Truman and the Atomic Bomb - Page 5 - Historum

Kronos · May 3rd, 2009, 03:31 PM

The dropping of the atomic bomb oppened a door hard to close by the present days.

A shamefull act in all ways to be described is my ultimate opinion as we discussing this theme, confortably sitting behind a safe screen have not the slightest idea of what this cities went through (and still go through with the many secondary effects).
Massive destruction by pushing a botton is the most coward action i can think of..

The cases of radiation, leukemia, etc.. beyond the 220,000 lives taken in a notime shows something very startling about what dwells inside a man's brain. No wander world stability is something like utopia..

**Lucius** · May 3rd, 2009, 05:14 PM

Kronos,

Imagine yourself to be one of the American Marines assigned to the invasion of Japan back in 1945. Somehow, you have managed to survive Tarawa, Peleliu, Guam, and Iwo Jima. All your old buddies were killed or horribly maimed, but you've made some new friends among the replacements.

So, Truman comes out to visit the troops and pulls you aside and says, "Kronos, I've got a big decision to make. The invasion of Japan is going to make everything you and your comrades have suffered so far out here look like a Sunday School picnic. Of course, we've thought about a negotiated peace, but everyone knows what happened last time we tried that, and I know that you wouldn't want your sons to have to go through what you have. So. There's this new kind of bomb. Instead of destroying a city overnight, it destroys a city in a few seconds. Hirohito is a rational man - he's a scientist by vocation, you know. He already wants to surrender with conditions, but, as I said, we know what happened last time we tried that. So, I'm asking you, do you and your buddies want to invade Japan?"

Think about it.

Himanil · May 3rd, 2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucius

Kronos,

Imagine yourself to be one of the American Marines assigned to the invasion of Japan back in 1945. Somehow, you have managed to survive Tarawa, Peleliu, Guam, and Iwo Jima. All your old buddies were killed or horribly maimed, but you've made some new friends among the replacements.

So, Truman comes out to visit the troops and pulls you aside and says, "Kronos, I've got a big decision to make. The invasion of Japan is going to make everything you and your comrades have suffered so far out here look like a Sunday School picnic. Of course, we've thought about a negotiated peace, but everyone knows what happened last time we tried that, and I know that you wouldn't want your sons to have to go through what you have. So. There's this new kind of bomb. Instead of destroying a city overnight, it destroys a city in a few seconds. Hirohito is a rational man - he's a scientist by vocation, you know. He already wants to surrender with conditions, but, as I said, we know what happened last time we tried that. So, I'm asking you, do you and your buddies want to invade Japan?"

Think about it.

Well certainly not.

Kronos · May 3rd, 2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucius

Kronos,

Imagine yourself to be one of the American Marines assigned to the invasion of Japan back in 1945. Somehow, you have managed to survive Tarawa, Peleliu, Guam, and Iwo Jima. All your old buddies were killed or horribly maimed, but you've made some new friends among the replacements.

So, Truman comes out to visit the troops and pulls you aside and says, "Kronos, I've got a big decision to make. The invasion of Japan is going to make everything you and your comrades have suffered so far out here look like a Sunday School picnic. Of course, we've thought about a negotiated peace, but everyone knows what happened last time we tried that, and I know that you wouldn't want your sons to have to go through what you have. So. There's this new kind of bomb. Instead of destroying a city overnight, it destroys a city in a few seconds. Hirohito is a rational man - he's a scientist by vocation, you know. He already wants to surrender with conditions, but, as I said, we know what happened last time we tried that. So, I'm asking you, do you and your buddies want to invade Japan?"

Think about it.

Here you go into the very heart of the question. I understand and give compliments to your post. The question of ethics is contrabalanced with the being on the field taking decisions which don't seem easy at all.
Would i invade japan with my fellow soldiers ? Or would i just drop the bomb ?
You see, as a soldier war is a certainty, lucky if survives - harsh campaigns to go through, loss of friends, unimaginable sights of pain and destruction.. But, commited as a soldier i'd have to endure it, or be killed.
But the bomb...
Hard to say Lucius. Maybe you are right and under most pressure as war has it, i would even have done it. But what a burden to bear in consciousness !
Still feel sorry that such thing had to happen

Himanil · May 3rd, 2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kronos

Here you go into the very heart of the question. I understand and give compliments to your post. The question of ethics is contrabalanced with the being on the field taking decisions which don't seem easy at all.
Would i invade japan with my fellow soldiers ? Or would i just drop the bomb ?
You see, as a soldier war is a certainty, lucky if survives - harsh campaigns to go through, loss of friends, unimaginable sights of pain and destruction.. But, commited as a soldier i'd have to endure it, or be killed.
But the bomb...
Hard to say Lucius. Maybe you are right and under most pressure as war has it, i would even have done it. But what a burden to bear in consciousness !
Still feel sorry that such thing had to happen

If the soldier actually saw in person what had been done in order to save their sorry asses they'd be a living a dogged life hunted by their conscience for all their life.

Kronos · May 3rd, 2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal Avenger

If the soldier actually saw in person what had been done in order to save their sorry asses they'd be a living a dogged life hunted by their conscience for all their life.

Spoke the truth !
I was lacking that argument

Himanil · May 3rd, 2009, 06:49 PM

Glad to be of assistance.

Kronos · May 3rd, 2009, 06:52 PM

Royal Avenger, you are really preety damn fast in your postings

Jebus · May 5th, 2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galteeman

thanks for that fledse, it makes sense.

Actually, the Japanese military leadership did not know the extent of their losses in Manchuria or the size of the Soviet force. It was only after Hiroshima that the emperor essentially forced the military to accept an unconditional surrender.

**Lucius** · May 6th, 2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal Avenger

If the soldier actually saw in person what had been done in order to save their sorry asses they'd be a living a dogged life hunted by their conscience for all their life.

Truman had served in WWI, so he had a different thought than you on the "sorry asses" question. How many wars have you been in?