Japan and the A-bomb

[Keltoi]

TOKYO - Japan's prime minister sternly reprimanded his defense minister on Monday for saying the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were an inevitable way of ending World War II, and asked him to refrain from making similar remarks.

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Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he told Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma to "strictly refrain from making remarks that cause misunderstanding."

"Japan is the only country that suffered an atomic bombing. We need to always consider and stand in the position of the survivors," Abe said he told Kyuma.

The defense minister's comments offended survivors of the bombings who believe the use of atomic weapons was excessive, but the minister is not expected to resign.

"I want Minister Kyuma to seriously consider the gravity of his remarks and, having reflected on them, work toward nuclear disarmament," Abe said.

The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War II, in the world's only nuclear attacks.

"I understand that the bombing ended the war, and I think that it couldn't be helped," Kyuma said in a speech at a university in Chiba, just east of Tokyo.

Kyuma, who is from Nagasaki, said the bombing caused great suffering in the city but said he did not resent the U.S. because the bombs prevented the Soviet Union from entering the war with Japan, according to Kyodo News agency.

Kyuma said if Japan had not surrendered, northern Japan could have been occupied by the Soviet Union, which had begun invading Manchuria on the same day Nagasaki was attacked, according to Japanese media.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/...c_bomb_comment

Thought this was an interesting bit of news, and controversial coming from a Japanese defense minister.

[MTAFFI]

TOKYO - Japan's prime minister sternly reprimanded his defense minister on Monday for saying the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were an inevitable way of ending World War II, and asked him to refrain from making similar remarks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he told Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma to "strictly refrain from making remarks that cause misunderstanding."

"Japan is the only country that suffered an atomic bombing. We need to always consider and stand in the position of the survivors," Abe said he told Kyuma.

The defense minister's comments offended survivors of the bombings who believe the use of atomic weapons was excessive, but the minister is not expected to resign.

"I want Minister Kyuma to seriously consider the gravity of his remarks and, having reflected on them, work toward nuclear disarmament," Abe said.

The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War II, in the world's only nuclear attacks.

"I understand that the bombing ended the war, and I think that it couldn't be helped," Kyuma said in a speech at a university in Chiba, just east of Tokyo.

Kyuma, who is from Nagasaki, said the bombing caused great suffering in the city but said he did not resent the U.S. because the bombs prevented the Soviet Union from entering the war with Japan, according to Kyodo News agency.

Kyuma said if Japan had not surrendered, northern Japan could have been occupied by the Soviet Union, which had begun invading Manchuria on the same day Nagasaki was attacked, according to Japanese media.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/...c_bomb_comment

Thought this was an interesting bit of news, and controversial coming from a Japanese defense minister.

WOW

That is a very interesting and very honest bit of news! I agree with the defense minister in a sense. Nuclear strikes should and hopefully will never be used again, is common rhetoric that you typically would use, however in this case I think the man is right.... Does anyone ever think of what might have happened if a nuclear strike wasnt used? The world could be a much different place today, many more people, than what died in that atrocity could have perished a far worse death. I am not saying I think it was right, or that I condone it, I am just saying I understand where the guy is coming from.

Good article Keltoi

[Zman]

WOW

very honest bit of news!

No it isn't!

[wilberhum]

No it isn't!

Is that based on your extensive knowledge of WWII or did it come from talking to many Japanese people about it?

Or just an opinion bases of no over all knowledge or understanding?

[MTAFFI]

Is that based on your extensive knowledge of WWII or did it come from talking to many Japanese people about it?

Or just an opinion bases of no over all knowledge or understanding?

If the answer to this were to be based on past experiences I would go with option B or C

C of course being the option that would be spouting the opposite of whatever view is posted because myself and others do not agree that the US government is behind every bad thing to ever happen in the history of man kind (even before the land was discovered):blind:

[wilberhum]

No it isn't!

I’m always amazed at the “Armchair Monday Morning War Experts”.

They look at 2 days of a 2193 day war and judge its entirety.

Of course it is real easy to condemn the decisions of others when you don’t have to face any repercussions of your decision.

I can’t begin to understand the anguish that Truman must have went though realizing that regardless of his decision, thousands would die.

Most historical experts (Not Armchair Idiots) concluded that less Japanese people died from the bombing and affects than would have died in an invasion.

One too must forget the war of aggression that Japan started. It is also necessary to feel no obligation to stop the death camps, chemical testing on the Chinese, enslavement of the Koreans, the Comfort Women, the systematic killing in the Philippines.

I lived/worked in Tokyo for a year. I know how many Japanese feel about the war. They condemn there government, not ours. No one needs to ask the thousands of Chinese, Koreans and Philippines that didn’t die how they feel.

But that is OK, sit back and enjoy your ignorance. Always make judgments based on little information and never under any circumstances is come to the realization that many times in life there are no “Good Answers” and you have to pick the one that you think the “Least Bad”.

PS Do you know Japan was working on Nuclear and chemical bombs to drop on the US?
Of course you would not want such trivial to influence your decision either.

[Keltoi]

What I had never considered before was the possible invasion of Japan by the Soviet Union, which the Japanese seemed to fear much more than an American invasion. Not sure why exactly, probably need to read up on that element of the equation.

[wilberhum]

What I had never considered before was the possible invasion of Japan by the Soviet Union, which the Japanese seemed to fear much more than an American invasion. Not sure why exactly, probably need to read up on that element of the equation.

My memory of history was that Japan was trying to surrender. The problem was that is was a “Conditional Surrender”. The conditions included keeping all the area they had obtained through there aggression. That was not acceptable to the US. I’m sure China and Korea would not have like that either. I’m sure the Soviet Union was of great concern but still they were not willing to give up anything. The first A-Bomb changed nothing. It took a second for the Emperor to concede. Even then many officers did not want to surrender.
As horrible as it was, I thing the A-Bomb was by all means the “Least Bad” decision that could be made.

[vpb]

Does anyone ever think of what might have happened if a nuclear strike wasnt used? The world could be a much different place today, many more people, than what died in that atrocity could have perished a far worse death

your statement is true if you exclude the fact that "generantions and generations will born with physical/mental dissabilities".

[Cognescenti]

your statement is true if you exclude the fact that "generantions and generations will born with physical/mental dissabilities".

I suppose the vegetables and ants will grow to the size of pick-up trucks as well?

Do you have any evidence for that doesn't come from a 1950's sci-fi movie?
I'm not talking about short term leukemias and thyroid cancers, btw, I am talking about the "generations and generations" bit.

[wilberhum]

your statement is true if you exclude the fact that "generantions and generations will born with physical/mental dissabilities".

So what would you have done?

How many hundreds of thousands of lives would you have been willing to sacrificed so that "generantions and generations would not be born with physical/mental dissabilities"?

[vpb]

How many hundreds of thousands of lives would you have been willing to sacrificed so that "generantions and generations would not be born with physical/mental dissabilities"?

the war would end up differently, but it's just the way USA chose to end it. But that doesn't give us the right to say "it's better that USA did this, bc the war would have gone......bla bla bla".

how do u know if the war wouldn't stop very soon, without using the atomic bomb?

the atomic bomb was the most brutal act ever made in the history of this earth, even the guy who dropped the bomb said "oh God, what have I done".

so don't try to excuse US government for doing such evil act, by saying "if the bomb wouldn't be dropped, the war wouldn'/t end , people would continue to die bla bla bla".

NO EXCUSE !!! , otherwise I have to get the impression of you that you are just a person who thinks it's better to drop a bomb that burn thousands of people alive, and destroy generations.

[wilberhum]

how do u know if the war wouldn't stop very soon, without using the atomic bomb?

Because I read.

the atomic bomb was the most brutal act ever made in the history of this earth,

That would be true. It is a small amount though compaired th what the Japanese did.

You know it really P me off when P ants come along and pass there judgment on other’s judgment and don’t have the faintest clue of what they would do for a solution.

Over 60 million people died because of the war. That is 10 million a year. How many more 10’s of millions are they willing to let die?

After living and loving Tokyo for a year, this is something that is near and dear to me. I think the Japanese are the most wonderful people I have ever been around. I find it almost beyond belief that 65 years ago they marched 10’s of thousands of people to death. It is even more difficult to believe that there were many more cases of brutality beyond understanding.

So get your head out of where the sun doesn’t shine and do some research.
You are a coward who hides behind history.

[vpb]

subhanallah.

[wilberhum]

How many 10's of millions does that mean you are willing to let be killed?

[vpb]

How many 10's of millions does that mean you are willing to let be killed?

Never mind, i'm not going any deeper. I'm not willing to discuss such things. I'm already fed with war topics.

[wilberhum]

Never mind, i'm not going any deeper. I'm not willing to discuss such things. I'm already fed with war topics.

Boy you are right there to condemn.
But when asked for a better solution, you just say "I'm already fed with war topics".

What a Chicken S way out.

Don't start fights that you are not willing to finish.

[Cognescenti]

Ouch...that had to hurt. An internet retreat..big time

The Battle of Okinawa cost nearly 13,000 American lives (and 72,000 wounded), 66,000 Japanese soldiers killed, and > 150,000 civilians....that is in the neighborhood of 240,000 souls.

That was an island with about 70,000 Japanese defenders and a relatively small civilian population. The Japanse main Island had at least a million armed defenders, thousands of airplanes and many millions of civilians in dense cities.
An invasion there would have been a nightmare.

[vpb]

Boy you are right there to condemn.
But when asked for a better solution, you just say "I'm already fed with war topics".

What a Chicken S way out.

Don't start fights that you are not willing to finish.

hahaha are u hitting me back about the previous thread that we had?

yes, I'm a chicken, and I can't finish the conversation, cuz I'm afraid, and I will lose .

hope that satisfies u

[wilberhum]

Ouch...that had to hurt. An internet retreat..big time

The Battle of Okinawa cost nearly 13,000 American lives (and 72,000 wounded), 66,000 Japanese soldiers killed, and > 150,000 civilians....that is in the neighborhood of 240,000 souls.

That was an island with about 70,000 Japanese defenders and a relatively small civilian population. The Japanse main Island had at least a million armed defenders, thousands of airplanes and many millions of civilians in dense cities.
An invasion there would have been a nightmare.

That would make Okinawa more deadly than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Including ALL related deaths. (Estimated to be 214,000)
I have heard estimates of over 5 million dead if we invaided Japan.
As horrable as 214,000 is, it is a far cry off 5,000,000.