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Why we had to drop the A bombs on Japan

joko104

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The reasons give are:
1. To stop a Russian invasion into Japan and going deeper into China
2. The entire civilian military has been militarized - meaning having to slaughter tens of millions of civilian Japanese
3. Huge American casualties.
4. To force a surrender before the Japanese Emperor was taken hostage or killed by the Japanese military - which would never surrender. (Note: Japan did not unconditionally surrender. We agreed not to put anyone in the Japanese royal family on trial - and many definitely were war criminals against civilians and POWs.)

What was not questioned was we would ultimately win.

Maybe not. It was only after Japan's surrender and occupation that we learned how well prepared Japan was becoming for an invasion. Unknown to us, Japan had moved hundreds of factories and military equipment deeply under the rugged mountains of Japan, including a hundred aircraft manufacturing factories. Due to the terrain, our primitive radar would give no warning of incoming aircraft against our ships, particularly troop transports, which in discovered Japanese plans was to be their number one targets.

Even our few atomic bombs could not had dealt with the massive networks of underground facilities in the mountains. Within the culture of Japan's military, every Japanese should die including civilians rather than surrender.

Stunningly, after the war our intelligence learned that while we thought Japan had no air force left, in fact they had held back 12,000 combat aircraft hidden in the vast underground networks in the mountains - and more horrifying had developed both a jet fighter and jet bomber - with the former already in production. Capable of speeds 100 to 150 miles per hour faster than anything we had, such aircraft could have slaughtered our bombers and defending fighters, at which them their convention aircraft including for Kamikaze attacks. The altitude max was higher than even our highest bombers - previously all but immune to attack. If Japan could gain control of the air, they could also possible obtain more supplies and bring back well over a million troops from China and elsewhere.

Japan's jet and rocket powered fighters - including some in Kamikaze designs - were superior to those of Germany - improving on German designs - and many were past the proven flying prototypes and going into actual production. They were not just a little bit better than our piston driven aircraft. It would be as if we were in WW1 bi-planes. While we had jets also in the works, that would not offset the real challenge of a 10,000 to 15,000 aircraft Japan coming at our troop and supply ships with minutes to seconds notice - often in Kamikaze style attacks.

We were lucky the war ending in 1945 via the A-bomb. Starving out Japan would only have killed millions of Japanese civilians - all which the Japanese military was willing to sacrifice. This was particularly so since much of Japan's military leadership faced war crimes executions if captured and surrender was considered cowardly and dishonorable.

In 1946 we would have been facing both German and the island fortress of Japan with vastly superior aircraft - with Japan being an island nation the greater challenge both strategically and in never-surrender determination. Having jet fighters - and over 10,000 conventional war aircraft shielded by the terrain as a radar shield - would have made invasion and conquest of Japan unthinkably costs in terms of both Allies and Japanese lives. Without the A-bomb that is the situation we would have been in.

 
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The USA dropped the bomb on Japan because of racism...
 
No, there was also concern that China might invade to keep Russia and the US out. They don’t like “round eyes” getting too close to them. But the biggest reason was to end it without a brutal, bloody war against a country protecting its homeland, possibly with China’s help. Lastly they started the war with the USA with a sneak attack during negotiations to avoid war.
 
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Russia didn't have any landing craft.
 
Shouldn't we be discussing this in the "history" area of the forums?

(And BTW, the decision to go with atomic bombs was based on two issues. One, the idea of a mainland war against Japan would have been costly in every regard. Early information and planning for Operation Downfall suggested more needs than what was flooded into the European theater to deal with Germany at higher cost in lives lost. Two, we knew that it was unlikely for Japan to surrender *unless* they feared the outcome enough of continued mass destruction like what atomic bombs ended up yielding. Moral argument aside for a moment, the intention was to scare them into making a decision they normally would not make, and it worked.)
 
The Japanese Empire had it coming, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki were valid military targets. Whatever it took to end the war as soon as possible was acceptable.

Nazi Germany had it coming a bit more, but, sadly, we did not complete the bombs soon enough so they surrendered before we could reduce the Reich and as many Nazis as possible to radioactive ash.
 
We dropped the atomic bomb because it was seen as the better decision than an invasion of mainland Japan, which was estimated to result in nearly a million Allied casualties.

The Japanese War Council, which was responsible for the leadership of Japan, did in fact desire an invasion because they believed it was the best chance for Japan to eek out a strategic victory by inflicting murderous losses on the Allied forces. Plans were made to stockpile some 10,000 aircraft and to mobilize somewhere in the vicinity of 25 million to 35 million civilians, with the hope that American soldiers would have their morale shaken upon having to fire on Japanese women and children.

The atomic bombs ruined that fantasy, albeit in a surprising manner. The War Council that met on 9 August 1945 to discuss Japan's surrender did not in fact shift in their views even after the bombing; the pro-war side wanted to continue the war and the pro-peace side wanted to surrender, but surrender required a unanimous decision. It wasn't until the Emperor weighed in and insisted on surrender did the pro-war side of the War Council cave, though not without resistance; General Anami is believed to have been partially behind the attempted coup that followed, though he committed suicide afterwards, so we'll never know for sure.
 
Shouldn't we be discussing this in the "history" area of the forums?

(And BTW, the decision to go with atomic bombs was based on two issues. One, the idea of a mainland war against Japan would have been costly in every regard. Early information and planning for Operation Downfall suggested more needs than what was flooded into the European theater to deal with Germany at higher cost in lives lost. Two, we knew that it was unlikely for Japan to surrender *unless* they feared the outcome enough of continued mass destruction like what atomic bombs ended up yielding. Moral argument aside for a moment, the intention was to scare them into making a decision they normally would not make, and it worked.)

The A bombs specifically were to motivate the Emperor of Japan - not the population and certainly not the military. It put the Emperor at double risks - both from the Japanese military taking him hostage (or assassinated) to prevent surrender - or being killed by an A bomb on Tokyo. By promising to not harm the Imperial family, he saw his odds and that of his family as better by surrendering. It is known there were plans by the Japanese military to kidnap the Emperor to prevent surrender.
 
The Japanese Empire had it coming, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki were valid military targets. Whatever it took to end the war as soon as possible was acceptable.

Nazi Germany had it coming a bit more, but, sadly, we did not complete the bombs soon enough so they surrendered before we could reduce the Reich and as many Nazis as possible to radioactive ash.

At the end of the war against Germany, we deliberately leveled major German cities no longer of any strategic importance because we did not want Germany to have a post war edge over other countries that Germany had obliterated their cities. The question was not just winning the war - but what comes next afterwards.
 
The A bombs specifically were to motivate the Emperor of Japan - not the population and certainly not the military. It put the Emperor at double risks - both from the Japanese military taking him hostage (or assassinated) to prevent surrender - or being killed by an A bomb on Tokyo. By promising to not harm the Imperial family, he saw his odds and that of his family as better by surrendering. It is known there were plans by the Japanese military to kidnap the Emperor to prevent surrender.

What are you basing all this on?
 
Shouldn't we be discussing this in the "history" area of the forums?

(And BTW, the decision to go with atomic bombs was based on two issues. One, the idea of a mainland war against Japan would have been costly in every regard. Early information and planning for Operation Downfall suggested more needs than what was flooded into the European theater to deal with Germany at higher cost in lives lost. Two, we knew that it was unlikely for Japan to surrender *unless* they feared the outcome enough of continued mass destruction like what atomic bombs ended up yielding. Moral argument aside for a moment, the intention was to scare them into making a decision they normally would not make, and it worked.)

I don't think so as the study of wars of the past should heavily define our knowledge about war in the future. We dramatically under estimated Japan's ability to defend their island nation and but for the Emperor surrendering due to the A-bomb we (and the Japanese, Chinese and many others) did not suffer astronomical casualties for that over confidence.

The USA can win wars against 2nd rate countries in terms of battles. A final victory is another matter. Fortunately, the influence of the Emperor was great enough to prevent a post-war insurgency.
 
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What are you basing all this on?

Which part of it?

The Emperor took is surrender to the radio, knowing the public would accept his edict as Emperor. The Japanese people did not surrender. The Emperor did. The population accepted his decision.

Are you questioning that we agreed to not put any of the royal family on trial for war crimes?
 
The reasons give are:
1. To stop a Russian invasion into Japan and going deeper into China
2. The entire civilian military has been militarized - meaning having to slaughter tens of millions of civilian Japanese
3. Huge American casualties.
4. To force a surrender before the Japanese Emperor was taken hostage or killed by the Japanese military - which would never surrender. (Note: Japan did not unconditionally surrender. We agreed not to put anyone in the Japanese royal family on trial - and many definitely were war criminals against civilians and POWs.)

What was not questioned was we would ultimately win.

Maybe not. It was only after Japan's surrender and occupation that we learned how well prepared Japan was becoming for an invasion. Unknown to us, Japan had moved hundreds of factories and military equipment deeply under the rugged mountains of Japan, including a hundred aircraft manufacturing factories. Due to the terrain, our primitive radar would give no warning of incoming aircraft against our ships, particularly troop transports, which in discovered Japanese plans was to be their number one targets.

Even our few atomic bombs could not had dealt with the massive networks of underground facilities in the mountains. Within the culture of Japan's military, every Japanese should die including civilians rather than surrender.

Stunningly, after the war our intelligence learned that while we thought Japan had no air force left, in fact they had held back 12,000 combat aircraft hidden in the vast underground networks in the mountains - and more horrifying had developed both a jet fighter and jet bomber - with the former already in production. Capable of speeds 100 to 150 miles per hour faster than anything we had, such aircraft could have slaughtered our bombers and defending fighters, at which them their convention aircraft including for Kamikaze attacks. The altitude max was higher than even our highest bombers - previously all but immune to attack. If Japan could gain control of the air, they could also possible obtain more supplies and bring back well over a million troops from China and elsewhere.

Japan's jet and rocket powered fighters - including some in Kamikaze designs - were superior to those of Germany - improving on German designs - and many were past the proven flying prototypes and going into actual production. They were not just a little bit better than our piston driven aircraft. It would be as if we were in WW1 bi-planes. While we had jets also in the works, that would not offset the real challenge of a 10,000 to 15,000 aircraft Japan coming at our troop and supply ships with minutes to seconds notice - often in Kamikaze style attacks.

We were lucky the war ending in 1945 via the A-bomb. Starving out Japan would only have killed millions of Japanese civilians - all which the Japanese military was willing to sacrifice. This was particularly so since much of Japan's military leadership faced war crimes executions if captured and surrender was considered cowardly and dishonorable.

In 1946 we would have been facing both German and the island fortress of Japan with vastly superior aircraft - with Japan being an island nation the greater challenge both strategically and in never-surrender determination. Having jet fighters - and over 10,000 conventional war aircraft shielded by the terrain as a radar shield - would have made invasion and conquest of Japan unthinkably costs in terms of both Allies and Japanese lives. Without the A-bomb that is the situation we would have been in.



Yes the dropping of the a-bombs actually saved millions of lives on both sides while stopping the soviet invasion and likely annexation of China.
 
I always thought the dropping of the A bomb was because the idea of trying to invade Japan was horrific.
The Japanese had showed themselves to be dogged and tenacious defenders who were willing to fight to the bitter end and inflict huge casualties on the attackers.
The island hopping campaign was brutal and if the allies had tried invading Japan itself the casualties would have eye watering.

Japan would not have been an easy place to invade.
 
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nope, didnt need a bomb- they only surrendered because they could keep their emporer
 
We dropped the atomic bomb because it was seen as the better decision than an invasion of mainland Japan, which was estimated to result in nearly a million Allied casualties.

The Japanese War Council, which was responsible for the leadership of Japan, did in fact desire an invasion because they believed it was the best chance for Japan to eek out a strategic victory by inflicting murderous losses on the Allied forces. Plans were made to stockpile some 10,000 aircraft and to mobilize somewhere in the vicinity of 25 million to 35 million civilians, with the hope that American soldiers would have their morale shaken upon having to fire on Japanese women and children.

The atomic bombs ruined that fantasy, albeit in a surprising manner. The War Council that met on 9 August 1945 to discuss Japan's surrender did not in fact shift in their views even after the bombing; the pro-war side wanted to continue the war and the pro-peace side wanted to surrender, but surrender required a unanimous decision. It wasn't until the Emperor weighed in and insisted on surrender did the pro-war side of the War Council cave, though not without resistance; General Anami is believed to have been partially behind the attempted coup that followed, though he committed suicide afterwards, so we'll never know for sure.

What a load of Tom tit!

Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender at the Potsdam conference months before the nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
American criminal fraternity wanted to see the destruction for themselves and the aftermath!
Each bomb murder millions of people.
America is one sick ****!

Today we have Covid19 where did that come from, the filth keeps coming back to your door!

Today, America has biological weapons labs all around Russia and China!
Today China is suffering from strange insect bites which just happens to be perhaps from these labs.

One must remember if America cannot get its house in order, the house collapses!

Diplomatic Viruses - Dilyana.bg

Have a nice day, because every single nation that comes into contact with the American body politik suffers.
 
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What a load of Tom tit!

Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender at the Potsdam conference months before the nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
American criminal fraternity wanted to see the destruction for themselves and the aftermath!
Each bomb murder millions of people.
America is one sick ****!

Citation?

Japan didn't attend the Potsdam Conference.

The Allies DEMANDED the unconditional surrender of Japan. Japan did not respond the the demand.

Russia had nothing to do with it. They were neutral at this point.

Oh, and "months"?

Conference was 17 July – 2 August 1945. The bombs dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki on 9 August.

Months?
 
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What a load of Tom tit!

Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender at the Potsdam conference months before the nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
American criminal fraternity wanted to see the destruction for themselves and the aftermath!
Each bomb murder millions of people.
America is one sick ****!

Today we have Covid19 where did that come from, the filth keeps coming back to your door!

Today, America has biological weapons labs all around Russia and China!
Today China is suffering from strange insect bites which just happens to be perhaps from these labs.

One must remember if America cannot get its house in order, the house collapses!

Diplomatic Viruses - Dilyana.bg

Have a nice day, because every single nation that comes into contact with the American body politik suffers
.

More conspiracy babble....

COVID-19 came from CHINA.

CHINA even confirmed it.
 
Which part of Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender did you fail to understand?

That is a historical fact!

Russia didn't do anything of the sort.

The ALLIES minus Russia DEMANDED the unconditional surrender of Japan. Japan refused to respond.

Russia had nothing to do with it. They were neutral at this point.

Oh, and "months"?

Conference was 17 July – 2 August 1945. The bombs dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki on 9 August.

Months?

But feel free to give citation for your ridiculous claim.
 
Which part of Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender did you fail to understand?

That is a historical fact!

The Hiroshima Myth | Mises Institute

Come on, I'm waiting for a link......my German friend of Zion,

The link you added does not support your claim....

Quote where it states "Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender"
 
You did not have to drop those bombs. You guys had already bombed japan into submission.
 
It was an experiment. Murder in other words.
 
You did not have to drop those bombs. You guys had already bombed japan into submission.

Is that why Japan didn’t even surrender after the first bomb.

Your grasp of history is pathetically weak
 
What a load of Tom tit!

Russia offered Japan's unconditional surrender at the Potsdam conference months before the nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
American criminal fraternity wanted to see the destruction for themselves and the aftermath!
Each bomb murder millions of people.
America is one sick ****!

Today we have Covid19 where did that come from, the filth keeps coming back to your door!

Today, America has biological weapons labs all around Russia and China!
Today China is suffering from strange insect bites which just happens to be perhaps from these labs.

One must remember if America cannot get its house in order, the house collapses!

Diplomatic Viruses - Dilyana.bg

Have a nice day, because every single nation that comes into contact with the American body politik suffers.

More lies and nonsense from one of the forums biggest America hating CTers. Why am I not surprised.
 
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