I don't trust the History Channel further than I can p*ss but the old guys have some stories....hopefully the HC didn't edit their stories out of context. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Exclusive Videos & Features - HISTORY.com
"My God, What Have We Done" "Little Boy" (uranium) in Hiroshima, "Fat Man" (plutonium) in Nagasaki. No warnings, 95 pro cent civilian casualties. So why? July 18 emperor of Japan telegraphed Truman on capitulation. Truman ignored this. Why? Historians suggest that Truman wanted to show Soviet what he had in his pocket. USA had a deal with Soviet to let Red Army launch attack on proper Japan August 8 and together occupy Japan (like in Europe). But USA got the weapons of mass destruction ready before, so they dropped the first one August 6. Japan capitulated August 14. Red Army was not yet in Japan. General Marshall wanted Truman to warn Japan of the bombs. Also some 70 scientists who took part in project Manhattan, wanted Truman to forewarn Japan. Truman ignored this. Military wanted to test their new toys. Later on experimented US military-industrial complex with horrible weaponry in VietNam like white phosphorus, fragmentation bombs, agent orange and what ever 1995, 50 years after the bombs, National Air and Space Museum in Washington wanted to open an exhibition. They wanted to show the airplane, put it in the historical context and weight the arguments fore and against the a-bomb. Vet organisations went wild; not allowed to problematize, dig in arguments and most important not to show what happened to victims. Pressure in media got too much, no exhibition and the ones in charge were kicked. Can we today talk of what happened? Never more or I nuke You if You don't kowtow?
The development of the bomb has been on the discovery ch over the last few days,quite interesting how it was done and who they used to create it.
We did not begin the war with a sneak attack the destroyed much of America's naval forces---THEY DID! From that point forward, EVERYTHING in Japan was fair game. Personally, I am sorry that we only had two atomic bombs to drop. Both were dropped on military targets and the result was the unconditional surrender of a nation that had committed unspeakable atrocities in every country they occupied. The emperor's telegram was NOT an unconditional surrender offer, so Truman did the right thing, although several more Tokyo style fire bomb raids could have been laid on prior to Enola Gay's bomb run. Japan brought the destruction upon themselves, both with Pearl harbor and with their determination to fight kamakazi style during the invasion of Japan. Most estimates for US casualties are in excess of 500,000 killed and wounded. Screw 'em, drop the bomb and end what they started!
The Japanese solders were nasty pieces of sh*t, they tortured their captives. wish USA had dropped the bombs sooner.
