I used to have the opinion of most liberals and think that this was a bloody waste of human life and served very little purpose, but the more I read up about it the more I see it was justified and necessary. About 2-5 million lives would have been lost had we not dropped the nukes, and we may not have necessarily even won the war (we had a grand total of one aircraft carrier left after the battle of midway, even though we won it) and, most importantly, somebody would have used a nuclear weapon in warfare eventually. It was inevitable that somebody would try it in the future, before we knew what a PR stigma it was and the extent of damage it did, and so it's not as if not perpetrating the bombings would have prevented any deaths in the long term.What're your thoughts on one of the few areas of history where people think the US is wrong?
Japan attacked the United States, they brought it on themselves. I'd rather have have 2 bombs end the conflict than have 500,000 more US KIA's. I still can't believe that some people think it was wrong. Morons.
Of corse it was right, it shortened the war. Anyone who says the use of them was wrong just doesn't understand history. Like BCB said, the Japanese brought it upon themselves by attacking the US. also, the two bombs pale in comparison to the war time attrocities the Japanese commited.
There wouldn't have been 2-5 million lose their lives with an invasion. However, I think dropping the bombs was right. If it meant the US didn't have to lose any lives then thats what they should have done, it ended the War and that can't be argued with. I wouldn't do it today as the World is a very different place and if the US did drop one it could well cause the end of everything.
If Japan wouldve just sucked it up and surrendered it wouldve never happened. And btw, nobody ever expected it to be that bad, as far as radiation. Its sad to think about the innocent people, but thats sortve how life goes.
I believe the U.S. government at that time thought they would surrender if they threatened to bomb the Japanese, so they placed the threat. The Japaneese didn't respondprompting the U.S. to back up their threat. They bombed Hiroshima, and still no response. They then bombed Nagasaki. 3 hours later the Japaneese surendered. There was really no right desiscion if you look at the consequenses that both sides had to suffer.
I think it was right as far as the lives saved that would have come with a full-scale invasion of Japan, even though the dropping was a major event as far as the elements of the Cold War.
im sure if they bombed us with a nuke we wouldve thought it was wrong. Who knows what wouldve happened if they didnt use the nukes, but I dont think they had to bomb them twice.
I think it was wrong. I dont think we should have dropped the bomb, but oh well. Can't do much about it now can we.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Milgod @ Jun 7 2007, 12:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>There wouldn't have been 2-5 million lose their lives with an invasion.</div>well that was what US estimates at the time were projecting.
You know what was wrong? Japan bombing a neutral country for no reason and killing innocents.What we did was just retribution. If someone punches you in the face are you going to punch them back harder?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jun 18 2007, 11:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You know what was wrong? Japan bombing a neutral country for no reason and killing innocents.What we did was just retribution. If someone punches you in the face are you going to punch them back harder?</div>Japan bombed us for a reason. They saw the U.S. as an obstacle for expansion into the easter parts of Asia. Turns out the plan back-fired and they got their butts kicked<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>well that was what US estimates at the time were projecting.</div>I thought it was 200,000
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jun 18 2007, 11:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You know what was wrong? Japan bombing a neutral country for no reason and killing innocents.What we did was just retribution. If someone punches you in the face are you going to punch them back harder?</div>If someone punches you in the face you don't go and shoot their whole family. I think dropping 2 a-bombs was wrong, but something did need to be done I guess.
Well revenge is a bi*ch. We just had to even it out.But now things are cool. I like their food and DDR
Dropping the bombs had to be done for a number of reasons. The US wanted the war over so it could concintrate on rebuilding and dividing Europe. there was also the fact that the US knew that every single Japanese citizen would have fought to the death during an invasion, that would have prolonged the war for years maybe even decades. then there was the Russians, who had declaired war on Japan and were moving into Manchuria. the Russians had a habit of occupying a region and never leaving, something they continued to do through-out the cold war, the US knew that Russia controlling Manchuria may turn the Chinese into another satalite state of the USSR, The US also felt that Russia may try to take over where Japan left of in expanding into the Pacific. So by dropping the Bombs the US accomplished ending the war, and it also put the Russians on notice that we wouldn't F*ck around.The Bombs also served as a moral victory as well, revenge for Pearl Harbor. like it or not the US is a very vingeful country, like Tody Keith said " we'll put a boot in your ass, its the American way"
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Jun 19 2007, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If someone punches you in the face you don't go and shoot their whole family. I think dropping 2 a-bombs was wrong, but something did need to be done I guess.</div>Compared to what the Japanese were doing to the Chinese dropping the a-bombs could be considered merciful.
Focusing on the innocent people who died rather than the many more innocent people who probably would have died if it didn't happen, is the biggest misconception.
American airplanes dropped flyers over Japan warning of the Power of the Atomic Bombs the USA had. Also, war was fought differently in those days. Naturally, bringing up that issue would raise different opinions. Do I think it was the right thing? Yes, it cost the lives of over 80,000 US Marines just to take Iwo Jima, that's one battle! Imagine the toll of invading the main island of Japan.And it's not like dropping bombs were inhumane, most of the people killed in the blasts were vaporized in less than a milisecond. They didn't feel a thing.
