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Hiroshima (Read 1406 times)
Aug 6th, 2004 at 8:07am

ozzy72   Offline
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Well on this day in 1945 Hiroshima experienced a nuclear bomb Sad
« Last Edit: Aug 6th, 2004 at 11:49am by ozzy72 »  

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Reply #1 - Aug 6th, 2004 at 11:34am

Webb   Ex Member
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I remembered it as soon as I saw the date.  Strange that I didn't hear anything about it on the left wing NPR news.

I don't think that "experienced" would be the word I would use to describe it.
 
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Reply #2 - Aug 6th, 2004 at 4:48pm

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Quote:
Well on this day in 1945 Hiroshima experienced a nuclear bomb Sad


.....and the world hasn't been the same since!
 
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Reply #3 - Aug 8th, 2004 at 5:45pm

jimclarke   Offline
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A city gets destroyed by a nuclear weapon and nobody says much about it anymore.  Sad how soon people forget history.

Jim
 

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Reply #4 - Aug 8th, 2004 at 6:08pm

ozzy72   Offline
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I was always amazed at how well the crew of the Enola Gay were treated when they visited Japan some 5 decades later. The Japanese showed no hostility and treated them as honourable guests, as they were men merely obeying orders as soldiers, and this was within the code of Bushido, they were honourable men.
The respect shown them I think was an example to us all of the strength of the human spirit, and the ability to forgive.
 

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Reply #5 - Aug 9th, 2004 at 10:39pm

denishc   Offline
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Quote:
Well on this day in 1945 Hiroshima experienced a nuclear bomb Sad


.....And three days later the city of Nagasaki suffered the same fate.
 
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Reply #6 - Aug 10th, 2004 at 12:16am

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To Japanese who remember Bushido the Enola Gay crew did nothing wrong...in war one uses all weapons available.

I think that at this point we all hope that Hiroshima marked the first use of nuclear weapons and that Nagasaki marked the last.
 

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Reply #7 - Aug 11th, 2004 at 10:16am

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Thank god that we only had 2 back then................otherwise I don't think we would've accepted Japan's surrender until there wasn't any of it left..................but then today our economy would be alot better Roll Eyes Roll Eyes
 
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Reply #8 - Aug 11th, 2004 at 3:27pm
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..and there would neither be cheap,reliable cars, nor electronic stuff like Playstations...Roll Eyes
 
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Reply #9 - Aug 12th, 2004 at 8:24am

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I think the surrender would have been accepted even if Japan had done so before Hiroshima.

I believe Truman went through a personal hell (albeit privately) about that decision. I'm sure he would have given anything not to have had to make it.
I believe he was, 'in essence' a good man, simply trying to do the right thing by thousands, perhaps millions of Americans who may well have been killed had Japan had to be taken 'conventionally'.

It's very sad that such a terrible weapon had to be used, but I think we all realise that Japan (the military more particularly), were so 'crazed' with their ideal of no surrender at any cost, that it took something like that to finish it. Actually, the fact that a second had to be dropped is in itself, proof that they wouldn't have surrendered if faced with anything short of complete anihilation.

Very sad. Very sad that such a relief to the world had to come about with such destruction and death.

I wonder if everyone could be as accepting and forgiving if such a thing was done to them, even if it was in the name of 'ultimate peace'?

And yet...........Hamberg, Dresden and the like suffered as much devastation and death. Just not in a few few seconds. Just a few hours. So, is there really any difference?

 

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Reply #10 - Aug 12th, 2004 at 2:57pm

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I'm fully confidant that a surrender would have been accepted before the bomb was dropped-provided it was unconditional since thats what the American's were demanding.

I have always wondered how difficult of a discission is was for Truman to order the bomb dropped.  I've read that he was quoted as saying "the hardest decission I ever made was going to Korea" but I don't really know if he ment that.  Although Harry Truman was a good man, he was also a former soldier and I would assume it was more important to him to protect his men than the civilians of the enemy (who were being trained to fight). 

In the end, the whole war was very sad-millions died and none of them had too.  I have never questioned wither dropping the bomb was the right thing to do-I have always believed that it was neccessary.  But, I have always wondered why the war was neccessary.
 
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Reply #11 - Aug 12th, 2004 at 4:20pm

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Your forgetting that the surrender was not unconditional. The Japanise wanted to keep their Emperor and the Americans accepted.
 

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Reply #12 - Aug 12th, 2004 at 6:54pm

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I always thought of that being able to keep the emperior was a gift we gave to the Japanese to show that we wern't going to treat them as a conquered people.  Plus, I'm sure the reason that the US government did that was because it would help keep the Japanese people more accepting to on occuping army for a few years (since they knew that they wern't completely powerless)-even if the emperior is mainly a ceremonial position.

But, I highly doubt that had the American's pushed-that "demand" would have been quickly dropped.  The war was over, and they knew it-there was nothing left to fight for. they might as well not get anyone else killed.
 
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Reply #13 - Aug 14th, 2004 at 5:20am

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Quote:
I always thought of that being able to keep the emperior was a gift we gave to the Japanese to show that we wern't going to treat them as a conquered people.  Plus, I'm sure the reason that the US government did that was because it would help keep the Japanese people more accepting to on occuping army for a few years (since they knew that they wern't completely powerless)-even if the emperior is mainly a ceremonial position.

But, I highly doubt that had the American's pushed-that "demand" would have been quickly dropped.  The war was over, and they knew it-there was nothing left to fight for. they might as well not get anyone else killed.


This is my belief also. The Japanese knew full well that they weren't in a position to demand anything. The Americans (Allies??) decided that the Emporer's being allowed to remain as a 'figurehead' was expedient for their purpose.

I think it's shocking that the man who was very much responsible for many of the atrocities that occurred and to whom they were totally known, was allowed to live a full and happy life well into his '80's........

But then the Americans also allowed 'Ishi' (of the biological experiments unit in Manchuris) to live and even to work for them in their race to beat the Russians to such thing, so..........................????? He was even allowed to bring along all his 'notes' and 'results'. Sad
 

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Reply #14 - Aug 14th, 2004 at 8:01pm

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Quote:
And yet...........Hamberg, Dresden and the like suffered as much devastation and death. Just not in a few few seconds. Just a few hours. So, is there really any difference?

I've often wondered this myself, and have yet to come to a conclusion.  I can only imagine it must be the fact almost everyone dropped incendiaries, even if not everyone got exactly the same effects.

I still say if you are to criticize the Atom Bomb, criticize the firestorms first.  In my humble opinion, they're a much more terrible method of destruction, achieving much more "success" of their intended purpose.
 

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Reply #15 - Aug 15th, 2004 at 5:42am
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And usually,they create the opposite of what you wanted to achieve with them. Germans who were sick of the war after the mass-bombing? No way...
 
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Reply #16 - Aug 18th, 2004 at 7:06am

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I think the 'aim' or 'intended purpose' to which Scorpion is referring is probably the 'demoralisation' of the population (although Bomber Command and Eighth Air Force referred to it officially as 'Dehousing'). It did, as you said, have the very opposite effect.

Instead of demoralising populations, these sorts of things tend to 'galvanise' a people to the enemies assaults. The same effect was seen during the Blitz etc.

I really don't see that there was much difference in the result in Hamburg, for instance, and that in Hiroshima. It's more the fact that it was done with a 'new and terrible' SINGLE weapon, dropped by ONE plane. That, and the fact that it all occurred in seconds.
Otherwise, the end result was exactly the same, save, the 'long term' effects of the radiation on the population and offspring etc. But they didn't have any idea about this sort of thing at that time anyway.

Just personally, if someone is given a choice of burning to death in a firestorm or being close to 'ground zero', I'm sure the 'quicker method' is always preferrable.

(What a terrible subject!!!) Cry
 

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Reply #17 - Aug 18th, 2004 at 1:51pm

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It is a terrible subject, but still cool to shake the hand of the man who wrapped the same hand around the yoke of the Enola Gay. Shocked

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Reply #18 - Aug 22nd, 2004 at 2:32am

Professor Brensec   Offline
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A treasured photo, I bet.  Wink

 

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Reply #19 - Sep 13th, 2004 at 7:23am

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The terrible subject that it is, i still find it curious because one gets to (im not really sure what im trying to say) learn abit more about the human mind..

Ive been lead to believe that the Japenese wanted a surrender before the bomb was dropped. But with relations between the USA and USSR deteriorating i have heard that the USA wanted to warn the USSR of its arsenal of weapons.. This statement can be backed up by the secracy of the operation.. The USSR supposedly had no idea of the weapons capabilitys or destructive powers of the bomb.. It was only after it was dropped that the USSR were told. (i hope i didnt alienate anyone) sorry if i did

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