Hippiekinkster
Posts: 5512
Joined: 11/20/2007 From: Liechtenstein Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda quote:
ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster 3. I'd have done it differently. I would have shipped film of the A-bomb tests and let them know what was coming if they did not capitulate. After that, I don't know what action I would take. If I had more than two bombs built, I'd explode one in Tokyo Bay, then send a communique to the Emperor and the top brass. Only then would I consider using the bomb on a strategic industrial area. I don't often disagree with you, ol' buddy, but I'm afraid I have to here. Your sentiments are certainly in the right place (as they always are), but I would point out that even after we annihilated one of their major cities, a city full of Japanese citizens, they still didn't surrender until we incinerated a second one. I think it's highly unlikely a film or even a demonstration blast would have had any greater effect on their intransigence. Yes, I know. Difficult question for me. So many innocents lost their lives. The US military and Truman knew what destruction the bomb could wreak. I still think I would have given them an out before taking such action, but I wouldn't have used a bomb on Hagasaki or Hiroshima. Ground Zero would have been the Japanese High Command HQ. I just found, because my interest was piqued, this: "Could both the dropping of the atomic bombs or an invasion of Japan have been prevented through a loosening of the surrender terms? Professor Skates does not discuss this in any great detail, but in July 1945, the Japanese had attempted to use both the Swedish and Soviet governments as intermediaries to end the war with the United States. Both President Truman and Secretary Stimson were aware of these Japanese feelers, but Truman still refused to approve of any private or public modification of the unconditional surrender terms. Instead, on July 25, while at the Potsdam Conference with Churchill and Stalin, Truman issued orders that the first atomic bomb was to be dropped any time after August 3. On July 26, the Potsdam Declaration was issued, stating: "We call upon the Government of Japan to proclaim unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces. . . . The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."" http://www.fff.org/freedom/1195f.asp "What if " is an interesting game to play. What if Truman had responded to Japan's feelers through Sweden and the USSR? What if things were done my way? We'll never know. Not an easy question for me to answer at all.
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"We are convinced that freedom w/o Socialism is privilege and injustice, and that Socialism w/o freedom is slavery and brutality." Bakunin “Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love.” Reinhold Ne
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