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SOVIET PUSH, IN FULL SWING, IS NEARING BERLIN; AMERICANS OPEN BIG ATTACK IN SOUTH OKINAWA (4/20/45)
Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 4/20/45 | Drew Middleton, James MacDonald, Harold Denny, George E. Jones, Hanson W. Baldwin, Orville Prescott

Posted on 04/20/2015 4:11:08 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson

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To: colorado tanker; EternalVigilance; Homer_J_Simpson

I refuse to take part in any illegal activity....

The leftist revisionist historians want to re-write history regarding dropping the bombs, claiming we really used them because:

1) We were racists

2) Japan was ready to surrender

3) We wanted to intimidate the USSR

Reading Homer’s daily posts from the Times shows how ridiculous those arguments were. And as bad as the bombs were, I shudder when I think of the alternatives of NOT using them, or of the Japanese not surrendering after we did. Those terrible bombs SAVED LIVES; American, Asian, and yes, Japanese. Lots of Japanese.

That’s why, of all the possible “what if?” scenarios about World War II, I won’t engage in any about the end of the war against Japan. I don’t like to consider the alternatives.


41 posted on 04/20/2015 3:29:14 PM PDT by henkster (Do I really need a sarcasm tag?)
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To: henkster; EternalVigilance; Homer_J_Simpson
We know from postwar interviews that even after Nagasaki the Cabinet was split 3-3. Three wanted to surrender on the condition the Emperor retain his throne. Three wanted additional conditions. While all were technically voting for surrender, in reality the fact that the Allied demand was for unconditional surrender meant both positions might mean continued war.

The logjam could only be broken by the Emperor throwing his support to the one condition plan. Fortunately, the U.S. accepted it.

So much for the revisionists who claim Japan would have surrendered anyway. Even after two atomic bombs dropped the Cabinet was still unable to vote on a clean surrender.

At the time, about 40% of Japan's larger cities were destroyed. The atomic bombs saved lives just from the perspective of avoiding further conventional bombing. Throw in the horrific military and civilian casualties a conventional invasion would have created and the decision was clear. The revisionists, like most liberals, have to rewrite history and invent facts for their position to make any sense.

42 posted on 04/20/2015 4:11:43 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Seizethecarp
My father was a Naval Cadet in the summer of 1945 in GA training to support the invasion of Japan. I might not be here if they hadn’t dropped the A-bombs!

Ditto. My dad had just returned from combat in Europe and in August was at home on a thirty-day furlough before shipping out. His division (20th Armored) was scheduled to be in the first wave to hit Tokyo Bay in March '46, and they expected 100% casualties.

43 posted on 04/20/2015 4:19:59 PM PDT by Hebrews 11:6 (Do you REALLY believe that (1) God IS, and (2) God IS GOOD?)
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To: Impy; NFHale

I’ve been saying that for decades.


44 posted on 04/20/2015 5:12:32 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: Nowhere Man
I always believed that World War II was a perfect morality fight with the good guys on one side and the bad guys on the other with that one glaring exception of us working with the Soviets.

The Chinese Nationalists only look like good guys when compared to the ChiComs.

And the Finns had to make the best of a couple of really bad options.

45 posted on 04/20/2015 5:20:36 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: henkster

One other thing dropping the bombs did, it most likely saved Japan from being divided like Germany and Korea, into Soviet and Wester Allied zones, and with it, most likely a Civil War.


46 posted on 04/20/2015 6:12:42 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: colorado tanker
So much for the revisionists who claim Japan would have surrendered anyway. Even after two atomic bombs dropped the Cabinet was still unable to vote on a clean surrender.

Heaven help us if Tojo followed through on his plan to kill the Emperor.

47 posted on 04/20/2015 6:13:49 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: PAR35

True about the Finns. Although they did a fairly good job holding out against the Soviet for being a small nation, the Soviets did pound them to bits. Germany reached out a hand to help them. I cannot blame the Finns one bit because of their situation. At least the Finns put in conditions where their Jews and other minorities were not to be harmed so ironically, you had Jewish soldiers fighting alongside the Germans.


48 posted on 04/20/2015 6:47:20 PM PDT by Nowhere Man (Mom I miss you! (>8-20-1938 to 11-18-2013) Cancer sucks)
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To: henkster

Yeah, I wonder how long we would have to fight Japan had we had to take her without the A-Bombs. It could have gone on to 1948, maybe 1950. The other thing could have happened is a Soviet North Japan and a free South Japan and instead of the Korean War, we could have had the Japanese War. Japan is basically a nation on mountainous rocks, there would have been plenty of hiding places for their Army and resistance to hide as well as squirrel away what weapons they had left.


49 posted on 04/20/2015 6:51:01 PM PDT by Nowhere Man (Mom I miss you! (>8-20-1938 to 11-18-2013) Cancer sucks)
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To: dfwgator

It would have handed China and all of Korea to the USSR no later then 1947, maybe as early as late 1946. The Russians might have passed on Japan in exchange for all of mainland Asia right away. The Soviets would have a free hand in Asia as long as we were embroiled in Japan.

I really don’t like to think about how the world would have turned out if Japan didn’t surrender in August 1945.


50 posted on 04/20/2015 7:17:31 PM PDT by henkster (Do I really need a sarcasm tag?)
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To: henkster

Can’t say I blame you.


51 posted on 04/20/2015 7:24:43 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

They buried Ernie Pyle today. So close to the end. BTT


52 posted on 04/20/2015 7:44:41 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Nowhere Man
Germany reached out a hand to help them.

That only came after Barbarossa. During the Winter War, the Italians tried to send them planes,and the Germans embargoed the shipment.

53 posted on 04/20/2015 8:49:13 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: henkster
I really don’t like to think about how the world would have turned out if Japan didn’t surrender in August 1945.

A lot of us would never have been born.

54 posted on 04/20/2015 8:52:43 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator
One other thing dropping the bombs did, it most likely saved Japan from being divided like Germany and Korea....

Not quite - the Soviets did grab a chunk of northern Japan - one reason there still isn't a peace treaty. The Reds grabbed the southern part of Sakhalin Island and the Kurils. Some of the land grab was conceded by Japan, but some of it is still disputed.

55 posted on 04/20/2015 8:57:36 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: PAR35

Yeah, but that was small potatoes compared to what would have been. Soviets probably would have gotten all of Hokkaido and probably half of Honshu, with perhaps even Tokyo itself divided, like Berlin.


56 posted on 04/20/2015 8:59:35 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: BroJoeK

Buchenwald, was not a “Death Camp” per se, it had many non-Jewish prisoners.


57 posted on 04/20/2015 9:05:38 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator; NFHale; GOPsterinMA; Nowhere Man

That would have been nice.

Hitler VS. Stalin, the original Alien VS. Predator.


58 posted on 04/20/2015 10:00:52 PM PDT by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
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To: Impy; NFHale

Nice comparison!!!


59 posted on 04/21/2015 7:13:47 AM PDT by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: Impy; dfwgator; GOPsterinMA; Nowhere Man

National Socialist versus International Socialist...

Family Feud.

But... the REAL difference is... Better boots.

Germans had better boots. Looks better - stylish, even - when it’s on yer neck.

It’s a fashion thing. One must have a sense of style, after all...


60 posted on 04/21/2015 9:06:56 AM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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