0th anniversary of VJ Day: Thank the atomic bomb for saving millions of lives

[Unkotare]

The Island was considered part of Mainland Japan. ..

Not exactly. It was closer to that than the other islands America had taken, but it was seen as more of the last barrier before the home islands than part of them.

 

[SuperDemocrat]

A-bomb, nuclear WMD that only America has been murderous enough to use as weapon of terror on two entirely civilian target resulting in the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of thousands...

I hate America to...How about you?

 

[Unkotare]

Remind us why the civilians there committed suicide ...

Because they believed the propaganda about Americans that had been repeated throughout the war. Civilians there were not executed en mass as on Okinawa. Nonetheless, the fact that it fell was so shocking to the military government that Tojo was forced to resign.

 

[Unkotare]

A-bomb, nuclear WMD that only America has been murderous enough to use as weapon of terror on two entirely civilian target resulting in the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of thousands...

I hate America ...

That is your considerable problem. Also,

 

[candycorn]

Military planners estimated that the coming invasion of Japan in 1945-1946 would cost a quarter million Allied lives, plus several million Japanese military and civilian lives.

Instead, the atomic bomb destroyed almost no Allied lives and less than half a million Japanese lives from all causes. Horrific, but far less than the invasion would have taken.

Japanese officials were offering only a stand-down that would leave the pro-war Japanese government intact and in charge - a situation the U.S. rejected for obvious reasons.

BTW, though the two bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the only two we had on hand at that moment, the U.S. was in gear to produce half a dozen more within a few months, and more later as needed. These would have been used on Japan during the invasion if Japan didn't surrender. Fortunately for all involved, the Japanese realized that the U.S. could completely destroy Japan as a country with virtually no U.S. casualties, with the remains divided between America and Russia (who was also invading), and so saw the wisdom of surrendering.

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70th anniversary of V-J Day Kiss a nuke Hot Air

70th anniversary of V-J Day: Kiss a nuke

by Allan Bourdius
posted at 6:01 pm on August 14, 2015

Seventy years ago today on August 14, 1945, the Japanese Empire announced their surrender to the Allies and the end of World War II. The day (August 15th in Japan) is generally known as “Victory over Japan Day” or “V-J Day”. The official Japanese surrender was signed 19 days later on September 2, 1945, on board the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay.

During the afternoon of this day seventy years ago, joyous Americans took to the streets to celebrate the end of the war. In New York City’s Times Square, a United States Navy sailor grabbed a woman, a “nurse” (she was actually a dental assistant) he didn’t know, and kissed her right in the middle of the street, the moment captured by two different photographers. It is the iconic image of V-J Day and the end of World War II.

Instead of a nurse, it would have been more fitting if he could have kissed a nuclear weapon. The life he later lived was undoubtedly made possible because of them.

Japan’s surrender was expedited by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). Had Japan not announced their surrender, the United States would have had the next nuclear strike ready for August 19th, and another in September.

Then, still absent Japan’s surrender, Operation Downfall would begin; the invasion of the Japanese home islands in two parts.

November 1, 1945, “X-Day”, was the scheduled date for Operation Olympic, a landing by 14 American Army and Marine divisions in the initial attack on the island of Kyūshū.

Operation Coronet would follow on “Y-Day”, March 1, 1946 – landings directly into the Tokyo plain on the island of Honshū. Twenty-five divisions. Many more would be ready to reinforce them. Many of the Coronet soldiers would have been those retrained and redeployed after defeating Nazi Germany. Victory in Europe wouldn’t have spared them from more fighting to defeat Japan.

All in all, well over two million American servicemen would have taken part in the invasion of Japan. The United States also had plans for the tactical use of nuclear weapons during the attack, anticipating having an additional seven ready bombs on X-Day.

They would have faced a Japanese enemy who correctly predicted where the landings would take place. They would have faced a Japanese enemy who had changed the training for Kamikaze pilots so they would focus on attacking troop transports and landing ships rather than warships.

Estimates of casualties were wide ranging; the Joint Chiefs of Staff predicted in April 1945 that Olympic alone would cost 456,000 casualties, 109,000 of which would be killed or missing in action.

The same study said the entire campaign – Olympic and Coronet – would result in 1,200,000 total casualties, 267,000 killed or missing.

That's what you think about when you think about V-J Day?

Weird.

I actually agree with the basic principle of the OP; dropping the bomb saved American GI lives. There is zero way to know if the Japanese were going to surrender. Our soldiers sacrifices and the Japanese actions on Guam, Palau, and Iwo Jima were/are enough evidence for me to think that they were not. This and kamikazee air strikes.

So I agree, dropping the bombs saved lives. I recall seeing an interview with Enola Gay pilot, Tibbits that he had Japanese veterans tell him that the bomb saved lives.

That being said, it takes a sick mind to celebrate something like this.

 

[there4eyeM]

If the invasion of Japan had been necessary, it might be possible to agree that the first bomb was useful (though that on Nagasaki was nothing but gratuitous slaughter). Since that invasion was not necessary, the entire episode is a frightful embarrassment for America and humanity.
It is most certainly nothing to celebrate.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Okinawans decry discrimination by mainland Japanese - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun


Being Okinawan in Japan The Diaspora Experience The Asia-Pacific Journal

I notice you KEEP ignoring Saipan. The civilians living there were Japanese....

Some, not all.

Ohh so now you are claiming that only the non Japanese on Saipan committed suicide? You have yet to explain why the JAPANESE Civilians on Saipan committed suicide rather then be captured by the Americans. You have claimed that Okinawan's were different some how then Japanese. You have failed to explain why thousands of Japanese Soldiers on every Island we invaded committed suicide rather then surrender. You have failed to explain why Japanese citizens and fully Japanese people committed suicide rather then surrender, yet you claim there is no evidence that the same would have happened in main land Japan.

 

[Unkotare]

You have yet to explain why the JAPANESE Civilians on Saipan committed suicide rather then be captured by the Americans. ....

Yes, I did explain that. Pay attention.

 

[Unkotare]

You have claimed that Okinawan's were different some how then [sic] Japanese. ....

That's not exactly what I said. Pay attention.

 

[Unkotare]

You have failed to explain why thousands of Japanese Soldiers on every Island we invaded committed suicide rather then [sic] surrender. ....

Now you are trying to change the subject from civilians to soldiers. Pretty obvious.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

If we fought WWII today the left would bemoan the killing of the enemy, Bill Maher would be on the tube spewing anti military garbage and with the current Rules of Engagement we would lose the war in six months.

We owe a great deal to the Greatest Generation, God Bless each of them

We would never be able to win a war such as WWII today. The non-stop live video feeds would turn Americans against the effort in a very short time.
The only war that Americans today would be willing to support over a sustained period of time would be one that is fought on our own soil.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

You have failed to explain why thousands of Japanese Soldiers on every Island we invaded committed suicide rather then [sic] surrender. ....

Now you are trying to change the subject from civilians to soldiers. Pretty obvious.

You claimed initially that the claim that the Japanese soldier would commit suicide rather then be captured was overblown and was not as serious as was suggested. Are you admitting you were wrong? You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them, yet Saipan proves they would. Are you admitting you are wrong?

 

[Unkotare]

You have failed to explain why thousands of Japanese Soldiers on every Island we invaded committed suicide rather then [sic] surrender. ....

Now you are trying to change the subject from civilians to soldiers. Pretty obvious.

You claimed initially that the claim that the Japanese soldier would commit suicide rather then be captured was overblown...

No, I said the whole "Japanese never surrender" theme was overblown, and it often is by people whose 'scholarship' consists of book jackets and whose 'experience' consists of watching bad movies.


Pay attention.

 

[Unkotare]

You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them...

No, I did not say that. Pay attention (unless you're being deliberately dishonest).

 

[RetiredGySgt]

You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them...

No, I did not say that. Pay attention (unless you're being deliberately dishonest).

Ohh so you did not claim that if the US Invaded the main Japanese Islands that civilians would not cut bamboo spears as ordered and human wave assault the beaches? You did not claim that the whole idea that Japan wouldn't surrender was fiction even though after 2 atomic Bombs the Army tried to stage a Coup to stop the surrender? You did not claim we should not have dropped the bombs because well Japan would surrender?

 

[Unkotare]

You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them...

No, I did not say that. Pay attention (unless you're being deliberately dishonest).

Ohh so you did not claim that if the US Invaded the main Japanese Islands that civilians would not cut bamboo spears as ordered and human wave assault the beaches?...

Not in large numbers, no.

 

[Unkotare]

You did not claim that the whole idea that Japan wouldn't surrender was fiction...?

It was, of course, fiction. Japan was starving and defeated. It was a matter of time.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them...

No, I did not say that. Pay attention (unless you're being deliberately dishonest).

Ohh so you did not claim that if the US Invaded the main Japanese Islands that civilians would not cut bamboo spears as ordered and human wave assault the beaches?...

Not in large numbers, no.

You would bet Millions of lives on something that at the time was accepted fact? That as proven in all cases the Japanese civilians obeyed the Government? But according to YOU this would have been different? Again you are trying to have it both ways, you can not deny they did in fact obey yet want to claim JUST this time when their homes and Country were at stake they wouldn't.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

You did not claim that the whole idea that Japan wouldn't surrender was fiction...?

It was, of course, fiction. Japan was starving and defeated. It was a matter of time.

And yet no surrender. Again AFTER 2 ATOMIC Bombs the Government of Japan intended to fight on. Only the intervention of the Emperor stopped them and THEN they tried a COUP to stop their "Living God" Emperor.

 

[Unkotare]

You claimed in regards Civilians, they would not do as the Government told them...

No, I did not say that. Pay attention (unless you're being deliberately dishonest).

Ohh so you did not claim that if the US Invaded the main Japanese Islands that civilians would not cut bamboo spears as ordered and human wave assault the beaches?...

Not in large numbers, no.

You would bet Millions of lives ....

It would be pretty hard for "millions" of people to die charging beaches with bamboo. I know that simple minds like to cling to simple notions because they are easy to use like the big crayons, but the fact is that the Japanese population was starving and disillusioned well before Aug. 6. The military was trying to use propaganda to bolster flagging support for an obviously failed war effort. That propaganda from 70 years ago still seems to be working on Barnumites like you.