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QuoteAnd the award for Generalisation of the day goes to.....[fanfare]...Japan was a nation of fanatics .
Lets tar everyone in a country with the same brush (again).... All Arabs are terrorists, all Israelis are peace loving liberals and All Americans are Mai Lai murders.... hey why not?
OOOOH OOOH can I be a homicidal maniac? can I? can I?.... please?
.
I love history.
Japan was a nation of insular, unworldly, largely uneducated people, few of whom had even seen a "Gaijin".
They were expecting a horde of massive genocidal savages to come and rape, pillage and kill (mostly in that order). Hence the mass suicide on Saipan as American forces were completing that invasion. They quite probably weren't that far from the truth at the time.
The only part of Japan with any significant exposure to outsiders at the time was, strangely, Nagasaki.![[:/]](/uploads/emoticons/dry.png "[:/]")
Truman had little knowledge of the Atomic Bomb other than the fact it existed as a feasible weapon. His response was traditional, and logical for the time and his knowledge, viz: "If we have it then we should use it." That'd been the response for every new weapon developed through history.
I believe that the motivation of Truman's administration (who were far more aware of the bomb's nature than Truman himself) to use the bomb had far more to do with Russia's impending invasion of Japan and the probability of joint occupation & partition than any desire to save American lives. Bear in mind that Korea north of the 38th parallel was occupied by Russia in a matter of days after she entered the war on Japan.
In short, the real horror of not using the bomb wasn't Allied casualties. It was Japan being partitioned like Korea.
As such, I think that Truman's administration was right to 'con' him into using the bomb... Right to do whatever possible to strengthen the peace faction in the Japanese Government and thus hasten their surrender. I *would* say that fewer Japanese died in the 2 bombings than would have died had the home islands been invaded.
Mike.
Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.
Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.
QuoteSo, Truman should have what....???
Japan was a nation of fanatics ready to fight to the last person to defend their Islands until the shock of the atomic bombs led them to surrender.
Japan was a nation of insular, unworldly, largely uneducated people, few of whom had even seen a "Gaijin".
They were expecting a horde of massive genocidal savages to come and rape, pillage and kill (mostly in that order). Hence the mass suicide on Saipan as American forces were completing that invasion. They quite probably weren't that far from the truth at the time.
The only part of Japan with any significant exposure to outsiders at the time was, strangely, Nagasaki.
Truman had little knowledge of the Atomic Bomb other than the fact it existed as a feasible weapon. His response was traditional, and logical for the time and his knowledge, viz: "If we have it then we should use it." That'd been the response for every new weapon developed through history.
I believe that the motivation of Truman's administration (who were far more aware of the bomb's nature than Truman himself) to use the bomb had far more to do with Russia's impending invasion of Japan and the probability of joint occupation & partition than any desire to save American lives. Bear in mind that Korea north of the 38th parallel was occupied by Russia in a matter of days after she entered the war on Japan.
In short, the real horror of not using the bomb wasn't Allied casualties. It was Japan being partitioned like Korea.
As such, I think that Truman's administration was right to 'con' him into using the bomb... Right to do whatever possible to strengthen the peace faction in the Japanese Government and thus hasten their surrender. I *would* say that fewer Japanese died in the 2 bombings than would have died had the home islands been invaded.
Mike.
Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.
Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.
billvon 2,469
.thumb.jpg.4bb795e2eaf21b8b300039a5e1ec7f92.jpg)
>THE SAVAGERY OF THE KILLING WAS AS APPALLING AS ITS SCALE.
This is the "if they're immoral monsters we can be immoral monsters too." Doesn't fly with me. The US is not just like Japan. We're not just like Saddam Hussein. We're not just like the terrorists. We're better than that. (At least my vision of the US is. Clearly some people disagree.)
This is the "if they're immoral monsters we can be immoral monsters too." Doesn't fly with me. The US is not just like Japan. We're not just like Saddam Hussein. We're not just like the terrorists. We're better than that. (At least my vision of the US is. Clearly some people disagree.)
<> - No so, stop asking... you naughty, naughty boy you.
(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome
(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome
Quote>Bill if you were running Israel what would you do?
Side note - here's one thing I would NOT do:
Thanks for posting those pics. While I know I come off a bit abrasive and one sided on this issue it's only because I want the whole story to be told. These help. Sadly, hatred is learned and there are apparently plenty of people willing to teach.
QuoteQuote>Bill if you were running Israel what would you do?
Side note - here's one thing I would NOT do:
Thanks for posting those pics. While I know I come off a bit abrasive and one sided on this issue it's only because I want the whole story to be told. These help. Sadly, hatred is learned and there are apparently plenty of people willing to teach.
American soldiers put their names on the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII -- the Israelis probably got the idea from us.
Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.
During the Gulf War I saw a video of an American pilot writing "Bend Over, Saddam!" on one of the rockets on his plane. I wish that had worked.
Speed Racer
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Lets tar everyone in a country with the same brush (again).... All Arabs are terrorists, all Israelis are peace loving liberals and All Americans are Mai Lai murders.... hey why not?
.
(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome
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