There are many other stories I overheard and could relate, but one consistently repeated theme was how their unit or ship was scheduled for the Japan invasion. They always thanked God they didn’t have to become fodder for that killing machine. Therefore I developed and now rework from suggestions I receive and from additional sources this narrative about dropping the atomic bombs. I also break it into four letters I send to papers.
Based of feedback so far I need to add a discussion about the increasing fragility our leaders were noting on the home front concerning support for the war. The casualties beginning in June 1944 into summer of 1945 were much greater than the experience of this country in the previous two and half years. I remember the story told by one man who was too young to serve, but as an adolescent delivered telegrams part-time for the local Western Union office. He eventually quit, because every day he had to deliver the death notices and people began looking at him as a death angel with some combination of anxiety and hatred.
The partial biography of the sources I used contains a lot of helpful insights and perspectives I didn’t emphasize. The recently published book Hell to Pay by D. M. Giangreco is especially valuable. I was able to find confirmation of so many of my other sources in his book. About 30% of the book is bibliography, appendices, and notes.
We didn’t start it but we damned sure ended it. Where are the real decision makers now?
Just to make the point clear, let’s firebomb Tokyo again
Only the soft and mushy lefties buy the revisionist crapola that some how Japan wouldn’t have fought to the very last person...... The easy proof is that the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th....Japan did not immediately surrender (even though they had been bombed heavily before this). On August 9th Nagaski was bombed. It is a good thing they surrendered then because we were out of atomic bombs to get their attention
As one who was here when the bombs were dropped, I can tell you that it was welcomed by practically 100% of the American people. One had to be alive during WWII to understand the savagery and brutality of the Japanese. Karma is indeed a bitch.
It was immoral. Bombing civilian targets is always immoral. Dresden was immoral. London bombing was immoral. Do not kid yourself.
A fine essay. The main thing missing I think is the detonation of the Japanese atom ten days or so after Nagasaki by the islet in the Sea of Japan between Korea and Japan. Professor Nishina and the other boffins might have been possibly able to produce enough material by Operation Downfall to use a nuke against the landing forces.
The Army and Navy had started rival programs BEFORE the US began the Manhattan Project. Lucky for us they could not co-operate.
And the irony wasn’t lost on them either.
They attacked us at 8:15 am
We dropped the bomb at 8:15am.
Take that!
damn right it was.
I was being prepared/readied on Leyte for the invasion of Japan when the ‘bombs’ were dropped. My only brother had been killed fighting on Okinawa just a few months earlier. I was mad as hell and ready to go for the invasion. when it came time for the surrender aboard the Missouri I had cooled somewhat. However, from the scuttlebutt on Leyte the invasion of Japan would have been one horrific loss of life on both sides. I got to see a lot of carnage of the war from the Philippines to the Marianas. Today I still have ill feelings towards the Japs of those days.
just ask the Chinese or Koreans if they think it was necessary and ok to drop the Atomics on Japan.