# Recollections of the Hiroshima / Nagasaki Bombings



## brianscott (May 6, 2015)

Hi all;
My name is Kyle, and I am in high school. I have an assignment to interview someone that remembers the Hiroshima bombing during WW2.  Both of my grandfathers were WW2 veterans but my grandparents have passed away, and I do not know anyone that I can interview. So I am posting here and hope that someone can assist.
Thanks for any help that you can offer. I realize that the tone of these questions may be offensive to those that lived through the war, but the assignment is to discuss the morality of the bombings. So I would appreciate any responses to any of the questions below.   Thanks again!

At the time did you, and the people around you, feel that the Hiroshima bombing was necessary?
Did the newspapers and radio announce the destruction, and did they feel that it was justified?
Do you remember hearing anyone say that the bombing was wrong or unnecessary?
Do you remember the bombings mentioned during church services, and do you recall what was said?
Did anyone recognize the moral dilemma of destroying entire Japanese cities to spare American lives?
People today would protest – do you remember any protests over the bombing?
In retrospect, has your opinion changed regarding the need to drop the bombs?
Also in retrospect, if you had been the president, would you have authorized the bombings?


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

I remember thanking President Truman for saving a million lives that would have been lost in invading Japan.  Japan killed thousands of Americans at Pearl Harbor and thousands later as well as their terrible treatment of prisoners.  Not one person that we knew felt anything but relief at the bombs that forced a surrender by Japan.  Japan asked for what we brought to the table.  War is hell.


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## Lon (May 6, 2015)

I have complete recall of WW 2 events re: our war with Japan from Pearl Harbor to the end of the war with Japan.
Morality of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings was never an issue with my generation considering the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, The Batan Death March, all the many atrocities committed by the Japanese in China, Phillipines and the South Pacific. The use of the Atomic bombings was not only necessary but justified in order to end the war because the Japanese Military was not about to surrender otherwise and had prepared  their civilian population for invasion,and had the war continued thousands of Allied troops would have died. I would have ordered the bombing if I had been president.


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## Shalimar (May 6, 2015)

I beg to differ, Lon. My mother was a bomb girl in Sorel, Quebec, during the war. She stated categorically that two bombs were unnecessary, the second motivated by revenge, as was the appalling treatment meted out to resident Japanese in both our countries imprisoned in concentration camps after we stole their land. Funny, how we neglected to inter the Germans.


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## QuickSilver (May 6, 2015)

My dad was in the Pacific theater during WWII..  never heard a word of regret out of him. He claimed to have seen some of the destruction, but dad had some suspect  stories about his time in the war.  He did love to embellish a bit.  

My grandmother was a German citizen in Chicago during WWII... she had a curfew and was not allowed near the Lake Michigan.. and Navy Pier..  At least that's what she claimed, but no she was not hauled off to an interment camp.


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> I beg to differ, Lon. My mother was a bomb girl in Sorel, Quebec, during the war. She stated categorically that two bombs were unnecessary, the second motivated by revenge, as was the appalling treatment meted out to resident Japanese in both our countries imprisoned in concentration camps after we stole their land. Funny, how we neglected to inter the Germans.



Shalimar, what is a "bomb girl"?  Japanese were interred her (not in concentration camps) but it may look cruel in retrospect but we in America had submarine attacks on the California coast, the Japanese attempted to burn out out forests with aerial firebombs (in Oregon and Washington) and there was tremendous anti-Japanese anger, also it was a time of massive paranoia.  Remember we lost most of our navy at Pearl.  It was suspected that Japanese might be communicating with their homeland so interment was the policy to protect them and us.  As to the bombs, Japanese had a display of what they would do but chose to ignore our warnings and continue to fight.  We did exactly what needed to be done to stop the Japanese war machine.  Lon was actually in  Europe fighting WW2 so I think his feelings are especially important.


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## Lon (May 6, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> I beg to differ, Lon. My mother was a bomb girl in Sorel, Quebec, during the war. She stated categorically that two bombs were unnecessary, the second motivated by revenge, as was the appalling treatment meted out to resident Japanese in both our countries imprisoned in concentration camps after we stole their land. Funny, how we neglected to inter the Germans.



The interment of Japanese Americans during WW2 was wrong, wrong, wrong, but has nothing to do with the Atomic bombings. Your mom may have been a bomb girl but I don't believe she has or had the military or political expertise to know if the second bomb was required. It's more like just her opinion, which others share. Many bad things as you certainly know, happen in wars and let's just hope that this kind of history does not repeat its self. I went to Junior High School with Japanese kids in California that had just returned from some of the interment camps and got to hear all their stories. I got to see Tokyo, Fukuoka, Nagasaki & Hiroshima in 1953 on my way to serve in Korea. The devastation of the bombings 9 years earlier was still apparent.


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## Shalimar (May 6, 2015)

A bomb girl worked in factories with little or no safety making torpedoes for the war effort. I am not completely unfamiliar with the Pacific Theatre. On my father's side, three of my uncles and one aunt perished in that part of the world. Another aunt survived internment in a Japanese camp. Until she died, she spoke out against the second atomic bomb and internment of Canadian and American Japanese, and praised the exploits of the muchh decorated Nisei airmen.


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## Ameriscot (May 6, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> A bomb girl worked in factories with little or no safety making torpedoes for the war effort. I am not completely unfamiliar with the Pacific Theatre. On my father's side, three of my uncles and one aunt perished in that part of the world. Another aunt survived internment in a Japanese camp. Until she died, she spoke out against the second atomic bomb and internment of Canadian and American Japanese, and praised the exploits of the muchh decorated Nisei airmen.



Shali, a bit OT, but have you watched the series called Bomb Girls about women in a bomb factory in Toronto during WWII?


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## Shalimar (May 6, 2015)

Yes I have Annie. It was awesome, particularly the déjà vu bit re the girl unfortunately getting her hair caught in a machine, years ago, my mother told me that same story. It was eerie.


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## Ameriscot (May 6, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Yes I have Annie. It was awesome, particularly the déjà vu bit re the girl unfortunately getting her hair caught in a machine, years ago, my mother told me that same story. It was eerie.



Did you mum work in one similar to this?  My grandmother worked in an airplane factory during WWII in Detroit.


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## QuickSilver (May 6, 2015)

My mother worked in a factory that made Walkie Talkies..


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## Shalimar (May 6, 2015)

Annie, my mother made torpedoes.


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

Dad made Liberty ships in Long Beach, Mom was in Engineering at North America Aviation where they made Black Widows.


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## ndynt (May 6, 2015)

I remember WWII very well.    The bombings were discussed on the radio, all newspapers, magazines  and movie theatres displayed pictures of the destruction and the final  surrender of the Japanese. As were all the atrocities, and suicide  bombings of the Japanese.  So, there was great fear of the Japanese vs  sympathy.   Everyone I heard discussing the bombings agreed that it  would have taken many more bombings, with a greater toll of lives...or,  the alternative, the invasion of Japan.  Resulting in the loss of  thousands of American lives.   So people were generally relieved vs  horrified.  Every one I knew was relieved that at last the war had  ended. 
 I  happened to be in Radio City Music Hall, seven days later  I think it  was, on VJ day...when the end of the war was  announced.  Came out into Times Square....where everyone hugging and  kissing one another.... such jubilance. 
I never saw or heard of any demonstrations/protests over the bombing.  
In  retrospect, war is cruel....the Japanese were ruthless...I do not think  there was any alternative.  I think the president did what he had to.  
About  internment camps....Italians were interred also.  My mother and  maternal grandparents were not citizens.  In fact they brought me back  from Italy just before US was involved in the European war.  So, my  family was very concerned regarding their safety.  I think some  relatives must have been interred.  For I remember my grandmother taking  me to a camp, in Boston.  She would pass food and money through the  chain link fence.  It was a secret journey...for no one would have  allowed her to go there.  How she knew how to get there is a puzzle, for  she did not read English.  And it required many changes of trollies and  trains.  I was just a little child...and no help.
Strangely, I was more afraid of Germans than the Japanese.  I used to take food to bed with me every night, hiding it under my pillow.  In case the Germans came.


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## QuickSilver (May 6, 2015)

When I was a small child, I had nightmares about the Japanese..  Probably from all the talk from my father and his war buddies..  Also, there were a lot of war movies out.  Scared the heck out of me..  I really believed they were going to swarm down our street and kill us.


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## Lon (May 6, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> My mother worked in a factory that made Walkie Talkies..



One of my sisters worked for Trojan making condoms and the other worked making parachutes


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

Earlier I stated that Lon was in Europe during the war.  I was thinking of Falon not Lon.  Sorry for the mistake.


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

Very insightful Nona.  I too feared the dreaded Nazi would get me if he could.  At the penny arcade we had games featuring a "Jap" Hirohito and Hitler marching back and forth and we had a rifle that had a light beam and we got to shoot them time after time and that joy came at the reasonable price of 5 cents.  Americans hated the Japanese and Germans during that war, especially when we thought of the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor and the atrocities committed by them.  I had no sympathy at all for them, I still don't.


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## Glinda (May 6, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Very insightful Nona.  I too feared the dreaded Nazi would get me if he could.  At the penny arcade we had games featuring a "Jap" Hirohito and Hitler marching back and forth and we had a rifle that had a light beam and we got to shoot them time after time and that joy came at the reasonable price of 5 cents.  Americans hated the Japanese and Germans during that war, especially when we thought of the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor and the atrocities committed by them.  I had no sympathy at all for them, I still don't.



Jim, are you saying that you still hate the Japanese and Germans?  Yes, what they did was despicable and I agree that the bombings were necessary.  But I can't picture you meeting a Japanese or German person today and hating them because of what happened 70 years ago.  Am I wrong about you?  Or just misunderstanding what you said?


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

No Glinda, I don't hate them.  What I said was I had no sympathy for them for the bombs and I stlll think it was the right thing to do.


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## Susie (May 6, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Very insightful Nona.  I too feared the dreaded Nazi would get me if he could.  At the penny arcade we had games featuring a "Jap" Hirohito and Hitler marching back and forth and we had a rifle that had a light beam and we got to shoot them time after time and that joy came at the reasonable price of 5 cents.  Americans hated the Japanese and Germans during that war, especially when we thought of the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor and the atrocities committed by them.  I had no sympathy at all for them, I still don't.


But then came this:
https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/27628345/germanys-post-wwii-occupation-children-speak-out/
Is it fair to TAR everyone with the same brush?  :hijacked:


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## Susie (May 6, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I remember thanking President Truman for saving a million lives that would have been lost in invading Japan.  Japan killed thousands of Americans at Pearl Harbor and thousands later as well as their terrible treatment of prisoners.  Not one person that we knew felt anything but relief at the bombs that forced a surrender by Japan.  Japan asked for what we brought to the table.  War is hell.


Yes, war is truly HELL!
Could have been even worse, if the US and Australia has been bombed to smithereens, all homes and cities in ruins and ashes, and to this day no underground BUNKERS/AIR SHELTERS  for its citizens.
The most affected in Germany and Japan were the elderly, women and children, as most men were fighting the war or already killed.
I truly hate the "glorification of war" in films and TV!       fftopic:


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## Glinda (May 6, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> No Glinda, I don't hate them.  What I said was I had no sympathy for them for the bombs and I stlll think it was the right thing to do.



ok - good.  I get it.


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## Cookie (May 6, 2015)

From what I know about Pearl Harbor, the base was there in readiness to attack Japan, and not necessarily just to protect the US, but Japanese struck first causing heavy damage to US warships and killing personnel (around 2,300 +) US was interested in South Pacific since the 1890s at which time the US entered Japanese ports with trading ships. Japan has been resentful of US since that time when US was moving in to claim territory all around South Pacific and the Phillipines, threatening Japan's interests there.

There's much more of information about this now on Wiki and history books. Meanwhile we all have to live with the guilt of atom bombs falling on Japan, and let's not forget the firebombing of Dresden. The people of Japanese ancestry (some born in US and Canada) were sent to internment camps and their property was taken from them. 

This obviously warrants indepth study of 20th Century World History, a fascinating but very complex topic. War is hell, and nothing has changed.  Countries are still usurping territory to this day and people are still being killed in droves.


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## ndynt (May 6, 2015)

Susie said:


> Yes, war is truly HELL!
> Could have been even worse, if the US and Australia has been bombed to smithereens, all homes and cities in ruins and ashes, and to this day no underground BUNKERS/AIR SHELTERS  for its citizens.
> The most affected in Germany and Japan were the elderly, women and children, as most men were fighting the war or already killed.
> I truly hate the "glorification of war" in films and TV!       fftopic:


The people of the countries that are at war are always the victims, not  those who legislated it.  I do not remember who to attribute this to.  and that I am even quoting it correctly...but it says it all..."Our  greatest enemy is not a particular group of people in a  far-off country. Our greatest enemy is war itself.”


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## Debby (May 6, 2015)

I'm detecting a sad lack of empathy for the moms and grandparents and children of Hiroshima and Nagaskai who were obliterated by those bombs.  If the targets had been actual military centres that would be one thing, but they were folks just like all of us.  No empathy at all?

And considering that Japan had been trying to surrender for several months before those bombs were dropped, should there not be a bit more remorse for 120,000 civilians that were killed in two days?

The following link is an actual CIA document and talks about the Japanese 'putting out peace feelers' from January 1945 and on until August when the bombs were dropped.  https://www.cia.gov/library/center-...ence/kent-csi/vol9no3/html/v09i3a06p_0001.htm 

And this document from CSIS explains the rational for dropping those things:  http://csis.org/blog/understanding-decision-drop-bomb-hiroshima-and-nagasaki


*Ending the war at the earliest possible moment - The primary objective for the U.S. was to win the war at the lowest possible cost. Specifically, Truman was looking for the most effective way to end the war quickly, not for a way to not use the bomb.*

*To justify the cost of the Manhattan Project - The Manhattan Project was a secret program to which the U.S. had funneled an estimated $1,889,604,000 (in 1945 dollars) through December 31, 1945.*

*To impress the Soviets - With the end of the war nearing, the Soviets were an important strategic consideration, especially with their military control over most of Eastern Europe. As Yale Professor Gaddis Smith has noted, “It has been demonstrated that the decision to bomb Japan was centrally connected to Truman's confrontational approach to the Soviet Union.” However, this idea is thought to be more appropriately understood as an ancillary benefit of dropping the bomb and not so much its sole purpose.*

*A lack of incentives not to use the bomb - Weapons were created to be used. By 1945, the bombing of civilians was already an established practice. In fact, the earlier U.S. firebombing campaign of Japan, which began in 1944, killed an estimated 315,922 Japanese, a greater number than the estimated deaths attributed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The firebombing of Tokyo alone resulted in roughly 100,000Japanese killed.*

*Responding to Pearl Harbor - When a general raised objections to the use of the bombs, Truman responded by noting the atrocities of Pearl Harbor and said that “When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him as a beast.” *






http://www.fpp.co.uk/History/General/atombomb/strange_myth/article.html


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## Debby (May 6, 2015)

In the case of the rationalizations for dropping the bombs, #1 is logical (end the war ASAP), #2-#4 seems pretty pathetic considering it was helpless civilians who were incinerated.

And regarding Pearl Harbour, from the following link, it's suggested that Roosevelt knew three days ahead of time that the Japanese were looking at that scenario which then begs the question, why did he allow it to happen?  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-memo-shows-US-warned-of-Japanese-attack.html


'...Without the remarkable efforts of the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, the United States and Great Britain would have been hard pressed to score a decisive military victory over Nazi Germany....'  
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-memo-shows-US-warned-of-Japanese-attack.html

And Global Research goes on to point out that the then Soviet Union was instrumental in the defeat of the Nazi machine, a fact that seems to be missing from Western accounts of that war.  '...*The German army suffered 88% of its casualties on the Eastern Front*. *It was the Soviet troops who broke the will and capacity of the German army to carry out massive front offensives in 1943.* The Battle of Kursk – that is the name historians must remember! Norman Davies writes that the key role of the Soviet army in WWII will be so obvious to future historians that they will merely credit the US and Great Britain with providing a vitally important support....'
http://www.globalresearch.ca/world-war-ii-the-decisive-role-of-the-russian-people-in-defeating-nazi-germany/5619

The Soviet Union lost 14.2% of their entire population as a result of their involvement in the 2nd WW while America's casualties amounted to .32% and Canada lost .40%.  Of course there were numerous other countries involved with losses ranging from .0 (Ireland) to 17.2% (Poland).  So it seems to me that any suggestions that the West 'won the war' is a rewrite of history especially if as the historian Norman Davies suggests, 88% of the German Army casualties were inflicted by the Red Army on the Eastern Front.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties


Sorry to the OP, I just realized that I've turned this into a debate instead of a collection of recollections about a terrible time in world history so my apologies to the young man who is just trying to further his education and understanding of that time in the worlds history.  But who knows, maybe the above info will be of use to him.


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## Butterfly (May 6, 2015)

I remember my father and mother talking about Pearl, and about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagisake.  They had great anger about Pearl, and they knew people lost there.  My parents were in church that Sunday morning when the pastor announced that Pearl had been bombed by the Japanese -- it was one of those moments that remained fixed crystal clear in her mind all her life (the way the assassination of President Kennedy is fixed in mine).  

Many from where I live were lost on the Bataan Death March and in POW camps.  Those memories of atrocities perpetrated by the Japanese are still alive, also, and have been passed down to the next generation.  The biggest hospital here at the time was named the Bataan Memorial Hospital, as a remembrance.

I never heard anyone of that generation express any regret over the bombings of Japan.  The opinions I heard were that the bombings saved Allied lives, and that the Japanese deserved what they got because they, after all, started it.  No guilt was ever expressed, nor do I feel any.  Our President did what he had to do to get it over with.

BTW, the Germans were working on an atomic bomb, too, and God only knows what would have happened if they got it first.  Sabotage of the "heavy water" facilities in Naxzi occupied Norway successfully destroyed the plant.  The mission was carried out under the auspices of the British led SOE.


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## Underock1 (May 6, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Dad made Liberty ships in Long Beach, Mom was in Engineering at North America Aviation where they made Black Widows.



My Dad made Liberty ships in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He sprayed asbestos. Terrible stuff. He used to bring the fibers  home on
his clothing. Eventually died of lung cancer many years later.


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## WhatInThe (May 6, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> I beg to differ, Lon. My mother was a bomb girl in Sorel, Quebec, during the war. She stated categorically that two bombs were unnecessary, the second motivated by revenge, as was the appalling treatment meted out to resident Japanese in both our countries imprisoned in concentration camps after we stole their land. Funny, how we neglected to inter the Germans.



I don't know if they were unnecessary. The targets perhaps but the war did need to come to a close. I wonder if they thought the higher ups would've thought  another lost battle if they targeted just a large military unit. The Japanese were notorious for fighting to the last man, dig in and fight to last breath etc. It was a Samurai mentality. They found Japanese soldiers holding out after the war for decades refusing to surrender. The Japanese civilian cliff jumpers proved how Japan did not trust the US and would rather be dead than live under US or Allied rule-this became more apparent as they got closer to Japan.

I read somewhere that one of the reasons they dropped the bomb on cities was that the emperor and entire population needed to see what they were up against. The also had a chance after the first bomb to surrender right away. Unconditional surrender would not have been easy without the emperor saying it was necessary.

 The Germans would've been a little tougher to intern because they would've been much harder to track down but it was selective to intern those of Japanese decent. I think they did let many fight for the US in the European theater of war. It was a shameful chapter in US history.


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## AZ Jim (May 6, 2015)

I'll start like this.  We were sitting in Pearl Harbor with no war  declaration with Japan when 2500 Americans were killed and 1700 more  wounded, some to die later.  I know some today are bemoaning our actions  during that bloody war in using those weapons.  Hirohito was considered  a "god on earth" by the Japanese who would do anything he desired.  He  had already ordered a massive resistance to invasion, right down to  women and children who were told to sharpen bamboo and stab any  invader.  They would all fight to the death.  It is estimated that an  invasion of Japan would have cost one Million allied lives.

If  you know of the Bataan death march it alone reflects the unnecessary  cruelty that was the posture of the Japanese during this time.  Do I  like that women and children were a byproduct of those bombs?  No!  But  death of innocents are a product of any war.  Prior to the use of the  weapon the following took place.

 [h=1]Primary Resources: Leaflets warning Japanese of Atomic Bomb, 1945[/h]

*pbs.org*/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/truman-leaflets/
Other Primary Resources 

_Leaflets dropped on cities in Japan warning civilians about the atomic bomb, dropped c. August 6, 1945_
*TO THE JAPANESE PEOPLE:*
America asks that you take immediate heed of what we say on this leaflet.
 We are in possession of the most destructive explosive ever  devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is  actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant  B-29s can carry on a single mission. This awful fact is one for you to  ponder and we solemnly assure you it is grimly accurate.
 We have just begun to use this weapon against your homeland. If you  still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when  just one atomic bomb fell on that city.
 Before using this bomb to destroy every resource of the  military by which they are prolonging this useless war, we ask that you  now petition the Emperor to end the war. Our president has outlined for  you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that  you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new,  better and peace-loving Japan.
 You should take steps now to cease military resistance.  Otherwise, we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other  superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.
*EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.*
*ATTENTION JAPANESE PEOPLE. EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.*
Because  your military leaders have rejected the thirteen part surrender  declaration, two momentous events have occurred in the last few days.
 The Soviet Union, because of this rejection on the part of  the military has notified your Ambassador Sato that it has declared war  on your nation. Thus, all powerful countries of the world are now at war  with you.
 Also, because of your leaders' refusal to accept the  surrender declaration that would enable Japan to honorably end this  useless war, we have employed our atomic bomb.
 A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually  the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s could  have carried on a single mission. Radio Tokyo has told you that with  the first use of this weapon of total destruction, Hiroshima was  virtually destroyed.
 Before we use this bomb again and again to destroy every  resource of the military by which they are prolonging this useless war,  petition the emperor now to end the war. Our president has outlined for  you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that  you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new,  better, and peace-loving Japan.
 Act at once or we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.
*EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.*
 Source: Harry S. Truman Library, Miscellaneous historical document file, no. 258.

Do  I regret the dropping of the bombs?  No!  Am I sorry the Japanese  initiated the ultimate reason that it's civilians suffered as they did?   Yes.


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## Underock1 (May 6, 2015)

The Japanese military in WWII was known for its cruelty and fanaticism. They committed many atrocities. No one blinked an eye here at dropping the bombs. Nothing but jubilation. The civilians may have been innocent, but civilians of all countries had become legitimate targets in WWII. We can look back in horror now, but as with all history, you have to put it in the context of the times it occurred. What you may want to think about are the after effects. After the joy at ending the war, the thought that there was now a weapon out there that could end us all, was on everyone's mind. The war was over, but there were air raid drills in the schools, and atomic bomb shelters were built through out the city. When we were planning to have kids, we thought _very seriously _about the possibility of an atomic bomb being dropped. It was a tragic event, but not having to invade Japan, probably saved Japanese as well as American lives.


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## WhatInThe (May 6, 2015)

" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-memo-shows-US-warned-of-Japanese-attack.html "

Still some fierce debate on this issue. I don't think Roosevelt/administration expected or wanted the devastating attack that took place on Pearl Harbor but he wanted a clear cut very obvious reason for the US to enter the war without question or hesitation. The US was quite the isolationist back then. Even had prominent figures supporting the NAZI movement like Charles Lindbergh. So after getting some disclosure on other historical events leading to war like the Gulf Of Tonkin or the Maine one must give this theory serious consideration.


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

However cruel the Japanese military may have been, Hitller still remains the undisputed bad boy,of WW 2. Six million dead is difficult to argue with. I stand by the opinion of my aunt who survived internment. I saw the keloid scars on her back. If she could avoid hatred and revenge, and embrace compassion, then so can I. She attended Hiroshima peace gatherings in Japan. I have a pic of her in the arms of a Japanese survivor, both are weeping. My nephew's wife is Japanese, My aunt went to the wedding, and toasted the bride in Japanese. Forty percent of my family are Jewish, two cousins are married to Germans. We also remember Dresden. The British Empire also committed war atrocities. Our countries would not accept Jews. Read the history, not just the self-serving propaganda, murky. No one's hands were clean. War is hell.


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> However cruel the Japanese military may have been, Hitller still remains the undisputed bad boy,of WW 2. Six million dead is difficult to argue with. I stand by the opinion of my aunt who survived internment. I saw the keloid scars on her back. If she could avoid hatred and revenge, and embrace compassion, then so can I. She attended Hiroshima peace gatherings in Japan. I have a pic of her in the arms of a Japanese survivor, both are weeping. My nephew's wife is Japanese, My aunt went to the wedding, and toasted the bride in Japanese. Forty percent of my family are Jewish, two cousins are married to Germans. We also remember Dresden. The British Empire also committed war atrocities. Our countries would not accept Jews. Read the history, not just the self-serving propaganda, murky. No one's hands were clean. War is hell.



All duly noted, and fully agreed with. I have not seen anything posted about on going hatred towards today's Japanese or Germans. Just no regrets about what was done at the time. The Japanese and Germans of today could not be further removed from what they were during WWII. I watch the Asian and European news, and have great respect for both. They certainly are less war like than we are these days. Despite that, while sympathizing for the death of innocents, I do not think that dropping the bombs was an "immoral" thing. I still remember the unrestricted joy of VJ day. The whole world breathed a huge sigh of relief. I have no doubt that there were many Japanese mothers whose only thought was "my son is coming home".
A tragic event. Had to be done.


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## Debby (May 7, 2015)

"...we ask that you now petition the Emperor to end the war...."


As I pointed out previously and supported with a link to a CIA document, the Japanese had been attempting to surrender since January of that year (1945) and their only request was that their Emperor not be harmed, so that leaflet that was dropped is a bit of a farce and in my opinion was an attempt by the government of that time to look like they cared.  

When I was a kid, maybe 9 years old, my dad had a book that was called simply 'Hiroshima'.  It had photos of the devastation, the 'shadows' on the walls which were all that was left of people who'd been vaporized, and it had pictures of the sick and dying.  And yes, I did read the book, cover to cover, even though I was only a child and it was horrifying as a child to wake up to what people had done to other people who lived in that city which was not even a military centre.


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

Debby, regardless what the CIA document stated, many people prefer to ignore anything that would cast Into doubt the supposed morality/necessity of the H and N bombings. It is decidedly too horrific to contemplate the possibility of a mistake. It is also naiive to assume that no one objected to these bombings at the time. I come from a military family, yet two of my  Quaker uncles were jailed as conscientious objectors. I am certain they had some strong feelings on the subject. I am also certain it was easier to bomb the daylights out of a people that were not white.


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## QuickSilver (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Debby, regardless what the CIA document stated, many people prefer to ignore anything that would cast Into doubt the supposed morality/necessity of the H and N bombings. It is decidedly too horrific to contemplate the possibility of a mistake. It is also naiive to assume that no one objected to these bombings at the time. I come from a military family, yet two of my  Quaker uncles were jailed as conscientious objectors. I am certain they had some strong feelings on the subject. I am also certain it was easier to bomb the daylights out of a people that were not white.



Fighting on two fronts was sapping our resources..  I've never considered the possibility that the bombings of H & N were racially motivated though.  Interesting slant.   I believe we had to get out of one of the Theaters and opportunity existed to do so in the pacific.


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

I think we have given Kyle what he was looking for. The feeling _at that time _was overwhelmingly one of joy at having a four year nightmare come to the end. I'm thinking of all of the horrors inflicted on innocent civilians through out WWII. Why do we not have world wide commemorations, with discussions of the morality of the Rape of Nanking, the bombing of Shanghai, the destruction of Warsaw, the every day systematic use, abuse, and extermination of the conquered populations of every land by both the Japanese and the Germans. The allies were not innocent. The fire bombings of Dresden and Tokyo were just as horrific as Hiroshima. The only difference is that Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the suffering for everybody!
,


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

Not so. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have left a terrible legacy of birth defects that continue to this day. Also, the war was a six year nightmare for many, not four.


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## QuickSilver (May 7, 2015)

Be that as it may..   Back then, war was specific and absolute.  You knew the enemy.. you knew where they were, you could meet them on the battlefield.  Not so today with the advent of global terror being spread through social media..  We have NO idea where terrorist cells lurk, or when and where they will strike, or even who gives the orders.   We have traded conventional warfare in for covert intelligence operations.  In fighting this we have given up some of our freedoms.. Privacy in our personal communications, and restrictions on our travel for example.  Necessary?   Some would say no.   I'm not so sure.


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## brianscott (May 7, 2015)

Wow. I kind of knew ahead of time that this would be an emotional topic for most people that lived through the events.  The assignment is to justify why the bombings were wrong from a first person perspective. Obviously this is going to be difficult to provide citations for but all of your responses will definitely be helpful. I will continue to check back and look forward to reading more. Thank you so much to each of you for your honest opinions and taking the time to reply.                    
                                                                      Kyle


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Not so. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have left a terrible legacy of birth defects that continue to this day. Also, the war was a six year nightmare for many, not four.




The war still ended. Women and children, fathers and sons, who would have died, didn't.
 I think the real reason we moralize so over Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the possibility that it could now happen to all of us.


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

We have lived with the threat of the bomb all my life. First atom, now nuclear.  No wonder Ghandi said the future belonged to women.


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> We have lived with the threat of the bomb all my life. First atom, now nuclear.  No wonder Ghandi said the future belonged to women.



 I'm glad we have something we can agree on. Too much testosterone flying around.


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

Thank you Underock. It appears we share some commonality after all. Would be interesting to see the effects of estrogen based leadership. Testosterone does not have a pleasant record. Lol.


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## QuickSilver (May 7, 2015)

Yes!!  Let's put women in charge.   Then the worst that will happen is a bunch of countries jealous of one another and not speaking.  lol!!


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

QS I think we already have a bunch of countries jealous of each other, I only wish they would restrict their actions to the silent treatment!


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## QuickSilver (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> QS I think we already have a bunch of countries jealous of each other, I only wish they would restrict their actions to the silent treatment!



And just bitching at one another once a month...


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Thank you Underock. It appears we share some commonality after all. Would be interesting to see the effects of estrogen based leadership. Testosterone does not have a pleasant record. Lol.



Hey we both like Shalimar perfume.  I don't wear it though. We have already had a number of women running their countries. I I am not that familiar with their internal performance, but I don't recall any declaring war on anybody. We may have one running ours soon. Time will tell.


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## WhatInThe (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Not so. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have left a terrible legacy of birth defects that continue to this day. Also, the war was a six year nightmare for many, not four.



I must admit especially after seeing the films of the many nuclear tests in the Pacific why they didn't bomb a fleet of ships near the mainland so everyone could see the power of the atomic bomb because I still think this was a demonstration to the Japanese public so their leadership couldn't pull the wool over their head. And again when the US saw the civilian cliff jumpers when they started getting closer to Japan was one of the final straws that made them think the civilian population needed serious convincing.


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> I must admit especially after seeing the films of the many nuclear tests in the Pacific why they didn't bomb a fleet of ships near the mainland so everyone could see the power of the atomic bomb because I still think this was a demonstration to the Japanese public so their leadership couldn't pull the wool over their head. And again when the US saw the civilian cliff jumpers when they started getting closer to Japan was one of the final straws that made them think the civilian population needed serious convincing.



That's a very interesting thought. I'm not sure the Japanese had any fleet of ships left to bomb. Those bombs were very difficult and expensive to produce. Putting it crudely, I'm sure they wanted to get the most bang for the buck. In addition,
the bomb's effects when dropped on water had not been tested yet.


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## AZ Jim (May 7, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> And just bitching at one another *once a month.*..



Isn't that "stereotyping"???  :wink::lol1:


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> And just bitching at one another once a month...



That _was _a pretty good one! Lol!


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## Underock1 (May 7, 2015)

Underock1 said:


> Hey we both like Shalimar perfume.  I don't wear it though. We have already had a number of women running their countries. I I am not that familiar with their internal performance, but I don't recall any declaring war on anybody. We may have one running ours soon. Time will tell.



I guess Margaret Thatcher declared war to recover the Falklands.


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## WhatInThe (May 7, 2015)

Debby said:


> ......................
> 
> And considering that Japan had been trying to surrender for several months before those bombs were dropped, should there not be a bit more remorse for 120,000 civilians that were killed in two days?
> 
> ...



I'll buy that "feelers" were sent out. But in reality how serious were they and were probably perceived as a way to buy time. And remember all of the Allies had to be appeased along with many of the occupied countries/territories. I always heard Japan wanted south east Asia for natural resources including oil and rubber tree for manufacturing. My guess the reality of those feelers included keeping many of those places. Late 1944, early 1945 were not the only feelers. The US knew this and what Japan really wanted. Don't forget how Germany was left after World War I as well so with a history lesson less than three decades old the US/Allies knew the importance of unconditional surrender.

If you look at the premise of peace feelers for several years of the war Japan's true intentions were much clearer especially to those who made the decision to drop the bombs. Especially looking at the areas occupied by Japan at the time of these feelers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territories_occupied_by_Imperial_Japan

http://rense.com/general72/jee.htm

 But a full scale military attack on another country is not going to end well no matter who and the leadership knows this.


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## QuickSilver (May 7, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Isn't that "stereotyping"???  :wink::lol1:



Nah...  not when we do it..    It's the same thing as only the Polish can tell Polish jokes...  right?       Please... no offense meant in the example... lol!

besides... all of us here are pretty much past THAT affliction.


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## AZ Jim (May 7, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Nah...  not when we do it..    It's the same thing as only the Polish can tell Polish jokes...  right?       Please... no offense meant in the example... lol!
> 
> besides... *all of us here are pretty much past THAT affliction*.


*
YES!!!!* (thankfully)


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## Butterfly (May 7, 2015)

brianscott said:


> Wow. I kind of knew ahead of time that this would be an emotional topic for most people that lived through the events.  The assignment is to justify why the bombings were wrong from a first person perspective. Obviously this is going to be difficult to provide citations for but all of your responses will definitely be helpful. I will continue to check back and look forward to reading more. Thank you so much to each of you for your honest opinions and taking the time to reply.
> Kyle



If your premise is that American people AT THE TIME felt that the bombings were wrong, I think it is impossible to support because it simply is not true.  People at the time (at least what I have heard from them, and I've heard a lot) felt that the bombings were not only justified, but that they were the only method to end the war in the Pacific theatre and save thousands upon thousands of American lives.  It was clear that the emperor had no intentions of ever surrendering, and in light of the continuing Japanese atrocities (well documented, by the way) and the expected Allied losses if a land invasion of Japan was undertaken, the bombs were the best and quickest way to end the war.

I wonder if Japanese people, at the time, felt any regret about bombing Pearl?


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## Cookie (May 7, 2015)

I wonder just how much the average American knew of what was really going on, other than what they had been told over the radio, basically what the government and military wanted them to know. People now know much more of what is really happening thanks to advanced media technology, yet we still don't know all that much.


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## Susie (May 7, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Not so. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have left a terrible legacy of birth defects that continue to this day. Also, the war was a six year nightmare for many, not four.


Not only birth defects, but three generations of LEUKEMIA!
Only now-this generation-are the Japanese free of this horrible cancer!


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## Debby (May 7, 2015)

Underock1 said:


> I think we have given Kyle what he was looking for. The feeling _at that time _was overwhelmingly one of joy at having a four year nightmare come to the end. I'm thinking of all of the horrors inflicted on innocent civilians through out WWII. Why do we not have world wide commemorations, with discussions of the morality of the Rape of Nanking, the bombing of Shanghai, the destruction of Warsaw, the every day systematic use, abuse, and extermination of the conquered populations of every land by both the Japanese and the Germans. The allies were not innocent. The fire bombings of Dresden and Tokyo were just as horrific as Hiroshima. The only difference is that Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the suffering for everybody!
> ,




So then you approve?  

I have to wonder how people would feel if any of these 'wars' ever actually came home to the good ole USA or to Canada?  Would the American/Canadian public approve then, of bombs laying waste to (our) country if someone somewhere could point out that 'it ended our participation in the conflict'?  How did we all feel the day the Towers came down?  And on that point, I'd just mention that I was as transfixed and horrified at that event as anyone else.  I can remember standing there in front of the television throughout the day, watching that awful thing as it transpired.

As long as anybody justifies the murder of innocent people, war will continue.


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## AZ Jim (May 7, 2015)

Debby said:


> So then you approve?
> 
> I have to wonder how you would feel if any of these 'wars' ever actually came home to the good ole USA?  Would you approve then, of bombs laying waste to your country if someone somewhere could point out that 'it ended your participation in the conflict'?  How did you feel the day the Towers came down?
> 
> As long as anybody justifies the murder of innocent people, war will continue.



Debby, I love ya but you are totally naive on this subject.  We (the allies) were fighting two different theaters of war.  Neither war was started by "the good ole USA".  Our resources were stretched to the limits.  We or none of our allies were anything even approaching cruel as were  the Japanese.  The Japanese made no serious peace overtures though they did stall so the could regain steam at the time.  You can go on and blame the victim all you want, that is now vogue.  No one I know of take any pleasure in the knowledge of these bomb effects but keep in mind this was brand new technology at the time.

To ask how we felt about the terrorist act in New York reflects your lack of sensitivity to it. I hope you aren't suggesting any comparison to the bombings. Contrary to what you seem to think about Americans and your second guessing our actions during WW2, we are one of the most compassionate people in the world. I won't try again to convince you further as it is clear you are resolved in your position.  No hard feelings here just disappointment.


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## Debby (May 7, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> I'll buy that "feelers" were sent out. But in reality how serious were they and were probably perceived as a way to buy time. And remember all of the Allies had to be appeased along with many of the occupied countries/territories. I always heard Japan wanted south east Asia for natural resources including oil and rubber tree for manufacturing. My guess the reality of those feelers included keeping many of those places. Late 1944, early 1945 were not the only feelers. The US knew this and what Japan really wanted. Don't forget how Germany was left after World War I as well so with a history lesson less than three decades old the US/Allies knew the importance of unconditional surrender.
> 
> If you look at the premise of peace feelers for several years of the war Japan's true intentions were much clearer especially to those who made the decision to drop the bombs. Especially looking at the areas occupied by Japan at the time of these feelers.
> 
> ...



Those 'feelers' were very serious.  And the only thing the Japanese asked in return was that their Emperor be spared as the culture at that time saw the Emperor as a divinity.  Meetings were held in a couple other countries (I'd have to reread all my links to get the facts exactly straight as it was a while back that I learned about it) including trying to get Stalin as well as the Pope to mediate at one point and in the case of Stalin, right up until almost the end, but all efforts to open discussion were dismissed by Stalin and ignored by the USA.  Japan was on it's knees by the time those bombs were dropped which is why they made several attempts.  As the following link will show, in June 1945, there was even a telegraph that apparently originated with Emperor Hirohito that indicated a deepening desire for an end to the war. http://www.fpp.co.uk/History/Churchill/Japan_surrender_attempts/MS.html 

In all of my readings, I haven't found any mention that Japan had any other 'strings' attached to their attempt to surrender, only that their Emperor be spared, although I do believe at one point the suggestion was made that he would 'depart' while a young son of his would take his place on the throne.  

What are you basing your perception of what Japan wanted, on?  As you say, it is 'your guess' that Japan had 'conditions'.


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## Debby (May 7, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> Debby, I love ya but you are totally naive on this subject.  We (the allies) were fighting two different theaters of war.  Neither war was started by "the good ole USA".  Our resources were stretched to the limits.  We or none of our allies were anything even approaching cruel as were  the Japanese.  The Japanese made no serious peace overtures though they did stall so the could regain steam at the time.  You can go on and blame the victim all you want, that is now vogue.  No one I know of take any pleasure in the knowledge of these bomb effects but keep in mind this was brand new technology at the time.
> 
> To ask how we felt about the terrorist act in New York reflects your lack of sensitivity to it. I hope you aren't suggesting any comparison to the bombings. Contrary to what you seem to think about Americans and your second guessing our actions during WW2, we are one of the most compassionate people in the world. I won't try again to convince you further as it is clear you are resolved in your position.  No hard feelings here just disappointment.




The USA may not have started a war in that instance, but Jim, Japan was trying desperately to surrender and the government of the time ignored them.  Numerous telegrams and to no avail because there was an agenda by that time concerning the billion or so dollars spent on the development of those bombs and the desire to impress upon Stalin, just how strong America was and the Japanese people (civilians as usual) paid that price!  Japan was done, but America didn't care. 

July 8, 1945 Japan approached the Swedes to mediate.
July 12, 1945 Japan telegraphs Moscow, asking them to mediate and that communication was intercepted by America and Truman was informed.
http://www.fpp.co.uk/History/Churchill/Japan_surrender_attempts/index.html

and according to the following link, by mid June there had already been 20 communiques sent by Commander Fujimara Yoshikazu, 'encouraging an end to the war'.
http://www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS/currentprojects/TAHv3/Content/PDFs/Operation_Super_Sunrise.pdf

You say Japan made no serious peace overtures, but you are standing on quick sand with that, there is NO documentation that says that anywhere.  Quite the contrary, there is documentation that speaks to their efforts to surrender well before those bombs were dropped.   https://www.cia.gov/library/center-...ence/kent-csi/vol9no3/html/v09i3a06p_0001.htm *Note that this is a CIA document that attests to their efforts to open up discussion on surrendering.*

You suggest that I am insensitive as regards the Towers coming down!  Are you serious?  Oh my gosh and thank you for judging me on that!  And then to suggest that that act of terrorism has no comparison to the terrible suffering that was inflicted on helpless Japanese civilians is absolutely disappointing to me.  America (and numerous other citizens from other countries were in those buildings at the time) and America in general, was assaulted (and murdered) and that fact isn't lost at all on me nor does it bring me any pleasure and I'm offended by that inference.  And just as innocent civilians suffered and died that day in New York, innocent civilians suffered and died in Japan at the hands of an American government that chose to ignore their overtures for peace.

In fact, if you want to compare who suffered more, New Yorks event saw 3,000 people die while Japan lost 120,000 in their two horrendous events and that doesn't include the people who didn't die immediately and lived on to suffer the effects of burns and radiation poisoning.   In fact, the civilian losses in WW2 in the USA was minimal whereas Japanese civilian deaths were 360,000.  http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/civilian_casualties_of_world_war.htm

As I said before, until we all quit justifying acts of war, it will continue.  Unless of course you are willing to concede that you as a voter have next to no influence on the agenda's of all our governments in which case, why do any of us vote?  Maybe we should just accept that our governments are doing their own thing and we are all just window dressing to a farce known as 'democracy'.


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## Shalimar (May 7, 2015)

To disagree is not necessarily naive. We are all entitled to our opinions. I believe if the Japanese were white, things would have transpired differently. We did not drop an atom bomb on Germany at any point, how many lives would have supposedly been saved if we had? Of course, the Germans were white, just like us. As for cruelty, read the accounts of Soviet behaviour during the war. Read about the Stalin sanctioned rape of the women of BERLIN FOR TWO WEEKS. SOME OF THEM CHILDREN. Cruelty is a weapon of war and , or, oppresion.Ask the victims of the Raj. War makes victims of us all. It is an abomination, fueled by testosterone. We can no longer afford it's affects/effects. Perhaps it is time for women to exert a more sane influence.


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## AZ Jim (May 7, 2015)

Well the student has what he came for, a cross section of opinion.  Many  of us were here and some of us have gleaned what they have from reading  various sources.  I find it interesting that the question was asked  about how we here felt about the bombing and we were I believe unanimous  in our agreement that we supported and support the decision.  The only members who do not support it are from other  countries and see it differently but they didn't use the bomb, we did.


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## Butterfly (May 8, 2015)

Debby said:


> So then you approve?
> 
> I have to wonder how people would feel if any of these 'wars' ever actually came home to the good ole USA or to Canada?  Would the American/Canadian public approve then, of bombs laying waste to (our) country if someone somewhere could point out that 'it ended our participation in the conflict'?  How did we all feel the day the Towers came down?  And on that point, I'd just mention that I was as transfixed and horrified at that event as anyone else.  I can remember standing there in front of the television throughout the day, watching that awful thing as it transpired.
> 
> As long as anybody justifies the murder of innocent people, war will continue.




One of the reasons we dropped the bomb was to keep the War from coming home to the good ole USA, and stop the killing of our soldiers.  When the Japanese attacked Pearl that quiet Sunday morning, they brought us into the war against them, and they should have foreseen that the US would retaliate in the strongest manner possible to the unprovoked attack against our military installation.  It was the emperor who should have thought about the justification of the "murder of innocent people" and the probable collateral damage to his citizens.  Clearly, he did not.  He cast the die, we responded to the "murder of innocent people" at Pearl.

I also dispute your assertion that Japan was "desperately" trying to surrender.  It wasn't the Japanese people who were so concerned about the safety of their emperor, it was the emperor, who was arguably the architect of the Japanese activities during the war. 

My nearly 90 year old neighbor served in the Navy in the Pacific theater.  I was talking to him out in the yard today and asked him if anyone he knew at the time felt the bombings were unjustified.  His response was a clear "Hell, no!"


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## Cookie (May 8, 2015)

Just want to add here, how very completely terrified the average American was after the Japanese attack on their military base.  They were so ruled by fear and hatred that it was easy to convince them that the A-bombs on Japan were justified. Of course they have a strong emotional reaction to it, even now.  So it stands to reason, that to answer the question about how people feel about the bombings, I suppose most Americans remember feeling very afraid, threatened and very angry, and therefore still believe it was justified.

In Canada, I can't remember anyone here ever telling me how scared they had been of the Japanese, even though we had internment camps here too.  I was never in fear as a child that anyone was going to invade, neither the Japanese nor the Russians, and I can't remember any air raid warning practices that were so prevalent in the States in the 50s. 

There's nothing more terrifying than suicide bombers, and not to minimalize the impact of the attacks on Pearl Harbour and the threat of Japanese invasion, but in my mind, propaganda by the government and military plays a very big role on how the general population feels/thinks.


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## ndynt (May 8, 2015)

Cookie said:


> In Canada, I can't remember anyone here ever telling me how scared they had been of the Japanese, even though we had internment camps here too.  I was never in fear as a child that anyone was going to invade, neither the Japanese nor the Russians, and I can't remember any air raid warning practices that were so prevalent in the States in the 50s.
> 
> There's nothing more terrifying than suicide bombers, and not to minimalize the impact of the attacks on Pearl Harbour and the threat of Japanese invasion, but in my mind, propaganda by the government and military plays a very big role on how the general population feels/thinks.



Though it was nothing like the horror those in other countries experienced, we felt we were in imminent danger.  The air raid warnings, blackouts and people volunteering to spot airplanes. Along with the submarine spottings and the  frequent air raid exercises in schools, intensified the fear  for us in the states.  My foremost memories of elementary  school were those exercises.  Filing down into the school basement halls,  crowded together and crouching down...not knowing if it was real or a exercise.  If we were to soon hear planes and bombs.


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## QuickSilver (May 8, 2015)

I was born in 1949 so I missed all the hoopla..  However, after listening to all my relatives who WERE alive at the time of the N & H bombings and to those that were in the fighting... they were very happy it happened and that it hastened the end of the war in the Pacific..  Next up... were the Nazis..  I am sure at the time no one was concerned with the long term affects of the radiation..  WHY?  because no one KNEW about radiation then..  To them it was just a very powerful bomb that saved thousands of American and Allied lives.  So Scott... you can scrap your theory that Americans were against it for sure.


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## ndynt (May 8, 2015)

I feel that one of the aftermaths of the Hiroshima bombings is a nuclear fear.   A realization that with a few strategically placed bomb the US, as it is now, could be destroyed.  That any survivors would suffer from the after effects for decades.  I for one became very fearful during the Cold War, the suspicions about Iraq and now with N. Korea and Pakistan's nuclear technology.


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## WhatInThe (May 8, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> To disagree is not necessarily naive. We are all entitled to our opinions. I believe if the Japanese were white, things would have transpired differently. We did not drop an atom bomb on Germany at any point, how many lives would have supposedly been saved if we had? Of course, the Germans were white, just like us. As for cruelty, read the accounts of Soviet behaviour during the war. Read about the Stalin sanctioned rape of the women of BERLIN FOR TWO WEEKS. SOME OF THEM CHILDREN. Cruelty is a weapon of war and , or, oppresion.Ask the victims of the Raj. War makes victims of us all. It is an abomination, fueled by testosterone. We can no longer afford it's affects/effects. Perhaps it is time for women to exert a more sane influence.



We couldn't have dropped the bomb on Germany because the first successful test of the bomb wasn't until right around or after the German surrender. And if the Japanese were white things might have been different including their prisoner treatment of "white" guys. But the Japanese didn't even treat fellow Asians with much respect so being "white" or not being white wasn't an issue. People and countries wanted the war done, finished, no more. To a military with an honor/Samurai culture an expedient conclusion to the war was not possible by conventional means.


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## WhatInThe (May 8, 2015)

Debby said:


> Those 'feelers' were very serious.  And the only thing the Japanese asked in return was that their Emperor be spared as the culture at that time saw the Emperor as a divinity.  Meetings were held in a couple other countries (I'd have to reread all my links to get the facts exactly straight as it was a while back that I learned about it) including trying to get Stalin as well as the Pope to mediate at one point and in the case of Stalin, right up until almost the end, but all efforts to open discussion were dismissed by Stalin and ignored by the USA.  Japan was on it's knees by the time those bombs were dropped which is why they made several attempts.  As the following link will show, in June 1945, there was even a telegraph that apparently originated with Emperor Hirohito that indicated a deepening desire for an end to the war. http://www.fpp.co.uk/History/Churchill/Japan_surrender_attempts/MS.html
> 
> In all of my readings, I haven't found any mention that Japan had any other 'strings' attached to their attempt to surrender, only that their Emperor be spared, although I do believe at one point the suggestion was made that he would 'depart' while a young son of his would take his place on the throne.
> 
> What are you basing your perception of what Japan wanted, on?  As you say, it is 'your guess' that Japan had 'conditions'.



I just look at the list of countries and territories occupied by Japan in late 1944/early 1945 and don't see any way their military leadership would glady withdrawal. I'd go so far to say the Samurai culture might have produced a kue or disapprove and/or shame the Emperor so badly that any treaty or agreement would never be signed.

To top it off Japan was still a potential industrial threat. People forget that Japan was the only other country besides the US to field large fleets of aircraft carriers and battleships with some of largest in the world at the time. A treaty without full occupation of Japan and dismantling of their military would not have been acceptable-unconditional surrender means no conditions period, leaving the Emperor is a condition.


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## Underock1 (May 8, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> I was born in 1949 so I missed all the hoopla..  However, after listening to all my relatives who WERE alive at the time of the N & H bombings and to those that were in the fighting... they were very happy it happened and that it hastened the end of the war in the Pacific..  Next up... were the Nazis..  I am sure at the time no one was concerned with the long term affects of the radiation..  WHY?  because no one KNEW about radiation then..  To them it was just a very powerful bomb that saved thousands of American and Allied lives.  So Scott... you can scrap your theory that Americans were against it for sure.



The Germans were defeated first.


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## QuickSilver (May 8, 2015)

Well   see what I know?


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## Underock1 (May 8, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Well   see what I know?



You know more than I do. I can barely find my way around on here.


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## AZ Jim (May 8, 2015)

Underock1 said:


> You know more than I do. I can barely find my way around on here.



She should, she's a spring chicken.


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