Hiroshima Plus 63 [Happy Hiroshima Day]

The Moderate Voice ^ | August 6, 2008 | PATRICK EDABURN

[PurpleMan]

This week marks the 63rd anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and the beginning of the end of World War 2. As is usually the case every year we have the stories of those who attack the incident as a ‘war crime’. These historical revisionists miss (or ignore) the fact that they are looking back with hindsight and applying modern attitudes to historical times.

[PurpleMan]

"SecWar, Reply to your 41011 suggestions approved. Release when ready but not sooner than August 2." Harry S Truman

[Fundamentally Fair]

There were protesters outside the Pentagon this morning. One of there signs said, “We're against nukes.”

I thought, “Good, so am I...I hope no one forces us to use them again.”

[Fundamentally Fair]

There were protesters outside the Pentagon this morning. One of their signs said, “We're against nukes.”

I thought, “Good, so am I...I hope no one forces us to use them again.”

[Romulus]

looking back with hindsight and applying modern attitudes to historical times.

A shallow and stupid argument.

Lots of responsible voices, including senior members of the US military, regarded the bombings as a war crime at the time.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

That bomb saved a lot of lives. It was a happy day indeed for those troops scheduled to invade Japan.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

90,000 Japanese killed

600,000+ American servicemen saved 1,000,000+ Japanese civilians saved

[PurpleMan]

looking back with hindsight and applying modern attitudes to historical times.

“A shallow and stupid argument.”

Actually, that somthing that is continually done by historian filled with guilt for what their ancestory thought was the proper action decades and centuries before.

By your reasoning the founding fathers committed crimes against humanity by not outlawing slavery.

[jalisco555]

That bomb saved a lot of lives. It was a happy day indeed for those troops scheduled to invade Japan.

Like mine, for instance. My father, a Marine who barely survived the fighting on Okinawa was supposed to be part of the first wave of the invasion of Japan. Macarthur's staff estimated 100% casualties for the first wave. Thank you Harry Truman.

[jalisco555]

600,000+ American servicemen saved 1,000,000+ Japanese civilians saved

The death toll on the Asian mainland at that time was running around 100k/month. Shortening the war saved the lives of untold numbers of Chinese, Burmese, etc.

[A.A. Cunningham]

[Old Mountain man]

Thank you President Truman and General Tibbets.

[Redbob]

Without those two bombs, there is no doubt the Japanese would have fought on until the last Jap soldier was dead.

In that respect, we also saved countless JAPANESE lives, a point that few seem to grasp.

And Horishima is such a modern-looking city today...

[Tennessee_Bob]

They’re having their little protests here in Oak Ridge today. Fortunately, when I go to work, I go in the opposite direction of the protests.

[mriguy67]

didnt more people die from the firebombing of Japan than in the 2 nuke hits?

[A.A. Cunningham]

[Towed_Jumper]

War is hell...too bad the Japanese started one with us.

[jalisco555]

didnt more people die from the firebombing of Japan than in the 2 nuke hits?

Cumulatively yes. Over 100,000 died in a single raid on Tokyo. The death toll from Hiroshima and Nagasaki has always been difficult to pin down due to people dying years later from the residual effect of radiation. Still, more Japanese lives were saved than lost by the atomic bombing.

[reagan_fanatic]

Same here. My Dad went on to become part of the occupation forces in Japan. Had we decided to invade rather than drop the bomb, I might very well have never been born.

We owe so much to that generation, in more ways than we can possibly count.

[RichInOC]

“What’s up, Hiroshi? Let’s light this candle!”

[mad_as_he$$]

"History cannot and must not be judged using the perspective of the rear view mirror."

Mad-as-he$$ circa 1997.