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Was the American Bombing Campaign in World War II a War Crime?
American Heritage Magazine ^ | April 6, 2006 | Fredric Smoler

Posted on 05/20/2006 8:33:39 PM PDT by tbird5

Deliberately targeting civilians is widely considered terrorism nowadays, but during World War II both the Britain’s Bomber Command and the United States Army Air Force deliberately targeted civilians.

The British philosopher A. C. Grayling, in his new book Among the Dead Cities: The History and Moral Legacy of the WWII Bombing of Civilians in Germany and Japan (Walker, $25.95), points out that the two air forces combined killed perhaps 600,000 German civilians and another 200,000 Japanese. He makes the case that at least by our current standards we were terrorists, and it logically follows that the attacks were war crimes. In an age of political terror, when it is urgent to come up with a persuasive distinction between legitimate and illegitimate violence, it is hard to overstate the importance of the questions Grayling raises.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanheritage.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: academia; bataandeathmarch; bombingserbcivilians; japaneseatrocities; japanesemanchura; londonblitz; nowewon; raf; rapeofnanking; terrorbombing; tonsonserbia; usaaf; v1buzzbomb; wwii
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1 posted on 05/20/2006 8:33:41 PM PDT by tbird5
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To: tbird5
If we did it now, it would be considered to. But during WWII that is the way both sides fought.
2 posted on 05/20/2006 8:34:40 PM PDT by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (Charlie Mike, son))
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To: tbird5
Nope !!

In war, you got to beat the enemy, otherwise, you'll lose.
3 posted on 05/20/2006 8:36:09 PM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM 53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart , There is no GOD .)
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To: tbird5

Hmmmm, what two countries indicrimatly bombed Polish and Chinese cities? Tough for them when we paid them back.


4 posted on 05/20/2006 8:36:48 PM PDT by Lockbar (March toward the sound of the guns.)
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To: tbird5

A key question to ask: were the civilians aiding ther war machine by working in factories and other industries in support of the war effort? If so, they are part of the wartime logistics infrastructure.


5 posted on 05/20/2006 8:37:49 PM PDT by NY Attitude (You are responsible for your safety until the arrival of Law Enforcement Officers!)
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To: tbird5

What's past is past. Get over it. Learn from history and don't do it again. Now that wasn't too hard, was it?


6 posted on 05/20/2006 8:37:55 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: tbird5
Was the American Bombing Campaign in World War II a War Crime?

Not unless a Republican was President.

7 posted on 05/20/2006 8:38:42 PM PDT by sourcery (Political & economic freedom: More important than gays burning flags at their weddings)
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To: tbird5

The Germans bombed British civilians long before German cities were bombed. Besides, German manufacturing took place in urban areas. The apologists will trot out the bombing of Dresden, but to them I say....So what? The winners get to write the history.


8 posted on 05/20/2006 8:39:31 PM PDT by clintonh8r (Neither a Bushbot nor a Bushbasher.)
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To: tbird5

The only reason we don't do it now, is because we don't have to. The US was definitely offering Mutually Assured Destruction to the Soviets. We still do, it's just that both sides decided to take their fingers off the trigger for a spell.


9 posted on 05/20/2006 8:40:02 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: tbird5

When's the apology due?


10 posted on 05/20/2006 8:40:06 PM PDT by zarf (It's time for a college football playoff system.)
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To: tbird5

"World War II both the Britain’s Bomber Command and the United States Army Air Force deliberately targeted civilians".

When you are dealing with murdering governments that are targeting your civilians, you target their civilians.

Give the other side a dose of their own medicine.


11 posted on 05/20/2006 8:41:00 PM PDT by Supernatural (Its not dark yet, but its getting there.)
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To: tbird5

Can there really be civilians in all out war?

It is the "civilians" that manufacture the goods that empower the war machine to continue on.


12 posted on 05/20/2006 8:41:39 PM PDT by DB (©)
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To: tbird5
Atilla the Hun, the Hebrews, the Saracens, etc., etc., etc., up close and personal, put the men to the sword, the old women and older children, enslave the ones too young to recall, and move on.

Slay, loot, pillage, and burn.

Next?

How far back y'all wanna go?

13 posted on 05/20/2006 8:44:31 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: tbird5
He makes the case that at least by our current standards we were terrorists

Why do I think there's a good chance that, on 9/11, he didn't have any loved ones in the World Trade Center or in the Pentagon or in any of the planes that were used as missiles while carrying our loved ones?

14 posted on 05/20/2006 8:45:03 PM PDT by pax_et_bonum (Why did the three wise men have ashes in their beards? Because they had just come from afar.)
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To: DB

Some of it yes, but not all. The bombing of Dresden and the fire bombing of Tokyo and both nuclear detonations should have been war crimes. All targeted civilians rather then military targets. its one thing to aim for a military target, or what you think is a military target, then miss and kill civilians. Quite another thing to aim from the start to kill civilians.


15 posted on 05/20/2006 8:45:19 PM PDT by zaggs
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To: tbird5

To even ask the question indicates that a Liberal Socialist is behind it. It is nothing more than a way to rewrite history to make the white European male evil. WE did not attack civilians of countries we were not a war with, unlike the 911 terrorist. We did not go out of our way to attack civilians, unlike the Palestinian Terrorist. In fact we tried to avoid churches, schools, and hospitals. Even the targets for the nuclear bombs were industrial targets. We had a choice to take out some of Japans religious cities but chose not to for humanitarian reasons.
This question is nothing more that MORAL RELATIVISM to make it seem that the Arab Terrorist are just nothing more that freedom fighters. The question is seditious and propaganda.


16 posted on 05/20/2006 8:46:04 PM PDT by Exton1
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To: DB
I am sure Hitler would not have gave it a 2 nd thought to bomb innocent civilians on US soil if he had the means and chance to do so.
And I am sure Soviets would not have given it a 2 nd thought to bomb innocent civilians on US soil if it were to come to just shooting war and not a nuke war.
This is nothing but Politically Correct Liberal Communist crap to get at the USA some how.
17 posted on 05/20/2006 8:46:26 PM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM 53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart , There is no GOD .)
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To: tbird5

It's called, "Total War". Grant and Sherman reinvented it in the US Civil War, but it has been with us since the dawn of civilization. I have been in a war, and there really is no way to fight, "by the rules." Because, if you do, and the other country doesn't, you may lose.


18 posted on 05/20/2006 8:47:12 PM PDT by ExtremeUnction
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To: DB

Do you want my blunt reply?

The Germans burned ten million people to death in their gas chambers (Jews, Gypsies, etc.)

The Japanese murdered millions in China (anybody hear about Nanking? And that was only for starters). Add in another million in the Philipines.

Whatever they got, they deserved it. (And I think God probably thinks the same thing.)


19 posted on 05/20/2006 8:47:22 PM PDT by CondorFlight
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To: clintonh8r
The apologists will trot out the bombing of Dresden, but to them I say....So what?

To them I say... Coventry.
20 posted on 05/20/2006 8:49:15 PM PDT by Nachoman (I love greasy old bolt guns.)
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