My only brother was killed in the battle for Okinawa. I was in a line at the quartermaster hut on Leyte getting new equipment for the invasion of Japan expected within a month or so. A lt. came out and told us to go back to our tents because cease fire had been declare after the Japs had the two atomic bombs dropped on them. I knew the invasion was envisioned as very costly in lives especially for the infantry/marine kind of personnel like us. However my brother’s death made me so angry that the chance to kill a few Japs was much on my mind. However the notice of no more fighting took hold and every man at that ‘repo depot’ ,including myself, gave whoops of joy and relief. I did have an interesting encampment on Leyte where we could look across the rice paddies to the mountains and now and then catch sight of a ‘straggler’. One day four of us left our encampment to try and make contact with one. No success but I did come back with a big bunch of so called monkey bananas. I’m glad the bombs were used and paved the way for the war’s end.
Bookmarked
Yes, it was.
first one, maybe...what about the 2nd one ?
Several years ago, I had the honor of meeting Brig Gen (ret) Paul Tibbets and got his book signed. I believe that some of the other members of his crew were there, too.
I was able to convey my “thanks” to General Tibbets, especially on behalf of my great uncle (now deceased) who was taken and held as a POW in Japan as a 19-year old Marine. Since then, I located post war testimony on the internet where he and others endured beatings lasting 8 hours or more with shovels and leather belts inflicted by their captors along with other maltreatment. Testimony was given by those who were marched off to work details in the morning and returned in the evening and witnessed and spoke of those that they saw this being done to.
It was the right decision then and the right decision now . . . rest in peace, Major Theodore Van Kirk. Your mission on Earth is completed.
Oddly, I knew his daughter in college.
One of the things that, curiously I suppose, receives scant attention in discussions like this is what the Japanese Army on the continent was continuing to do to civilian populations; specifically the Chinese civilian population. The casualty numbers show that Chinese civilian casualties would have quickly exceeded, no, eclipsed those of the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, had the war continued.
Of course it could be argued that the Chinese had the population to be able to absorb those kinds of losses ...
Also unmentioned is the loss of life, both military and civilian, once the Soviet Red Army tore through the Japanese army on the mainland. The longterm impact to the Japanese population from the loss of so many more young males (on to of those already lost) would be of significant magnitude and would stretch across generations.