atom bomb/terrorism (1 Viewer)

[leetom]

No matter how many times you say.......

Well guess what history boy, history can't be re-written. The bomb was dropped.

and could have been done with a much lower civilian death toll.

 

[0Jade0]

and could have been done with a much lower civilian death toll.

But see my point was..... IT WASN'T.

 

[Xayma]

and could have been done with a much lower civilian death toll.

The problem being is that Japan did not give an unconditional surrender even when faced with "prompt and utter destruction". I do not know the full details of their response so I'll refrain from commenting but Im wondering did it entail more conditions then their final surrender?

 

[leetom]

An advanced warning would only serve to shoot down the plane.

What about those civilians tortured to death by the Japanese in POW camps, they were civilians because they did not choose to fight they were forced to.

An eye for an eye does not work, but do not make it seem so innocent on the part of the Japanese Emporer.

Well send fighter support or something. The whole bombing could have been avoided through the bombing of something like, an insignificant island of the Japanese coast. The point was to prove the weapon's power.

The Imperial Army committed terrible atrocities against many civilian populations, something which modern Japanese should recognise as a shameful part of their history. I only blame the Emperor for not acting to end the war earlier, he wasn't responsible for nor did he know about the conditions of the POWs.

 

[0Jade0]

Just like Albert Speer didn't know about the concentration camps.....

 

[leetom]

But see my point was..... IT WASN'T.

Well that's great. Your only purpose now is to point out historical facts. Thanks, but I think we are all aware that an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and that the city and it's people took considerable damage.

The problem being is that Japan did not give an unconditional surrender even when faced with "prompt and utter destruction". I do not know the full details of their response so I'll refrain from commenting but Im wondering did it entail more conditions then their final surrender?

Japan, in light of total defeat, held only one condition and that was the preservation of the head of state (the Emperor).

Admittedly, before the bomb Japan had three conditions, the other two being 1) no foreign troops occupy Japan and 2) Japanese war criminals be tried in Japanese courts

 

[0Jade0]

Yep, that's what I'm here for.

 

[leetom]

Just like Albert Speer didn't know about the concentration camps.....

Speer and Hirohito are not similar in any way. Speer was an active member of a government, Hirohito was a head of state that only had information that his government decided to give him.

Yep, that's what I'm here for.

I'm quite capable of recalling significant events without your help.

 

[0Jade0]

Wouldn't that make him a poor leader if he didn't know what was going on?

OK... I'm out of a job... and going to bed. Have fun!

 

[Xayma]

Admittedly, before the bomb Japan had three conditions, the other two being 1) no foreign troops occupy Japan and 2) Japanese war criminals be tried in Japanese courts

Those are mighty large conditions. I admit there could've been a better way to do it. However, I would not go so far as to say it is an act of terroism.

 

[Sarah]

Wouldn't that make him a poor leader if he didn't know what was going on?

OK... I'm out of a job... and going to bed. Have fun!

lol... if you're suggesting that a criteria for being a leader is to be informed of the situation, that would make our current PM a poor leader (re: children overboard affair)

 

[0Jade0]

Well, yes Howard is a poor leader.... what was your point?

 

[Sarah]

Well, yes Howard is a poor leader.... what was your point?

my point being is that your criteria for leadership is questionable. Just because Hirohito didn't have the information, that doesn't make him a bad leader. If you're provided with only a limited amount of info, you can only base decisions on what you;ve got.

It's like how everyone on this forum posts their opinions based on what they know about a topic. Just becuase some people aren't as informed as others, that doesn't make the person behind the posting poor in character. All it means is that one can only present his/her opinion on one's own experiences and understanding of a situation. And some people have limited understanding then others

 

[0Jade0]

If the information that you are lacking relates to the tourture and murder of countless people then yes, you are a poor leader.

 

[leetom]

Hirohito's chief vices were his passiveness and indecisiveness. He cared for his subjects, which is admirable, compared to other sovereigns. Constitutionally, he was not a leader either. He was a figurehead of the Shinto religion.

 

[Riewe]

I guess for me to feel that the atomic bomb was totally unnecessary, i would have to feel sadness and emotional pain that son many Japanese lost their lives and were injured as a result.

But i none of these emotions on this topic. I do not feel pity for the Japanese. I know that may sound harsh and cruel, but this may be due to the fact that i am living in a country whose people we degraded in their POW camps, and that the Japanese ran riot throughout Asia without any pity for their 'slaves'.

In hindsight, from today's perspective, it can be argued that the bomb was not necessary to end hostilities, but this does not change the fact that i don't feel it shouldn't be done. But the bomb seems to be the final nail in the coffin for imperialistic Japan, as these couple days pretty was pretty much a signal that the war had ended, and Japan had to formally surrender.

 

[soha]

Do you think america cheated in ww2 by dropping the atom bomb?

i read that 120,000 people died from the bombing.

America whines about terrorism targeting civilians, yet it didnt have any problem targeting them.

Does anyone here think terrorism is a good thing and justified?

Some one has to be accountable for the actions of our governments -- in a democracy i guess its the civilians.

good observations