grace of God. :)

[Fantasywriter]

My friend is actually quite intelligent - BUT, as I’ve discovered, they do a good job of indoctrination north of the border. He did a 180 on global warming, but he simply cannot see the problems with nationalized health-care. Maybe I planted some seeds that will bear fruit later in the future.

It remains to be seen if I can shift his outlook on nuclear weapons. I’ve been stymied by the thought that ***anyone*** could think unilateral disarmament of the USA is a good thing in this area. Armed with all my new information, I feel as if I’m willing to give that windmill a tilt. We’ll see what happens. :)

[Retired Greyhound]

“Wouldn’t defeating Germany and Japan also be one of the highest points? “

Of course. Do you really have to ask that question? Had the Axis powers won the world would be a very different place.

Very sad that humanity reached such a low point that the intervention was necessary. But that’s humanity for you.

[Max_850]

Apparently I do since it was stated that it was one of the lowest points in history.

Just wanted to point out there are two sides to the coin. It was the lowest with all the needless death created by Germany and Japan. But if it was not for the US and Great Britain it would have much worse.

You are right though, it is just human nature, there will always be tyrants. Hopefully there will always be someone to rise up against them as well.

[mcspur]

I saw something once about them having a V1 type jet with a pilot that they were using. They were planning to crash these into our fleets. I think the war ended before thy could enough engines for these.