August 6th

This forum is for discussions on the noteworthy events, people, places, and circumstances of both the past and the present (note: pop culture etc... is on the back porch).
User avatar
randy
Posts: 8334
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:33 pm
Location: EM79VQ

August 6th

Post by randy »

Today let's raise a toast to the men and women of The Manhattan Project, and the men of the 509th Composite Group, especially the crew of the Enola Gay.

And in response to the inevitable whining about the "victims" of Hiroshima (home of the HQ of the 2nd Army and 5th Divisions of the Imperial Army, as well as a port used by the Imperial Navy), I offer the following; Nanking, Bataan, Wake Island, Parit Sulong, Sook Ching, Manila, Unit 731, ...and on and on.

Karma's a bitch, ain't it Bushido Boy?
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
User avatar
Vonz90
Posts: 4731
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:05 pm

Re: August 6th

Post by Vonz90 »

Yep
Precision
Posts: 5268
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:01 pm

Re: August 6th

Post by Precision »

I tiptoe around August 6th. But my reason has nothing to do with Japan and has to do with something much more recent and personal.

I lost my best friend and first wife that day. It still hurts like hell even if no one else is allowed to see it in real time.

But yes, Karma is a bitch Bushido Boy.
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson
My little part of the blogosphere. http://blogletitburn.wordpress.com/
User avatar
Jered
Posts: 7859
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:30 am

Re: August 6th

Post by Jered »

They were planning to attack the US with biological weapons.

Even without their atrocities, using the nukes was a sensible decision given the utter fanaticism of their military.
The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.
User avatar
MiddleAgedKen
Posts: 2871
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:11 pm
Location: Flyover Country

Re: August 6th

Post by MiddleAgedKen »

I think I've mentioned the book Downfall in this space before. Makes extensive use of previously unavailable contemporary Japanese records to show that the decision to use the bomb was the right call by a wide sea mile.
Shop at Traitor Joe's: Just 10% to the Big Guy gets you the whole store and everything in it!
User avatar
HTRN
Posts: 12397
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am

Re: August 6th

Post by HTRN »

MiddleAgedKen wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:05 am I think I've mentioned the book Downfall in this space before. Makes extensive use of previously unavailable contemporary Japanese records to show that the decision to use the bomb was the right call by a wide sea mile.
They were expecting a million plus casualties for an invasion of mainland Japan, based on what happened taking Okinawa. They made so many purple hearts in anticipation of it, they don't start making them again till the 90s. The Militarists were intending for every last man woman and child to die defending the home islands.
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
User avatar
Vonz90
Posts: 4731
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:05 pm

Re: August 6th

Post by Vonz90 »

MiddleAgedKen wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:05 am I think I've mentioned the book Downfall in this space before. Makes extensive use of previously unavailable contemporary Japanese records to show that the decision to use the bomb was the right call by a wide sea mile.
I have not read that, but there has been a ton of information backing that up since the time. It was not a hard call.
User avatar
Jered
Posts: 7859
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:30 am

Re: August 6th

Post by Jered »

HTRN wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 3:47 am They were expecting a million plus casualties for an invasion of mainland Japan, based on what happened taking Okinawa. They made so many purple hearts in anticipation of it, they don't start making them again till the 90s. The Militarists were intending for every last man woman and child to die defending the home islands.
And that's just US. The Japanese would have come off a lot worse.

Even without the interdiction associated with preparatory bombardment for an invasion, their were already at or near famine. I can only imagine how much more their infrastructure would have been disrupted by preinvasion bombardment.
The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.
User avatar
MiddleAgedKen
Posts: 2871
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:11 pm
Location: Flyover Country

Re: August 6th

Post by MiddleAgedKen »

HTRN wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 3:47 amThey were expecting a million plus casualties for an invasion of mainland Japan, based on what happened taking Okinawa. They made so many purple hearts in anticipation of it, they don't start making them again till the 90s. The Militarists were intending for every last man woman and child to die defending the home islands.
The other alternative -- blockade -- might have produced an even higher death toll among Japanese civilians than invasion.
Shop at Traitor Joe's: Just 10% to the Big Guy gets you the whole store and everything in it!
User avatar
scipioafricanus
Posts: 1298
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:08 pm

Re: August 6th

Post by scipioafricanus »

Funny, this popped up on the WW2TV channel: https://youtu.be/QuYBFMgcgn4 "Exploding the idea that the Atomic Bombs were justified"

Haven't watched the whole thing, but I have my doubts on his thesis.
If there is a Stairway to Heaven, is there an Escalator to Hell?
If God wanted men to play soccer, he wouldn’t have given us arms. - Mike Ditka
Post Reply