[tomzz]

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.

That figure for Japanese is ludicrous. I view it as likely that a million Japanese might have been killed in the 4/10/45 raid on Tokyo alone, and Tokyo was but one of some 75 large cities which were basically burned down before LeMay ran out of incindiaries in July 45.

[oldfart]

Give me a break! Things have to be judged according to the times. Just as crucifixion is now considered cruel and unusual, at the time of Christ's death it was the normal method of execution. Until fairly recently, public hanging was the accepted method of execution here in the U.S. and decapitation by guillotine continued until the 1940s in Europe.
If we are to allow some sort of johnny-come-lately re-assessment of wartime tactics we might as well condemn Italians for the destruction of Carthage by the Roman Legions. Give me a break!

[txroadkill]

Umm, exactly what military target was this ever aimed at...or even aimed for that matter???

German V1 "Buzz Bomb" about to hit London.

[frankiep]

Oh geez.

Bad things happen in war.......because it's war. People die.

[Tailback]

NO.

Next question?

[Pistolshot]

"War is all hell." - Wm T. Sherman 1865

[FreedomPoster]

Ask the Carthaginians if this was a war crime.

You do what it takes to win. It's war, not a Marquis of Queensbury rules boxing match.

Carnage and Culture covers the use of total war by the West fairly well, and is a worthwhile read.

[org.whodat]

Simple, not worth posting and not worth reading. The story line is something you come up with when you have no common sense.

[Eastbound]

So what do you think should happen to Iran if they nuke Israel?

If Israel knew for certain it was going to be nuked by Iran within a week or two, would Israel be justified nuking Iran back to the dark ages first, or should they take a first-hit?

The question is, who is waging the war? Who is the offender and who is on the defensive? WWII wasn't our war. It belonged to Germany, Japan and Italy. We were on the defense. The people of Germany, Japan and Italy were complicit by not preventing their leaders from engaging in national suicide.

When it's a question of survival of the ones attacked, you follow the laws of survival. Whatever it takes.

[IronJack]

Most authorities agree that the firebombing of Dresden at least was unnecessary, from a military point of view, and that it added little to a war that was already won. The bombing of Hamburg in July of 1943 (much earlier in the Combined Bomber Offensive) presaged Dresden. Estimates were that 50,000 died, and three fourths of the city was destroyed. But at least Hamburg had a military value; it was a major port and shipbuilding center, and its facilities were being used for Uboat production.

Does any of this make the Allies terrorists or war criminals? Even the stuffy leaders of Bomber Command admitted that the point of much of their effort was to strike terror into the heart of the German citizenry, thereby reducing their will to fight. Churchill was especially committed to that effort. But they also had to admit that all the bombing did was strengthen German resolve, much the way the Blitz had stiffened the spine of the British.

In the end, the offensive achieved most when it was targeted toward areas that provided Germany with her warmaking materiel: ball bearing plants, oil and gas refineries, heavy armament factories, and railyards. Terror proved a most ineffective tactic.

[oldtimer2]

If you had asked the average American that question in 1938, the answer would have been a resounding yes. After 3 years of total war the average American would have said it was not immoral.
Every person has a sliding scale and will lower their 'gag reflex' in a long war.
I am not sure what the answer is.

[Mr. Mojo]

..... the two air forces combined killed perhaps 600,000 German civilians and another 200,000 Japanese.

Only 200,000? There were at least 100,000 dead in one firebombing attack onTokyo alone. Add to that the campaigns on other cities (including the A-Bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki) and I would've thought the number to be about double that.

[claudiustg]

No, but it will be criminal if we don't soon start bombing certain sites in Iran.

[Prime Choice]

Yet another dose of liberal revisionist history. They'll give a pass to the Nazis, Jihadists and Communists and always try to pain the United States and its allies as "The Great Satan."

To hell with them. If there had been more people like them in 1945, there would be far fewer people like them today.

[Thombo2]

Interesting article.One example:The author states,"Japan surrendered because of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria."????

[Mears]

God,no !

[Lawdoc]

Not only NO...but Hell no! Times change so do standards and the so called "facts" of history.

[Reaganesque]

Right is wrong. Up is down. Good is bad. Moral equivalency run amok. Fact is, this is not entirely a result of stupidity or ignorance. No, this is a grab for power. This is an attempt by the world's remaining Socialists and Communists to bring the United States down. They don't have a problem with war. They've initiated plenty of their own featuring atrocities that make Hitler seem like an amateur.

They object to Conservatism. They object to Religion (those that insist on traditional morality). They object to anyone who has a strong set of moral beliefs and sticks by them. Bottom line, they object to anyone other than themselves, the self-appointed, "intellectual" elite, in positions of power. All the ranting and raving about racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. is all window dressing to cover the fact that they believe they are the ruling class and how dare anyone vote for anyone other than them.

[familyop]

Grayling is either incompetent or dishonest. Our Army targeted military installations and production with bombs, and we didn't have "smart" guided bombs back then. Grayling and all other anti-American, western European appeasers of Nazis and terrorists should listen to those whose country saved his.

Fascists like Grayling show all the more that western Europe is bound for dhimmitude, unless we rescue it again.

[JennysCool]

More '60s generation "historians" fleshing out the "what ifs" that occur to them while tripping on 'shrooms.