Quote from: je_freedom on May 06, 2024, 03:03:46 PMThere are a few other factors here.Yes, there are a lot of opinions on the issue, not real tangible facts, but had we simply kept hammering them, the end was an inevitability.
The emperor wanted to surrender, but several years earlier, the military brass seized all power and made the emperor a figurehead. Even after the two bombs, some of the military brass still wanted to keep fighting.
Countless innocent lives on both sides were saved by ending the war. The two bombs took far fewer lives than continuing the war would have.
Japan had already offered to surrender, but with these conditions -
1. They keep their government intact
2. They control the war crimes trials
If we had accepted those terms, Japan would still have had ambitions of conquest.
Japan had a warrior culture. They considered surrender to be the ultimate dishonor. (That's why Japan treated POWs so badly. They thought that anyone who surrenders DESERVES humiliation!) It took a new, terrifying weapon to make surrender socially acceptable to the Japanese people.
Japan was very cruel to the people they had conquered in Korea and Manchuria. They expected to receive similar treatment if they surrendered. The fact that America was not cruel after the war made them tremendously grateful.
We also wanted to show the Soviet Union what we had, and what it could do. That is one major reason that Stalin did not invade Western Europe after the war.
Sometimes, doing really harsh things really is necessary.
Quote from: Possum on May 06, 2024, 02:49:05 PMPicking her could help on the abortion issue. Liberals like to criticize men for having an opinion on abortion.It's funny, but Dims are pushing the issue hard because they know their base is stupid, and conservatives consider it a moot and closed Constitutional issue, it belongs to the States.
Quote from: je_freedom on May 06, 2024, 03:03:46 PMThere are a few other factors here.I have never heard anyone from that generation say we should not have dropped it. They wanted the war to end. When people have this conversation, I hope they remember how many millions died later due to communism.
The emperor wanted to surrender, but several years earlier, the military brass seized all power and made the emperor a figurehead. Even after the two bombs, some of the military brass still wanted to keep fighting.
Countless innocent lives on both sides were saved by ending the war. The two bombs took far fewer lives than continuing the war would have.
Japan had already offered to surrender, but with these conditions -
1. They keep their government intact
2. They control the war crimes trials
If we had accepted those terms, Japan would still have had ambitions of conquest.
Japan had a warrior culture. They considered surrender to be the ultimate dishonor. (That's why Japan treated POWs so badly. They thought that anyone who surrenders DESERVES humiliation!) It took a new, terrifying weapon to make surrender socially acceptable to the Japanese people.
Japan was very cruel to the people they had conquered in Korea and Manchuria. They expected to receive similar treatment if they surrendered. The fact that America was not cruel after the war made them tremendously grateful.
We also wanted to show the Soviet Union what we had, and what it could do. That is one major reason that Stalin did not invade Western Europe after the war.
Sometimes, doing really harsh things really is necessary.
Quote from: Solar on May 06, 2024, 12:31:17 PMTruth is, it was vengeance, there were many at the time who had proof Japan was about to surrender, regardless of what the Emperor wanted; Those highest in military knew they had already lost the war and were ready to surrender.There are a few other factors here.
No doubt countless lives on our side were saved, but was the cost of innocent lives really necessary?
I'm not saying it was wrong, just pointing out it probably wasn't necessary.
Remember, the victor always writes the history books.
Quote from: Solar on May 06, 2024, 01:08:57 PMI'm still hoping on Kari Lake, she's my #1 pick to date.Picking her could help on the abortion issue. Liberals like to criticize men for having an opinion on abortion.