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In reply to the discussion: Some facts on dropping the two bombs [View all]brewens
(15,359 posts)5. It could easily be that the bombs saved a lot of Japanese lives. Even if we
continued conventional bombing, even though we were pretty much out of good military targets and continued the blockade, how much better would that have been? I'd think that as long as they were likely to hold out, civilian deaths could have been pretty high.
We could have played it that way but you're right about our side thinking they might come up with some secret WMD. We know now that's not likely. That's kind of like knowing blackouts on the west coast after Pearl Harbor were silly. They didn't know that then.
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It was the first time in history the vast majority of Japanese people had ever heard his voice.
AtheistCrusader
Aug 2013
#32
The people of Hiroshima were busy ripping down their own homes, digging bunkers
AtheistCrusader
Aug 2013
#48
I'd sign the Szilárd petition then nail it to the totem pole you squat on everyday here.
miyazaki
Aug 2013
#41
Nadine, they were negotiating peace with us before we dropped the bomb on them.
Th1onein
Aug 2013
#60
Incidentally, we risked lives and the success of the mission to warn civilians out of the cities.
AtheistCrusader
Aug 2013
#54
If the US hadn't used them first, somebody would have wanted to use them later.
reformist2
Aug 2013
#55
#4: an airburst at 10,000 ft is pretty much the opposite of "targeting". n/t
DisgustipatedinCA
Aug 2013
#70
You're right about the altitude, but from 1950 or from 10,000, precision is not the main benefit
DisgustipatedinCA
Aug 2013
#75
THE DECISION TO USE THE ATOMIC BOMB - For those looking for more than the status quo opinion
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Aug 2013
#73