RE the flamewar about the Hiroshima Bombings...

[Matsubara]

I know we are not supposed to refer to other threads, but mods and posters, please hear me out, this is not that kind of a thread.

I just want to say to all the people who have been participating in that flamewar, that I am really appreciative and impressed at how, for the most part, bost sides have been civil and well-informed and brought good insight to the table. I don't think anyone has changed their mind on the issue - I know I haven't, but I do appreciate and understand where the other side is coming from, and I really appreciate the knowledge of history many of them have shown.

There seems to be a belief around here that flamewars are necessarily a bad thing. Oftentimes they are, when it's just people flinging mud at one another, all animosity for naught, but I do think that some flamewars can be a good thing, when there are people who are unyielding about issues they care deeply about who engage each other passionately and civilly, it's a good thing.

It's a strangely good feeling to leave a flamewar feeling a bit frustrating that I didn't "turn" anybody to my side, but still feeling a bit more affection for those who disagreed with me. At least they are speaking their mind and being honest.

Saludos to all. Regardless about how anyone may feel about A-bombing Japan, I think we all agree it SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

[sam sarrha]

1. at the time the japanese were terrified of impending land grab invasion by Russians and were trying

to work out a surrender to the Americans..

i think the americans dropped the bombs to get casualty statistics, just to see how well they worked on people and infrastructure.. the second bomb was particularly heinous.. currier's were riding bicycles back and forth trying to convince the higher ranks that Hiroshima was GONE... totally gone.

no one wanted to take the responsibility for making a mistake relaying that information.. 3 days was not long enough to go up the chain of command and get anything done due to the level of destruction already dished out by Fire bombings..

it was just buisness...

[Matsubara]

3. All right, fine. I didnt really want to argue the merits of the bomb here.

I just wanted to commend all the participants for approaching the debate like adults.

[JVS]

2. "I think we all agree it SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN" Think again! Nuke Japan NOW!!!!

;-)

[qdemn7]

4. It should NEVER happen again

Yes, I agree with you on that point.

And Matsubara, I apologize for personal comments I made toward you. I was wrong. I let my emotions get the better of me.

[Matsubara]

5. That's cool, I didn't take them personally.

I saw one post to the effect of "cry me a river" when you mentioned your relatives' experience. NOT COOL.

Unfortunately not ALL of the posts were civil, but most of them were, and I thought you conducted yourself fine, considering.

It's an emotional subject. No hard feelings.

But thanks for the apology, and I apologize too, if I was insensitive to anyone's personal connection to what happened.

[rasputin1952]

6. It is a contentious subject, to be sure. It is one of those

things that makes for interesting conversation...but it comes down to the "what if?" philosophy. We could say, "What if, John Wilkes Booth got locked out of the box that night in DC when Lincoln was shot...where would the nation have gone?". "What if, the soldiers manning the radar were taken seriously
on 7Dec41?".

Reality dictates that we see the truth, and that the events did indeed happen...and yes...Never Again.

:hi: