General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: An overlooked A-bomb issue: the wait-a-couple-weeks argument [View all]Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)Your post is an example of the widespread assumption that the bombings were the only way to end the war without an invasion. The whole point of my OP was to challenge that assumption.
You write, "Would you all rather we had burned their cities to the ground. like we pretty much did in Germany?" This is a straw man. I can't speak for "you all" but, for me, what I would rather have seen was set out clearly in my post: a delay in making the decision, to see the effect of the Soviet entry into the war.
As to why go into it now, it remains the only use of atomic weapons in war. It was an important event. Heck, when I was in junior high I remember a group project in Social Studies in which we did a presentation to the class on the theme "The War of 1812 -- a War We Shouldn't Have Fought?" There is value in examining past decisions instead of just saying that what's done is done.