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Huan Yi
Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688
Waukegan

0 posted 2004-11-02 07:18 PM



Hiroshima, Nagasaki . . .

Right or wrong?

War acts or war crimes?


John

© Copyright 2004 John Pawlik - All Rights Reserved
LeeJ
Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296

1 posted 2004-11-04 08:44 AM


both, and we haven't yet learned from history?


jbouder
Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534
Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash
2 posted 2004-11-04 10:44 AM


Considering the alternatives, the lesser of two evils.
Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
3 posted 2004-11-05 06:47 PM


The right thing to do. And this is from someone who spent at least one drunken evening in Kyoto with descendants of the survivors.

By 1945, fire bombing was already a major tactic (Dresden, Tokyo etc.). This was another variation.


jbouder
Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534
Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash
4 posted 2004-11-05 08:48 PM


Exactly.  Casualties on both sides - especially civilian casualties in Japan - would have been much higher had the A-bombs not been used.

Brad ... correct me on this if I'm wrong - but I think more people were killed in the fire bombings of Tokyo and Dresden than in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Jim

Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
5 posted 2004-11-09 08:51 AM


You know, I'm not sure. When I was doing research on this stuff (for Japanese literature -- fiction and poetry -- on this stuff), I kept seeing different numbers. Nagasaki, at least at that time, was often ignored.

I guess it all depends on how many you want to count as dying of radiation poisoning. War is war and it's never pretty.

Gee, Brad, when are you going to say something besides the bleeding obvious.


Midnitesun
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647
Gaia
6 posted 2004-11-09 10:06 AM


I guess for some, it all depends on the numbers.
It would take more time than I have today to address some of the issues in this thread.
John, it was all wrong, MHO, but it's never such a simple answer, is it?
Half my daughter's heritage is Japanese. I have a few stories, but mostly about the first and second generation in the US. B'chan and G'chan never talked much about preWWII Japan, but not because they didn't want to. Rather, it was to move forward into a new mindset with the children they birthed here in the USA, including my best friend and her eldest sister, born in a relocation camp.
Wrong to fry people alive with the most destructive weapons on earth? Yes. But it's just as wrong to torture them in any other way.
Was it wrong for the USA to defend itself/strike out against possible future enemy attacks? That's a whole different question in my mind. Perhaps you need help in rewording your questions?

Huan Yi
Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688
Waukegan
7 posted 2004-11-10 06:57 AM



Kacy,

“Was it wrong for the USA to defend itself/strike out against possible future enemy attacks? That's a whole different question in my mind. Perhaps you need help in rewording your questions?”

History says Roosevelt faced that same issue and opted
to be struck first in large part to change American opinion
in favor of war.

John

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