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Tierra_y_Libertad

(50,414 posts)

42. So what?

Thu Aug 6, 2015, 04:11 PM

Aug 2015

Are you saying they couldn't/wouldn't have invaded and rolled over the Japanese army in China without the bombs? Hell, even the Americans and Brits made concessions to the Soviets in fear of their army.

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How many people total would have died in a US invasion of the Japanese islands in 1945-46? [View all] Recursion Aug 2015 OP

Could have been 0 Johnny2X2X Aug 2015 #1

I updated the choices to include less than 5,000 Recursion Aug 2015 #6

Japan was getting mighty scared about Russia getting involved in the war - they MillennialDem Aug 2015 #45

Nah.. They were done after Okinawa, and they knew it. Adrahil Aug 2015 #70

Innocents in countries occupied by Japan would have continued to die in massive numbers hack89 Aug 2015 #21

Many Sherman A1 Aug 2015 #2

The going estimate was 600,000 US casualties, X2 Japanese Recursion Aug 2015 #3

If anything, military plans sarisataka Aug 2015 #12

As a side note on casulties oneshooter Aug 2015 #48

Yes they are. neverforget Aug 2015 #72

Civilians and military? GusBob Aug 2015 #4

Good point, yes: including civilians Recursion Aug 2015 #5

Then in my view way over a million GusBob Aug 2015 #16

Not to mention exposure and starvation during the occupation (nt) Recursion Aug 2015 #26

The minimum estimate for just US deaths was 100,000. HooptieWagon Aug 2015 #7

I agree. The Japanese army would have hifiguy Aug 2015 #25

There was no need to invade Japan. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #8

So the war would have ended... magically? (nt) Recursion Aug 2015 #9

To all intents and purposes the war was over. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #10

The alternate plan to end the war sarisataka Aug 2015 #15

Russia invaded China and rolled over the Japanese army without that happening. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #31

AFTER Hiroshima. hobbit709 Aug 2015 #35

So what? Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #42

And the bombs had been used sarisataka Aug 2015 #73

Millions would died of starvation. MicaelS Aug 2015 #22

Why blockade. What would be the point? Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #32

To force the Japanese to surrender. n/t MicaelS Aug 2015 #33

So, it was for the winning trophy? Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #40

They were not defeated. NutmegYankee Aug 2015 #57

The war had to end to get the POWs released. NutmegYankee Aug 2015 #36

So we killed thousands on the chance that they would release the prisoners? Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #43

Are you trying to imply the Japanese were innocent? Because they weren't. MicaelS Aug 2015 #46

Once Japan surrendered, the POWs were released. NutmegYankee Aug 2015 #47

Millions of innocents in countries occupied by Japan would die. hack89 Aug 2015 #24

Those occupations were over or ending. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #38

What about the tens of thousands of Chinese/Koreans/Filipinos forced into slave labor in Japan? NutmegYankee Aug 2015 #49

Not in the minds of some, apparently. MicaelS Aug 2015 #50

2 Nuclear bombs did not force Japan to surrender GreatGazoo Aug 2015 #17

I pointed out in the options that the Tokyo firebombing killed twice as many as the two nukes Recursion Aug 2015 #19

Likely they expected better terms from the US than from the Soviets GreatGazoo Aug 2015 #20

Bingo! The Japanese feared the Soviets more than us. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #44

you really mean this? wow, just wow n/t irisblue Aug 2015 #53

Speculation. NO possible way to tell. cherokeeprogressive Aug 2015 #11

read about the planning done for Operation Downfall, total deaths could easily top 1 million Amishman Aug 2015 #13

Numbers I have seen 1939 Aug 2015 #56

When I was growing up matt819 Aug 2015 #14

Given the way they fought for a piece of crap island like Iwo Jima, geek tragedy Aug 2015 #18

Wow concern trolling one OP right after the other huh? Rex Aug 2015 #23

Dick Cheney said edhopper Aug 2015 #27

There is a reasonable chance that I would not be here. TexasTowelie Aug 2015 #28

Uhm japam was willing to surrender before the bombs were deployed people. eom Malraiders Aug 2015 #29

Were they? Recursion Aug 2015 #30

Tojo didn't want to surrender. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki it took continued firebombing of Tokyo. EndElectoral Aug 2015 #39

If they were willing, why didn't they surrender? n/t MicaelS Aug 2015 #34

My father was in the front lines of Okinawa, so had there been invasion I might not be posting this. EndElectoral Aug 2015 #37

No way to know. Motown_Johnny Aug 2015 #41

US Military estimates of US casualties in the invasion of Japan 1939 Aug 2015 #51

General MacArthur's staff anticipated about 50000 American casualties, and several time that number still_one Aug 2015 #52

None. Some historians say that Japan was ready to surrender Cleita Aug 2015 #54

+1 rug Aug 2015 #55

It's not that simple. NuclearDem Aug 2015 #58

We still didn't have to drop a nuclear bomb on them. eom Cleita Aug 2015 #59

Considering Hirohito himself cited the atomic bombings--and not the USSR--as his main reason NuclearDem Aug 2015 #60

Bombing civilians is a war crime. Rex Aug 2015 #61

No argument from me on that point. NuclearDem Aug 2015 #63

Cited what as his main reason for what? Cleita Aug 2015 #65

Cited the atom bomb as his main reason for surrender. NuclearDem Aug 2015 #67

So he had a face saving excuse. He was ready to surrender before we dropped the bomb. Cleita Aug 2015 #68

A LOT of revisionist history going on here hueymahl Aug 2015 #62

The War of 1812 say Rex Aug 2015 #64

Not that many. former9thward Aug 2015 #66

It's interesting how the wartime propaganda still lives on. hunter Aug 2015 #69

I remember watching those bomb tests on TV. Cleita Aug 2015 #71

We are very fortunate Hirohito was a man of some sense. roamer65 Aug 2015 #74