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The human cost of atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was worth paying
The Telegraph ^ | 08-09-2015 | Christopher Booker

Posted on 08/09/2015 2:49:19 PM PDT by NRx

...In 1945, however, we also soon heard much of the other side of the story, and how that same appalling tragedy might have saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of American and British servicemen who could well have died in the invasion of Japan which would otherwise have been necessary to end the war. Only more slowly did it come to light how the atom bombs had also saved the lives of anything up to a million prisoners in camps across south-east Asia, whom the fanatical Japanese commander, Marshal Terauchi, intended to massacre if the allies landed on the Japanese mainland.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Japan; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: japan
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To: NRx

When I think of hell on earth, I don’t think of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, I think of Nanking.


61 posted on 08/09/2015 4:35:10 PM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: gaijin

The real reason we dropped the atomic bombs on Japan? Simple. 1) We were at war with Japan, and 2) we had them in our arsenal.


62 posted on 08/09/2015 4:41:01 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: gaijin

The real reason we dropped the atomic bombs on Japan? Simple.

1) We were at war with Japan, and
2) we had them in our arsenal.


63 posted on 08/09/2015 4:45:02 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: gaijin
The bomb was dropped to keep Stalin’s grubby hand off of Japan.

Absolutely correct. The bomb was not dropped on Japan to save American lives fighting Japanese. The bomb was dropped to serve notice to Stalin and the Soviets to stay away from Japan and remain at the 38th Parallel in Korea. The atomic bomb was dropped a day before the Soviets were to invade Japan, per Stalin's agreement with Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference of February 1945 (not to invade prior to the passing of six months). One day was a slim margin, and the Americans rushed the atomic bomb to Japan to beat the deadline. The Soviets were pissed at losing the chance to divide a piece of Japan for themselves, but feared our atomic bombs would be directed at them next.

64 posted on 08/09/2015 4:47:15 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: 21twelve

I knew it wasn’t the primary target. About 15 years ago a friend told me all the details of the bombing. He was 4 years old and lived on the outskirts of Hiroshima. Yes, he did lose extended family but not immediate family.


65 posted on 08/09/2015 4:48:02 PM PDT by BuffaloJack (Political Correctness is Supression of Free Speech. Thank the Commies for Political Correctness.)
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To: docbnj

“The residents of Hiroshima had nothing to do with the Shanghai killings.”

Bullshit. Absolute bullshit.

L


66 posted on 08/09/2015 4:56:14 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: NRx
The problem with revisionist (leftist) historians is they never suffered under German or Japanese occupation. Neither of these occupiers was kind to the enslaved populations. Fear, rape, torture, and mass murder were the normal for people under the Twisted Cross or Rising Sun.

All the Asian people that suffered Japanese occupation hate the Japanese to this very day. I know because I saw it on several occasions when the old war scars were reopened. Victims do not forget the wrongs done by their oppressors.

The U.S. territory of Guam celebrates Liberation Day on the 21st of July every year. The Japanese document declaring Guam a possession of Japan is read, the Stars and Stripes are lowered and replaced by the flag of Japan, and then the American document signifying the liberation of Guam is read and the Rising Sun is lowered and replaced by the stars and Stripes. The suffering the people of Guam suffered under Japanese occupation has been passed down to the new generations. The reason? So it will never happen again.

67 posted on 08/09/2015 5:20:06 PM PDT by MasterGunner01 ( Barbara Daly Danko)
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To: dfwgator

“Compare and contrast with Detroit today.”

yeah, I was tempted.

Difference was human resolve, acceptance of responsibility and W. Edwards Deming.

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/1994-01-09/remembering-deming-the-godfather-of-quality


68 posted on 08/09/2015 5:21:23 PM PDT by BwanaNdege (.)
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To: SampleMan
When I think of hell on earth, I don’t think of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, I think of Nanking.

Or Unit 731.

69 posted on 08/09/2015 5:22:19 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: MasterGunner01
Oops, typo. Change from “...the Nagasaki strike...” to read “...the Hiroshima strike...”
70 posted on 08/09/2015 5:26:34 PM PDT by MasterGunner01 ( Barbara Daly Danko)
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To: NRx

they started the war. they started the warfare.

we had evry right to use whastever weapons we could to end it. they didnt want unconditional surrender. too damn fricking bad, you lost. we could have killed millions more, and we did not.


71 posted on 08/09/2015 5:43:16 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Fungi

yes. 100%. if mecca goes their faith i too, it would be devastating to their belief system.


72 posted on 08/09/2015 5:44:34 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Flash Bazbeaux

My Dad was infantry from D-Day to V-E Day. His regiment was shipping out for the Pacific when the A-bombs were dropped.

I’m here because of those bombs. F*** you pacifist bastards!


73 posted on 08/09/2015 5:44:49 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam.")
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To: bert

they should have destroyed the palace and emperor. imho.


74 posted on 08/09/2015 5:46:03 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

And we could have left it as a smoking pile of rubble, but instead we built it up to be a major power in the world economy.


75 posted on 08/09/2015 5:46:34 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: freedomfiter2

when the civillian targets have factories making military equipment, they are military targets.


76 posted on 08/09/2015 5:47:50 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Twinkie

if they would have gotten pearl harbor with carriers present it may have turned out a lot different.


77 posted on 08/09/2015 5:49:13 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: roadcat

and patton was right, they should have been.


78 posted on 08/09/2015 5:51:43 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: NRx
It should be noted that the Imperial Japanese Staff DID HAVE a concept of how they could 'survive' without unconditional surrender.

First: Continue the Kamikaze (air & sea) attacks. Very bad for morale and very expensive to the Allies.
Second: Human wave attacks against the Invasion by Civilian AND Military. Totally horrifying to troops AND home front.
Third: Exhaust the Allies resources and war morale. Britain had a new Labour government and with most of the rest, except Soviet Union (Russia) & USA, were economic basket-cases.
Fourth: Force a stalemate in 1946-8 and use Russia as a 'negotiator' for best terms which leaves Japanese Government whole. Russia had no real animus towards Japan and would cheerfully use its position to get Manchuria, Korea and the Kuril Islands. This would make up for the Russo-Japan War loss.

79 posted on 08/09/2015 5:55:24 PM PDT by SES1066 (Quality, Speed or Economical - Any 2 of 3 except in government - 1 at best but never #3!)
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To: pierrem15

Exactly.


80 posted on 08/09/2015 6:23:42 PM PDT by Eagles6 ( Valley Forge Redux. If not now, when? If not here, where? If not us then who?)
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