Son of Pilot Who Dropped A-Bomb Opposes,

[August]

Originally Posted by goldorak

...and it was well known that the japanese government wanted to end the war by the time the Potsdam conference was in effect.

Says you. IIRC that there was at least one coup attempt by Imperial Army officers to stop the surrender.

In any case how many Tokyo style firebombing raids do you think would have been mounted before the war actually ended if it had been allowed to run it's course?

You may not like it but those atomic bombs did save lives on both sides.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by August

Says you. IIRC that there was at least one coup attempt by Imperial Army officers to stop the surrender.

In any case how many Tokyo style firebombing raids do you think would have been mounted before the war actually ended if it had been allowed to run it's course?

You may not like it but those atomic bombs did save lives on both sides.

Mark it on your calendars, folks. August and I agree on something.

[joegrundman]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

True, but this is the first year we are poised to 'apologize'.

maybe i was wrong. i lived in japan for three years, and they hold the ceremony every year. i was pretty sure that on each occasion a us official was present and spoke publicly.

but if the japanese are making a big deal about it, clearly something is different. Maybe it was always in an 'unofficial capacity' before.

But if poised to apologise, as you put it, how is it an 'unsaid apology' as Tibbets jr. puts it?

In any case, although this clearly has the makings of another conservative storm in a teacup, you shouldn't worry too much about it. The commemoration is very uncontroversial, lamenting lives lost in war and wishing that the world never again finds itself using nukes on civilian centres. That sort of thing.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Mark it on your calendars, folks. August and I agree on something.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Mark it on your calendars, folks. August and I agree on something.

[ETR3(SS)]

So when can we expect that apology from Japan about Pearl Harbor? You know the one that they were going to give on the 50th anniversary of the attack but changed their minds on at the last minute. I mean if we can say sorry for vaporizing thousands of people in a millisecond they can surely say sorry for killing thousands over a couple of hours.

[GoldenRivet]

if they apologize for Pearl

i think we can apologize for the A-bombs

i also hold the opinion that the US Military was justified in its use of the weapon.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by goldorak

Can I say what b-u-l-l-s-h-i-t ?

No. Putting dashes between the letters to get around the censor is still against the rules.

[August]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Mark it on your calendars, folks. August and I agree on something.

It's not the first time that's happened you Drama Queen!

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by ETR3(SS)

So when can we expect that apology from Japan about Pearl Harbor? You know the one that they were going to give on the 50th anniversary of the attack but changed their minds on at the last minute. I mean if we can say sorry for vaporizing thousands of people in a millisecond they can surely say sorry for killing thousands over a couple of hours.

I'd say it'll happen around about the same time they apologise to China for Nanking...

[ETR3(SS)]

Exactly. Japan is acting like an ostrich and burying its head in the sand about it's past.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

10-15,000 planes held in reserve for kamikaze attacks. Massed forces on the southern end of Kyushu. Aviation fuel, ammo stockpiled. Doesn't sound like "about to surrender" to me.

My history teacher had an professor at college who was in elementary school in Japan during WWII. He told him a story about how as kids they were taught to run under American tanks while gripping a satchel charge.

This story really hit home for him, see his dad was in WWII in the US Army and served in the ETO (With Patton). After VE day they put him on a ship to the Pacific. Now he was really tall (my teacher was like 5'10" and his dad was taller than him he said) so the PTB decided the first people to storm the beaches in Japan would be the tallest troops since as the Japanese of that time were short it would be intimidating they thought. But the invasion never happened.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

My history teacher had an professor at college who was in elementary school in Japan during WWII. He told him a story about how as kids they were taught to run under American tanks while gripping a satchel charge.

This story really hit home for him, see his dad was in WWII in the US Army and served in the ETO (With Patton). After VE day they put him on a ship to the Pacific. Now he was really tall (my teacher was like 5'10" and his dad was taller than him he said) so the PTB decided the first people to storm the beaches in Japan would be the tallest troops since as the Japanese of that time were short it would be intimidating they thought. But the invasion never happened.

in the Pacific and I heard about these stories, from the Pearl to victory in the Pacific,Unfortunately, he succumbed to the WWII,just like many other Americans did,but but the stories have been told has had an impact not only because many lost their lives at stake,but a humane approach to how people live, and hopefully learn life!

[Gerald]

After criticism, U.S. says delegation will not offer apology at ceremony in Japan to mark the 65th anniversary of WWII

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...hima-ceremony/




Note:An updated version from the original post.

[AngusJS]

Originally Posted by tater

Some goon asked General Tibbets if he had visited the Hiroshima Memorial when I saw him give a talk. He said "I've only been to Hiroshima the one time, and I didn't stop."

Everyone laughed except the hippie.

Killing 80,000 people, most of whom are civilians, can be fun!