Hiroshima and Nagasaki

 

Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

It was on the 6^th of August, in the year 1945 that an atomic device was dropped over the Japanese City of Hiroshima. Then, on the 9^th of August, also in the year 1945, another such device was dropped on the City of Nagasaki.

On the 26^th day of July 1945 then President of the U.S.A. Harry Truman informed the Government of Japan and, via thousands of fliers which were dropped over 35 Cities, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the civilian population of these Cities, that, unless Japan would unconditionally surrender and end all military activities a devastating air attack would commence.

The fliers urged the population of these areas to leave their cities.

The Japanese Government, believing that this was only a 'scare tactic' of the U.S.A., through General Suzuki Kantaro answered in the following way:

“The Government of Japan finds nothing of particular value in this so-called Declaration and sees no other possibility as to totally ignore it and to continue the fight until a final successful ending of this war.”

Hiroshima was a central point of parts of the Japanese Forces (about 40,000 military personnel) and a staging center of armaments. The atomic device dropped there on the 6^th day of July caused (estimates vary seriously) between 90,000 and 160,000 dead and wounded.

On the 7^th day of August 1945, President Truman challenged Japan for the second time to surrender unconditionally. In the event of a new refusal, Japan may expect a level of destruction as never before experienced.

This second call for surrender and warning was ignored by the Japanese.

Nagasaki, a City of some 400,000 inhabitants, housed much of the production capability of war material. It was the main seat of Mitsubishi, a producer of military armaments, in particular torpedoes which were used in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

A second atomic bomb was dropped on this City on the 9^th day of August 1945.

This attack caused 70,000 to 80,000 victims.

Only then did Japan, under the leadership of the Tenno Hirohito agree to the surrender and the cessation of all hostilities.

What was the alternative to the 2 atomic bombs?

To continue this conflagration in the “normal” historical manner, would have necessitated the invasion of mainland Japan.

The USA in its Island hopping war against Japan (Iwojima, Okinawa a.o.) had already suffered considerable casualties, both dead and wounded (about 220,000) and was simply not prepared to lose more of its soldiers.

U.S. Admiral William D. Leahy estimated American Forces during an invasion to suffer further losses of about 268,000 soldiers killed and many more wounded.

Personnel of the Navy Department estimated total American losses to range from 1.7 millions to 5 millions, including between 400,000 and 800,000 killed.

American as well as Japanese estimates of Japanese losses amounted to as high as 10 millions of victims, civilian and military.

Regardless of high or low estimates, the number of casualties on both sides would have been enormous and the question inevitably arises: Why should the Americans accept such losses of their own soldiers?

Although one cannot measure losses or gains in human lives, it can be claimed that the loss of lives due to the two atomic devises was small, nearly insignificant, when compared to the expected loss of lives on both, particularly on the Japanese side.

A further consideration needs to be given to this issue: Who started the war in the Pacific?

Japanese forces attacked an American Fleet stationed in Pearl Harbor on the 7^th day of December in 1941 and declared war on the USA on the same day.

America declared war on Japan during the following day.

So, as Hitler Germany commenced war activities in 1939, so did Japan in 1941.

Only persons of small or no knowledge of the history of this time will continue to rail against America and its effort to end this war with the lowest number of victims.

Bertstravels

is getting mighty sick of  European America bashers.