Nagasaki

[Ruso]

Well look how we helped Japan prosper to what it is now. Also people forgot that we tried to stay out of the war until Japan attacked us and killed our men! Also what about what the Japanese did to all of the island nations around there. I don't feel bad about droping the bomb. Sorry that lives had to be loss but Japan was way out of hand.

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So in order to control those ""japs", all those innocent lifes had to be lost? That is the same thinking that drove Ben Laden to attack the Twin Towers. They were civilians! Who is anyone to determine who lives and who doesnt? Oh, how hipocrite is our world!!!God bless us. To justify the bombings is just the best example of the moral, social, and political crisis that our world is experiencing.

Why do I even bother....

[pvenne]

True in that everything filmed was 'literally' filmed but false in many statements, accusations, timing and schedules. 

Twisted contexts and sentiments we both agree upon. 

You know he made more from that movie than Bush ever will from ME oil?

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very true.

[pvenne]

True in that everything filmed was 'literally' filmed but false in many statements, accusations, timing and schedules. 

Twisted contexts and sentiments we both agree upon. 

You know he made more from that movie than Bush ever will from ME oil?

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[Charleston native]

So in order to control those ""japs", all those innocent lifes had to be lost? That is the same thinking that drove Ben Laden to attack the Twin Towers. They were civilians! Who is anyone to determine who lives and who doesnt? Oh, how hipocrite is our world!!!God bless us. To justify the bombings is just the best example of the moral, social, and political crisis that our world is experiencing.

Why do I even bother....

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Give me a break...he wasn't calling them Japs!! And I'm sorry, but that is NOT the same thinking as Bin Laden. Here's the difference: we were actually at WAR with Japan!!!!!! Bin Laden specifically targeted civilians who worked in one of the most well-known landmarks in the USA, and we were not fighting an all-out war with him or his country...

What would have been better than dropping the bombs: sending hundreds of thousands of troops to invade the country??!??! That would have been great; better for thousands of our military troops to die than actually fight the enemy with an effective weapon. Oh but that's OK...you "support the troops" but "hate all war", right?

[Ruso]

Give me a break...he wasn't calling them Japs!!

[rusthebuss]

Did the bomb stop the war???? Why yes it did and saved thousands of our troops lives. I didn't say killing all of those people was cool or something but we had to do it cause we were backed into a corner and island hopping was not working for us. Who is to say those people were innocent? They might have supported the war against us. I don't like seeing people die but it was neccessary for us to surpress the Japanese. No one said that we didn't care cause the were foreigners. I think you need to look at our country which is the melting pot. To me it seems you have a grudge against America.

[rusthebuss]

Also what about all of those innocent French that were killed by the Germans! or any war at that. There will always be collateral damage. Its the military that has to try to keep that as small as possible but it is impossible not to kill innocent people that don't evacute during a known war!

[RiversideGator]

So in order to control those ""japs", all those innocent lifes had to be lost?

Yes. We didnt start WW II, but we sure ended it. Most historians agree that the use of the nuclear bomb against Japan actually saved both Japanese and American lives by forcing an early Japanese capitulation and avoiding an invasion. No one who was alive then in America doubted the wisdom of the use of nuclear bombs. Many men in America today are alive because Truman had the wisdom and the courage to use them.

[Charleston native]

He did not call them japs, I did(am surprised you didnt)...Effective weapon? Of course, why dont you destroy the whole world while at it????That might save the hundreds of troops you talk about.

If it was war, would you justify the Chinese, or anyone, to bomb two American cities and completely destroy them???????????...

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OK, let's PLEASE be rational here. First of all, why are you surprised that I didn't use the "Jap" reference? I think you're being very presumptuous about my beliefs and values with that comment. Now, as for me destroying the whole world...I don't know why or how you would rationalize that logic to me, but let me inform you of some facts:

I was an Air Force officer who served for 5 years; during 4 of those years I was a missile launch control officer, in charge of 10-50 intercontinental ballistic missiles of the 90th Operations Group at FE Warren AFB, WY. I actually know and understand the effectiveness of these weapons with deterrence alone. Even if China decided to nuke 2 American cities, they would think twice about it just for the fact that we have the capability to strike back. No one in their right mind would launch a nuclear attack on this country because they know they would suffer severe repercussions. Men and women are right now, at this very moment, monitoring and maintaining these weapons to keep this country safe.

As for the use of the bombs during WWII, Riverside is exactly correct. Yes, it was a terrible thing to do, but imagine if we didn't use them...there would have been a bloody invasion which would have caused a tremendous amount of American and Japanese casualties, including citizens. In essence, the bombs SAVED lives. I know that's hard for you to believe, but if you think about it, that's exactly what the bombs did.

[rusthebuss]

OK, let's PLEASE be rational here. First of all, why are you surprised that I didn't use the "Jap" reference? I think you're being very presumptuous about my beliefs and values with that comment. Now, as for me destroying the whole world...I don't know why or how you would rationalize that logic to me, but let me inform you of some facts:

I was an Air Force officer who served for 5 years; during 4 of those years I was a missile launch control officer, in charge of 10-50 intercontinental ballistic missiles of the 90th Operations Group at FE Warren AFB, WY. I actually know and understand the effectiveness of these weapons with deterrence alone. Even if China decided to nuke 2 American cities, they would think twice about it just for the fact that we have the capability to strike back. No one in their right mind would launch a nuclear attack on this country because they know they would suffer severe repercussions. Men and women are right now, at this very moment, monitoring and maintaining these weapons to keep this country safe.

As for the use of the bombs during WWII, Riverside is exactly correct. Yes, it was a terrible thing to do, but imagine if we didn't use them...there would have been a bloody invasion which would have caused a tremendous amount of American and Japanese casualties, including citizens. In essence, the bombs SAVED lives. I know that's hard for you to believe, but if you think about it, that's exactly what the bombs did.

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I completely agree. It was a good thing because it ended the war. Its easy to say 60 years later that we could have done something different.

[Charleston native]

...I do not hate all war, I hate all hipocrecy...

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BTW, HYPOCRISY?!!?!? I think there is a HUGE difference between getting the job done with winning the war decisively and complete insanity (i.e. 9/11).

[Ruso]

Oh,interesting, I come back home at 2:32 AM and I realice that "I have a grudge against America". Maybe every person that disagrees has it, they might be terrorists!!!!!

As I said before, I do not want this to become a useless political debate so am going to try to be as didactic as possible. Most of your points have been understandable(given that you are ex soldiers, or whatever), and as different as they might be from my opinions, are respectable. Nevertheles I think you are going through the tangent(is that how you say it?)(red herring) in certain aspects....

Who is to say those people were innocent? They might have supported the war against us. I don't like seeing people die but it was neccessary for us to surpress the Japanese. No one said that we didn't care cause the were foreigners. I think you need to look at our country which is the melting pot. To me it seems you have a grudge against America.

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So, if they did support the war, were they guilty??? Come on! Just take some time and think about that argument. That is just ludicrous. Remember that as in any nation, the governement can manipulate its people. Would you agree if the Iraqis said you all were guilty of their deaths because you supported the war?That is why it is imporant to be aware and informed from more than one source.

Yeah, seemingly, anyone who disagrees is seen by many as an anti-american. However, it is because I love this nation that I can not stand to hear certain things that dissapoint me, and many. Yet, it is funny how I am seen as an american lover by the most radical leftists. Am seen as an enemy and traitor by the most ignorant people, from every side. As I have said many times, I am proud to be objective and a devil's advocate.

Also what about all of those innocent French that were killed by the Germans! or any war at that. There will always be collateral damage. Its the military that has to try to keep that as small as possible but it is impossible not to kill innocent people that don't evacute during a known war!

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What is your point??? I never said that Hiroshima was the only damage. I said that, as the Germans have accepted their responsability for such horrible acts, it is essential for Americans to accept the atrocity, and give their respect to the victims of the bombings. Red Herring Again this topic is not about the horrible genocide in Western Europe, is about the bombings on two cities in Japan. The Germans did not do it, the Americans did.

Yes.

[dpbaker]

Of course they are dates to remember and upon which all mankind should reflect. The act was unfortunate, but necessary. Many Japanese that I know also agree, including my wife and her family. The mindset of the Japanese people was very different back then. Invasion would have been costly on both sides, much more so than the use of the two atomic bombs. I find it interesting too that in all of this conversation, there seemed to be no mention of the Japanese atomic bomb program started in 1940. Many don't take it as having been a serious threat, but the discovery of uranium oxide and disassmebled jet fighters aboard a surrendered German U-Boat (bound for Japan.....) in May, 1945 was certainly cause for alarm and I'm sure played somewhat of a role in the decision to drop our own bombs......