Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
Nuke Week is next week, taterguy. This is Olympic Spoiler Week. slackmaster Jul 2012 #1
I might be busy next week taterguy Jul 2012 #3
When is "Bataan Death March" and "Rape of Nanking" week? -..__... Jul 2012 #18
... BOG PERSON Jul 2012 #20
Japanese leaders did not believe the reports coming from Hirsoshima. vinny9698 Aug 2012 #109
It really doesn't make a bit of difference in the world now 1-Old-Man Jul 2012 #2
those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it grasswire Jul 2012 #28
Crap. There goes the week after next. Igel Jul 2012 #32
That's a new answer - and a good one jberryhill Jul 2012 #78
"Please don't repeat any arguments from last year." Dreamer Tatum Jul 2012 #4
I think that was the OP's point (nt) Jeff In Milwaukee Jul 2012 #8
Yes. The choice of target was not justified. Warpy Jul 2012 #5
Actually they were chosen because WolverineDG Jul 2012 #9
Why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were military targets sarisataka Jul 2012 #16
Did it star Timothy Olyphant as Deputy Marshall Raylan Givens? Electric Monk Jul 2012 #6
+1 Glassunion Jul 2012 #52
Very good! dixiegrrrrl Aug 2012 #179
In 1945............. mrmpa Jul 2012 #7
This message was self-deleted by its author VOX Jul 2012 #60
If this isn't the question of questions Taverner Jul 2012 #10
I think they tried to do the best they could. MissMarple Jul 2012 #11
Good answer. hifiguy Aug 2012 #117
I can honestly say that I would not have wanted to be a part of Truman's circle then Taverner Aug 2012 #122
Yes thelordofhell Jul 2012 #12
What is needed to justify it? malthaussen Jul 2012 #13
Nagasaki is debatable sarisataka Jul 2012 #23
Well, it's all debateable. malthaussen Jul 2012 #27
With the soviets in the war any delay meant more territory in their sphere JVS Jul 2012 #46
In a matter of days? I think not. malthaussen Jul 2012 #49
Will an attack nuculular or otherwise against Iran be justified? Whether it saves 100 lives or 2on2u Jul 2012 #14
Obama won't do it. Of that I'm confident. He knows better. HopeHoops Jul 2012 #15
Yes and no. Yes because they attacked us at Pearl Harbor. RebelOne Jul 2012 #17
I'm pretty sure Pearl Harbor was invoked last year taterguy Jul 2012 #19
In any case, "revenge" is the weakest argument bhikkhu Jul 2012 #38
That was the reason for my no answer. n/t RebelOne Jul 2012 #58
Well it's not like there's a lot of new data coming out every year 4th law of robotics Aug 2012 #168
I know one guy who thought it was. trof Jul 2012 #21
Had a friend who said something similar. Igel Jul 2012 #33
There ya go. trof Jul 2012 #35
It does matter more to some on a personal level davidpdx Aug 2012 #107
And after niceguy Jul 2012 #56
I used to know a few men like that. They have all passed away. slackmaster Aug 2012 #110
My dad was one of those infantrymen who was going to invade Japan. neverforget Aug 2012 #142
Wonder how many people we know, and people on DU, would not be here? trof Aug 2012 #143
The chances are we wouldn't be here, but then again, we wouldn't know the difference. neverforget Aug 2012 #146
After the first bomb, a little more time could have been given. Incitatus Aug 2012 #182
I agree with that /nt Bragi Aug 2012 #188
Is it that time of year already? Canuckistanian Jul 2012 #22
No SOS Jul 2012 #24
This message was self-deleted by its author BOG PERSON Jul 2012 #25
NO! Nukes are NEVER the answer. EVER. JaneyVee Jul 2012 #26
Ok Reasonable_Argument Jul 2012 #50
Exactly metalbot Jul 2012 #85
Nukes are different. Radiation poisoning adds un-conventional to conventional. ieoeja Aug 2012 #127
Yes. JVS Jul 2012 #29
Nope n/t arcane1 Jul 2012 #30
Yes. The war was over in Europe and my father's... meaculpa2011 Jul 2012 #31
The thing is the Japanese likely were defeated even before the bombs fell. Selatius Jul 2012 #36
they would have killed all the POWs grasswire Jul 2012 #41
They were already killing POWs and performing grotesque medical experiments on them. Selatius Aug 2012 #94
Half the cabinet didn't want to surrender Confusious Jul 2012 #47
But they didn't matter as much as the opinion of Emperor Hirohito. Selatius Aug 2012 #95
Contrary to popular knowledge Confusious Aug 2012 #98
The thing about the Shogunate era. Selatius Aug 2012 #100
There is a difference sarisataka Jul 2012 #71
They could have at least given them a little more time before dropping the second one. nt Incitatus Jul 2012 #34
They only had two but wanted to give the impression that they had an endless supply Motown_Johnny Jul 2012 #37
Precisely Sherman A1 Aug 2012 #102
They were given an ultimatum, if I remember correctly. trof Jul 2012 #43
This should be in the gungeon, Francis. nt madinmaryland Jul 2012 #39
The alert button is your friend taterguy Jul 2012 #40
Lighten up, Francis! The "trash" button works for me! madinmaryland Jul 2012 #44
I don't see why not... -..__... Jul 2012 #45
Yes Reasonable_Argument Jul 2012 #42
It Was Necessary, Sir The Magistrate Jul 2012 #48
Yyyyyyyep. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #51
no 2Design Jul 2012 #53
Before you answer..... doohnibor Jul 2012 #54
I have to watch a two hour movie before I can answer? taterguy Jul 2012 #57
Yes, you do doohnibor Aug 2012 #108
No it was not Justified. Japan was losing the war and was ready for surrender rustydog Jul 2012 #55
Even after two A-bombs dropped, the Imperial Council was tied on whether or not to continue the war OmahaBlueDog Jul 2012 #59
Absolutely, no argument. n/t bbinacan Jul 2012 #61
OK, it was necessary to prove that the gun-design Uranium bomb actually detonated, and... slackmaster Jul 2012 #62
Battle of Okinawa 4/1/45-6/21/45: Estimated 150,000-250,000 total deaths VOX Jul 2012 #63
Oh they would have invaded sarisataka Jul 2012 #74
They were already using backchannels to negotiate a surrender jberryhill Jul 2012 #79
No. It was a war crime perpetrated for political reasons. Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #64
There were no Japanese troops remaining in the China theater in the summer of '45? Marengo Aug 2012 #144
The Soviets crushed them quite handily in '45. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2012 #147
The Soviets crushed the Kwantung Army in Manzhouguo, not the entire Japanese presence in China Marengo Aug 2012 #150
They were done for. They had no supplies, no transport, no ability to go on the offensive. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2012 #155
Over a million soldiers under arms "posed no threat" to those... Marengo Aug 2012 #174
Forget what we know now, and put yourself in Harry Truman's shoes, for a moment. OmahaBlueDog Jul 2012 #65
This is the most persuasive post in this thread. Nye Bevan Jul 2012 #69
Also underestimated sarisataka Jul 2012 #75
Thank you. emilyg Aug 2012 #89
Very succinct and IMO accurate assessment of Truman's POV slackmaster Aug 2012 #163
It's quite possible that, if the U.S. had detonated the two bombs on unpopulated islands zbdent Jul 2012 #66
It's more likely that japan wouldn't have even noticed such a demonstration. Angleae Aug 2012 #96
And if that didn't impress, did we have any more bombs to drop? nt JustABozoOnThisBus Aug 2012 #129
Goddamrightitwas. /eom Zanzoobar Jul 2012 #67
Absolutely not. Japan was beaten with no oil left. Bonobo Jul 2012 #68
Same damn thing was posted in 2009 taterguy Jul 2012 #70
They didn't have to win battles sharp_stick Jul 2012 #76
You argued my point quite well. Bonobo Jul 2012 #77
Would it have been better to starve them to death? sharp_stick Jul 2012 #80
The question is whether or not dropping nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified. Bonobo Jul 2012 #81
Perhaps I have moved off topic a bit sharp_stick Aug 2012 #112
War by starvation..... PavePusher Aug 2012 #137
By the same criteria, the Taliban, PLO, Hamas, AQ, etc... TheMadMonk Aug 2012 #86
The argument that the bombs were dropped to save Japanese kids from starving Bonobo Aug 2012 #87
Our behaviour WRT Africa, the Middle East and large chunks of SE Asia... TheMadMonk Aug 2012 #91
We should have just left the embargo for years until they caved 4th law of robotics Aug 2012 #124
Hell NO!!! nt nanabugg Jul 2012 #72
I vote for Option #2. Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #73
Yes. Because Truman was a democrat and if you criticize him Sarah Palin will win. Puregonzo1188 Jul 2012 #82
Sounds strangely familiar (nt) shaayecanaan Aug 2012 #178
This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jul 2012 #83
Sorry, that argument was used in 2007 taterguy Aug 2012 #105
HELL NO, it was not justified. Th1onein Jul 2012 #84
Not true, Th1onein catbyte Aug 2012 #151
I guess I learned a different version of history in college? Th1onein Aug 2012 #156
This may come as a shock, but UnrepentantLiberal Aug 2012 #160
That could be said about any statement, but Th1onein Aug 2012 #162
Fair enough. UnrepentantLiberal Aug 2012 #164
Interesting. Eisenhower was right about this, as well. Th1onein Aug 2012 #165
NO!!!!!!!! davekriss Aug 2012 #88
Cool! I haven't used this for awhile! bluedigger Aug 2012 #90
i cannot, as christian arely staircase Aug 2012 #92
Yes justified kwolf68 Aug 2012 #93
I have been studying this, this year grasswire Aug 2012 #97
Bushido, was already in the form Confusious Aug 2012 #99
so are you saying that the bushido code prior to 20th century... grasswire Aug 2012 #101
It was what it was Confusious Aug 2012 #113
Japan also practiced genocide on the Asian mainland, killing 10,000,000 civilians. nt Romulox Aug 2012 #118
I think that is something you need to ask WW2 Vets! B Calm Aug 2012 #103
Okay, modern Japan exists because surrender came quickly. Pholus Aug 2012 #104
Was it any more or less justified than the firebombing of Tokyo and other cities? hobbit709 Aug 2012 #106
Of Course! beemer27 Aug 2012 #111
simply put, we would have used atomic bombs during the invasion as well.. Javaman Aug 2012 #114
Before forming any opinion, I encourage anybody to watch the movie Downtown Hound Aug 2012 #115
No. JonLP24 Aug 2012 #116
Since American lives were, at the time, more valuable than Japanese lives: Yes. Grave Grumbler Aug 2012 #119
Welcome to Du. Why do you say Am lives > Japanese lives? And how about now, looking uppityperson Aug 2012 #120
Because we were at war. When one is at war, the lives of your enemies are less valuable than Grave Grumbler Aug 2012 #123
And now, looking back, was it justified? uppityperson Aug 2012 #126
Yes. Grave Grumbler Aug 2012 #132
From the point of view of American military planners American lives *ought* to be worth more 4th law of robotics Aug 2012 #125
They started it. closeupready Aug 2012 #121
Used in almost every damn thread about the subject taterguy Aug 2012 #149
We wanted to see if it would really work. UnrepentantLiberal Aug 2012 #159
Yes FBaggins Aug 2012 #128
Thankfully, we didn't wait until "talk like a pirate" day JustABozoOnThisBus Aug 2012 #130
and WHY ARE WE WASTING MONEY SENDING ROBOTS TO MARS??!?!?!?!?! Warren DeMontague Aug 2012 #131
Wordings of the leaflets dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki on Aug 1st-1945 EX500rider Aug 2012 #133
So? taterguy Aug 2012 #134
never actually seen a leaflet from the sky.. EX500rider Aug 2012 #135
And how were these folks supposed to evacuate? taterguy Aug 2012 #136
Seriously? Have you never been in an emergency situation? PavePusher Aug 2012 #138
A few pairs of Nikes could have saved a lot of lives that day taterguy Aug 2012 #139
"And how were these folks supposed to evacuate?" EX500rider Aug 2012 #140
You are assuming the population had complete freedom of movement Marengo Aug 2012 #180
I'd pay attention if it were dropped by foreign bombers in the middle of a massive war 4th law of robotics Aug 2012 #167
Is dropping nuclear weapons on any country, killing thousands of innocent people, ever justified? Alduin Aug 2012 #141
Yes EX500rider Aug 2012 #145
My father was on his way to invade the Japenese Mainland. UnrepentantLiberal Aug 2012 #148
Ditto, UnrepentantLiberal catbyte Aug 2012 #152
He was on a ship headed there, if I remember right. UnrepentantLiberal Aug 2012 #157
We weren't there niceguy Aug 2012 #153
The Americans Were Already Tiring Of The War DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2012 #154
Objectively speaking, no action is justified. ZombieHorde Aug 2012 #158
Well I'm sure glad that's settled. Scuba Aug 2012 #161
We probably killed 100X more Japanese civilians by fire / carpet bombing. Dash87 Aug 2012 #166
I think... Snoozin Aug 2012 #169
Dammit... Texasgal Aug 2012 #170
Shark Week @ Olive Garden with pitbulls and Hugo Chavez!! n/t EX500rider Aug 2012 #171
I avoid shark week taterguy Aug 2012 #172
A very interesting podcast lecture about this ... Kablooie Aug 2012 #173
Absolutely justified - lynne Aug 2012 #175
When you start a war, you don't get a say in how it ends. aquart Aug 2012 #176
According to the Hague Convention on the Rules of War... shaayecanaan Aug 2012 #177
Second guessing is easy 70 years later. moondust Aug 2012 #181
Post removed Post removed Aug 2012 #183
Thanks for opening that can of worms. Spacer125 Aug 2012 #184
Happy to Help! taterguy Aug 2012 #186
No... Kalidurga Aug 2012 #185
The Stakes Weren't As High DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2012 #189
Not the same thing. Kalidurga Aug 2012 #190
They were considered... Javaman Aug 2012 #191
No cpwm17 Aug 2012 #187
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Was the use of the atomic...»Reply #89