Posted on 08/01/2005 7:21:44 PM PDT by satchmodog9
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
While most may not remember the details, they do know about that famous B-29 bomber which dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan, for all practical purposes ending World War Two. The Smithsonian has completed a cosmetic restoration of the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the bombs, and is now on display. As expected, a large sized hullabaloo has arisen over the way Harry Truman decided to end the war. Various old saws are paraded about, such as the hackneyed and untrue one that, "The Japanese had already sued for peace," "Atomic weapons shouldn't have been used," and "Unnecessary lives were lost." After 60 years, a lot of facts have been lost, buried, or conveniently forgotten. Allow me to refresh your memory.
The Japanese hadn't sued for peace at all, but were continuing the war, as if nothing had happened, vowing to kill all the POW's if they lost. As each island was captured, it was discovered that Allied prisoners had been shot, beheaded, drowned, burned, or in some other way killed in the most unmentionable atrocities. The professional hand wringers remember two dates: August 6th, 1945, when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and August 9th, when a larger one was dropped on Nagasaki. Here are a few more pertinent dates, which will explain August 6th and 9th, 1945.
Even though the Jap navy had been largely sunk, air force decimated, and factories destroyed, they fought on, as if all was going well. They considered themselves to be a superior race, which could not be beaten by inferior 'white devils.' Then came the B-29 "Super Fortress." On the nights of March 9 and 10, the largest air raid in history took place over Tokyo, with 279 B-29's unloading fire bombs, totally destroying 16 square miles of that city with five million inhabitants. 63% of the commercial district, and 18% of the remaining industrial capacity was destroyed in these raids. 250,000 buildings were destroyed, and possibly as many as 100,000 killed. The flames could be seen a hundred miles at sea by the crews, as they returned to their home bases or carriers. Next month, the B-29's came back again, further destroying Tokyo. Still, the Japanese acted as if nothing had happened, continued to kill POW's, and believing Tojo's words, that all was going well. The 'white devils' were being smashed.
On May 24th and 25th, the Super Fortresses came back again, this time another record being set, with 558 planes over Tokyo, this time destroying half the city, with 56.3 miles being reduced to ashes. Still no surrender. By the end of June, 13 million Japanese were homeless, and 58 smaller cities were being hit. On July 10th, 2,000 planes were in the air over Japan. B-29's, as well as fighters were bombing everything in sight, and even dropping leaflets, giving the schedules as to what cities were next in line.
Surrender was not in the Jap lexicon. Rather than being taken prisoner or surrendering, hundreds of thousands of them committed hari-kari. On Iwo Jima, 21,000 Jap soldiers died, and on Okinawa, 70,000. The Emperor expected them to resist to the death, and they followed instructions. On July 26th, Japan was told to give up or face prompt and utter destruction. On August 1st, 836 B-29's again broke records for the largest bomb drop, and number of planes in air raid history. No reply.
Truman had enough. He knew the Japs had promised no POW would be spared, and an invasion of the mainland would cost a million lives of both the Japs and Allies. There was absolutely no reasoning with them. On August 6th, the Enola Gay (maiden name of the pilot's mother) came over Hiroshima at 31,600 feet, and dropped "Little Boy," killing perhaps 100,000. After the drop, Truman said that Japan must give up or, "Face a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which had never been seen on this earth." No reply. Three days later, on August 9th, "Fat Man" was dropped over Nagasaki, killing perhaps another 50,000. Still no surrender. Finally, on August 15th, almost a week after Nagasaki had been destroyed, and over a week after Hiroshima, the Japanese surrendered.
The Americans had warned, pleaded, begged, threatened, and done everything in their power to end the war with a civilized surrender. The Japs wouldn't give up, in spite of the Allies virtually destroying their major cities, minor cities, navy, air force, manufacturing capability, capturing their outposts, and making every possible conventional war move. It was necessary to do what was done. The Japanese would have fought to their last man, killing every prisoner they held along the way, and obliterating their nation from the face of the earth, probably thinking that in the after-life, they would receive just rewards for fighting the 'white devils.' Truman did what he had to do, and saved the most lives in the process.
The dropping of those two nuclear bombs on Japan, save at least a million lives, and shortened the war by many months. Those that choose not to recognize that America tried over and over again to get them to surrender, without success, ignore the figures as borne out by history. The death rate in the Jap POW camps was 27%, and in German ones, 4%, The Holocaust did not take place in POW camps. The Germans obeyed the Geneva Convention as best they could, and the Japs didn't even try. The Jap POW camps were so lethal, that few returning veterans would even speak of them, and most of the WW II stories and film, ignore the Jap camps, they were so brutal and death dealing. I can see no wrong in remembering and approving the final act which ended that hideous war. The true crime, was FDR getting us into it in the first place. I still will not own anything Japanese, and am glad to admit it.
They also were not informing him of the severity of the defeats. If I remember correctly, the emperor was considered a living god.
Anyone who was alive at the time of these events still uses the term Jap. I do, for one. Call it a racial slur if you wish but it is a term that was used by us then and still used by us now. It is nothing to the terms the JAPS had for us at the time and many japs probably still use their derogatory terms.
Until they appologize for what they did in WWII to us, China, the phillipines and many others, I will continue to use the term jap. Thanks for the PC lesson, but I, and many others like me, don't need, or want, it.
Oh, yeah before I go, you won't read anymore because he said, oh, horrors, jap, this article is mostly, not all, but mostly, historically correct, saying jap doesn't change that.
Next.
I agree 1000%. I work about 2 minutes from the Dayton AF Base. About 5 years ago I worked on a project on the base. We got a chance to spend a few days in the private section of the AF Museum. They have a HUGE hanger of nothing but things not on display. Uniforms,Flags,old soldier equipment,partially rebuilt planes, etc.. It has to be the best museum experience ever. I wish more people had a chance to get into those areas!!
Three cities should consider themselves lucky. Nagasaki was #4 on the target list originally. By the time the mission took off, two of the three cities ahead of it were "voted off the island" and Nagasaki was then #2 on the list for mission day as the alternate drop.
Consider Nagasaki very unlucky or those other three cities very lucky.
The older I get the more suspect my memory becomes. I'm pretty sure Paul Tibbets flew the Enola Gay. I think Bock's Car was piloted by Frederick Bock, but that may be wrong at least to the extent that it dropped the bomb on Nagasaki.
When my son was going to school at the Air Force Institute my wife and I visited and had the privelege of seeing that museum. It's an aviation museum and occupies a series of huge hangers built for that purpose. I honestly think it's the best museum of any genre I ever saw.
If my son hadn't been there I never would have gone to Dayton. It would never have made it to my list of vacation spots. I now would recommend it for a couple of days just to see the museum. It's that good.
Your statement rings just as true now than ever.
I'll toss another vote in for the Air Force museum at Wright Patterson. Anyone has hasn't paid it a visit, should do so. Even my wife, who isn't a machine buff, loved it!
I spent the best part of a day there. The level of restoration they adhere to is unbelievable. I spoke with one man (a volunteer) who had been gently wet sanding a German aircraft for many months; down to the original paint that was underneath many coats of paint. When he was done they would repaint the plane in the exact scheme, using paint manufactured to the same formula used by the Germans.
I was amazed at the level of work that they put into these aircraft.
We're moving to Ohio soon (sick and tired of the Seattle area) and I'll be visiting the museum often.
Tibbets flew the Enola Gay. Major Charles Sweeney flew Bock's Car.
I used to ask my father, who is now 86 why he wouldn't own a Toyota. I would tell him that they made good trucks. He would always reply, "I still remember what those slant-eyed sons of....... did at Pearl Harbor." Over the years, I have grown to understand why he felt that way, though I harbor no ill will toward modern Japan. That is unless they start whining about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Then I feel the need to remind them about Pearl Harbor. They started it. We finished it. They got what was coming to them.
Anyone who was alive at the time of these events still uses the term Jap. I do, for one. Call it a racial slur if you wish but it is a term that was used by us then and still used by us now. It is nothing to the terms the JAPS had for us at the time and many japs probably still use their derogatory terms.
My Dad was a Pharmacists Mate with a marine division that invaded Iwo Jima and Nagasaki. He still uses the term "Japs." I believe the Pacific War was a racist war of the first order. It was a fight to the death that can leave emotional scars. I think my Dad still harbors some bitterness toward Japanese. I find it difficult to be judgemental about it.
He has a friend at his church who is both Catholic and Nisei and likely doesn't want his friend killed. He also in rare moments, when he let's down what little hair he still has, will say Japanese Americans were treated disgracefully in having their lives destroyed when so many of them were innocent and patriotic Americans.
Enola Gay is in Chantilly, VA outside D.C. - an awe-inspiring sight!! Seeing it makes you realize we did the right thing. See link: http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/uhcmap.cfm
Good grief: That was another time and another set of circumstances. Had you been there,I am sure your opion would be different and welcome.So much has changed,it is very difficult to remember everything which impacted us all.
That war is over thank God, lets cocentrate on the present one and live in peace if at all possible,
It was a common reference for the Japanese during the time. The Japanese of that era deserve no respect after Pearl Harbor, and the many POW atrocities.
First, "Jap" is not a "racial slur" but a national nickname used by Americans for Japanese at that time during WW II. They are oriental as a race, Japanese as a nation. "Jap" is NOT a racial slur.
"Kraut" is NOT a racial slur but a nickname for Germans. If "Kraut" was a racial slur, it would be referring to Caucasians.
"Chicoms", "Ruskies", "Mounties", are NOT racial slurs but indicate nation of origin--China, Russia and Canada.
"Cowards" is NOT a racial slur but is a nickname for the French.
You need to brush up on what constitutes a "racial slur".
Second, I don't think people who lived during a particular era or are descendants of one who was needs to apologize for words like "Jap" or "Kraut". That was the term used back then and it was used to label the enemy. There was no racial overtones in these names. It was just a short way of indicating the enemy.
"JAP-AN-ESE" is a THREE syllable word. "GER-MAN" is a TWO syllable word.
Guess what? "Kraut" and Jap" are ONE syllable words. Imagine that! Men in uniform using a one syllable word to indicate the enemy! How interesting! What did you want? Did you want our soldiers in WW II to have yelled "JAP-AN-ESE" when an enemy was spotted? There would be a lot more dead Americans if they had done that. I bet yelling "JAP" saved many lives as it was a lot shorter than yelling "JAP-AN-ESE".
Why don't you put on a uniform and serve your nation. I bet you would start using acronyms and short one-syllable words in no time at all.
By the way, I am of Arabic descent and just got back from a family reunion where a lot of our older aunts and uncles refer to ourselves as "Camel Jockeys". Ever since we were little we heard our Aunts and Uncles say that--one Arab to another.
During the war, just about every single man in the Army, Navy and Marine Corp used the term "Jap". The news media used the term all the time.
But now it isn't politically correct. Grow a pair and tell your professors to get bent.
Chantilly VA, lest anyone be confused, is a hangor on the edge of Dulles International.
I've always wanted to visit.
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