Hiroshima: The Decision to Drop the Bomb

The History Channel ^ | May 6, 2004 | The History Channel

[okie01]

Second guessing history can be fun. But it should never be taken seriously.

If this history professor had been in Harry Truman's place, playing for the same stakes, without benefit of hindsight, I wonder what his decision would have been.

And, had his decision been not to use the bombs, he would have abrogated his responsibility to the nation and its armed forces -- causing even more needless death and suffering on both sides (not that he had any responsibility whatsoever for the Japanese).

Academic jerkism.

[TheDon]

Sad to hear some "historians" are still peddling this drivel on the unsuspecting. I saw a show, probably on the HC, that mentioned that the US was stockpiling a massive arsenal of nerve gas in the Pacific for use in the invasion of Japan. Two atom bombs saved a great many American lives, and a great many Japanese lives as well.

[Calvin Locke]

"THe Man Who Won the War"

I was in the Boston area (mid-1990s) when MIT finally tore down the temporary Building 17 that was errected to house the
radar development during WWII.

One of the sayings repeated by the people that didn't want to work on "the bomb" and instead contributed to the radar
project was the "Radar won the war. The atomic bomb ended it."

FWIW

[weegee]

I'm just damn glad they did, because without them, I doubt I'd be here.

Even if your father was not killed in the line of duty, even if he was "safe" at sea, any delay of his return to America would have changed the circumstance of your conception. He may have sired an offspring but it wouldn't have the same exact genetic code that you posses.

[weegee]

Wouldn't be the first time bias creeped it's way into something on the history channel (or on Discovery or A&E). Sometimes the facts they leave out paint a totally different picture.

Between the biased historical reports and the tin foil, paranormal BS, I don't see why people think that these channels are "better television" or educational.

[Rebelbase]

"And your point?"

Dropping the Bomb on Hiroshima saved American lives.

[lainde]

bttt