Editorials & Other Articles

JohnnyRingo

(20,065 posts)

67. I used to believe that

Thu May 12, 2016, 04:44 PM

May 2016

But the big question is why did they drop two different bombs? Certainly the blast at Hiroshima, with the threat of four more planned bombings through the summer would have sufficed in making the point, but the effects of uranium vs plutonium on a mass human population was unknown.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but the two different bombings would be a convenient study. Thank goodness we didn't test the hydrogen bomb on human targets. At least not directly.

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We didn’t need to drop the bomb — and even our WW II military icons knew it [View all] polly7 May 2016 OP

I agree. I think we could have dropped it on some deserted Island and said you are next, and gotten Hoyt May 2016 #1

small problem with your scenario SCantiGOP May 2016 #28

Don't forget that Japan was still fighting, and people dying every day. AtheistCrusader May 2016 #50

No, it did not need to be. deathrind May 2016 #2

Those fire bombings killed 10's of thousands with each mission packman May 2016 #34

The Tokyo raid killed far more people than either atomic warhead. Short and long term. AtheistCrusader May 2016 #53

But, but millions of American lives were saved by avoiding a ground invasion! RufusTFirefly May 2016 #3

The brainwashing was successful. Scruffy1 May 2016 #35

It's a fascinating and scary phenomenon RufusTFirefly May 2016 #55

There were several. Igel May 2016 #75

Not millions of American's, but millions of Japanese civilians. denbot May 2016 #49

This message was self-deleted by its author longship May 2016 #94

The whole thing hinges on whether Japan actually was "ready to surrender". BillZBubb May 2016 #4

Did you even read the article? RufusTFirefly May 2016 #13

And you know more than Harry S. Truman--even more impressive! BillZBubb May 2016 #44

Haha! I'm afraid you're confusing politics with facts RufusTFirefly May 2016 #54

I'm not confusing anything. Truman's decision was based on facts he knew. BillZBubb May 2016 #58

Rest easy. Only the Bad Guys are war criminals. n/t RufusTFirefly May 2016 #63

Well, duh, good guys aren't war criminals by definition. BillZBubb May 2016 #65

It wasn't the bombings. newthinking May 2016 #14

You are mistaken . . FairWinds May 2016 #16

So, Truman was a war criminal? He just wanted to incinerate Japanese? BillZBubb May 2016 #38

Yes, Truman was a war criminal . . FairWinds May 2016 #61

Well, you are wrong. Truman was no war criminal. BillZBubb May 2016 #64

Jeez Bill, you got the name calling thing down pat . . FairWinds May 2016 #69

Ohhhhh, the "disgusting" card!! FairWinds May 2016 #70

You can demonstrate... zentrum May 2016 #40

They had to test it, no? Helen Borg May 2016 #5

Little Boy was simple, the knew it would work. longship May 2016 #52

I was taught this in middle school (1975). I'm surprised it's a revelation and not common knowledge! TheBlackAdder May 2016 #6

I've always been heartbroken over this and never for one second believed it was necessary. polly7 May 2016 #8

I've always been heartbroken over this and do think it was necessary. Igel May 2016 #77

We had to show the world that there was a new king of the world. LiberalArkie May 2016 #7

Disagree. They were monsters, and they picked a fight with Goliath. closeupready May 2016 #9

The Japanese had shown no propensity for surrender in WWII prior to the bomb; why assume they would? MadDAsHell May 2016 #10

Hiroshima was just one more city totally annihilated... TomVilmer May 2016 #57

I wasn't there and neither were you perdita9 May 2016 #11

I know it sounds great to say you are/were against the A-bomb drops but... bernie_is_truth May 2016 #12

Again, plainly wrong . . FairWinds May 2016 #19

Maybe you could explain your 'plainly' word bernie_is_truth May 2016 #36

"Stats" ? You have no stats. FairWinds May 2016 #60

I listed several stats bernie_is_truth May 2016 #91

See Barton Bernstein, bulletin of the atomic scientists . . FairWinds May 2016 #92

Here's a good read on the topic. longship May 2016 #29

It likely saved my father's life. PADemD May 2016 #73

It also likely save my father's life. TexasTowelie May 2016 #82

My father was a supply ship gunner. PADemD May 2016 #83

The army tried to overthrow the emperor to avoid surrender after Hiroshima Omaha Steve May 2016 #15

Crap, Steve? Really??? polly7 May 2016 #17

Yes really Omaha Steve May 2016 #22

I disagree. Period. And, I get tired of being insulted for thinking differently. nt. polly7 May 2016 #23

It wan't meant as an insult Omaha Steve May 2016 #27

No, It's ok and I'm sorry. Just a bit tired and grumpy, not your fault! polly7 May 2016 #31

war is by definition barbaric, no matter the weapons used bernie_is_truth May 2016 #43

War is barbaric. No shit. nt. polly7 May 2016 #47

i notice you didn't make a choice bernie_is_truth May 2016 #51

We didn’t need to drop the bomb — and even our WW II military icons knew it polly7 May 2016 #59

so many opinions, so many what if's bernie_is_truth May 2016 #62

I'm not a youngster OmahaSteve NoMoreRepugs May 2016 #21

Exactly. nt. polly7 May 2016 #26

Operation Downfall Omaha Steve May 2016 #39

Why should we have treated Japan any different than Nazi Germany gladium et scutum May 2016 #79

I'll agree that 1 million was very unlikely Travis_0004 May 2016 #81

I think our relationship today says it all. yallerdawg May 2016 #18

Indeed, there is some evidence that it was a test on human targets. JohnnyRingo May 2016 #20

Thank you, excellent points!! nt. polly7 May 2016 #24

Exactly. A pre-bomb surrender was never an option, for US. arcane1 May 2016 #32

you're right bernie_is_truth May 2016 #48

I don't know if I'd go that far. JohnnyRingo May 2016 #66

Absolute rubbish! longship May 2016 #45

I used to believe that JohnnyRingo May 2016 #67

Read the fucking history. longship May 2016 #68

Believe me, I have studied the history of WWII all my life. JohnnyRingo May 2016 #71

It was not used to test it on humans!!! longship May 2016 #95

I guess you misunderstood JohnnyRingo May 2016 #97

We used the two different bombs because they were the only two we had. longship May 2016 #98

The Japanese did not immediately surrender after the first bomb was dropped. LS_Editor May 2016 #25

I love the lie that the only time it's ever OK to use a nuke was the two times we happened to do it. arcane1 May 2016 #30

"Bombs save lives." johnp3907 May 2016 #33

The Bomb rlpincus May 2016 #37

It's easy to look back and second guess what should have been done struggle4progress May 2016 #41

One unknown ... Kablooie May 2016 #42

Which begs the question: chknltl May 2016 #46

If US decision-makers believed The Bomb was not necessary, then they had a different motive Martin Eden May 2016 #56

Where was the surrender of the Japanese after the first bomb? LS_Editor May 2016 #84

I wasn't making the argument you are apparently responding to Martin Eden May 2016 #85

About half the posts here must be from Neo-cons . . FairWinds May 2016 #72

Japan's only condition for surrender was keeping the emperor yurbud May 2016 #74

Even after the nukings, the Japanese Government . . FairWinds May 2016 #88

The Russians were getting ready to invade Japan. Gomez163 May 2016 #76

Truth. LS_Editor May 2016 #86

But dropping two, not one, but two nuclear devices showed the word that... guillaumeb May 2016 #78

People are missing the point: Should Obama on behalf of the U.S. apologize for using the bomb twice? YOHABLO May 2016 #80

He has nothing to apologize for. So no. nt hack89 May 2016 #93

heck, atomic histories have found it was used mostly because Groves didn't want to get the MisterP May 2016 #87

So from Omaha Steve we get that Japanese children . . FairWinds May 2016 #89

Damned right. Unbearable. n/t Judi Lynn May 2016 #90

This will not be resolved until way after it happened and the historians weigh the evidence CTyankee May 2016 #96