On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:51:40 -0700, Chuck Gould wrote:


I can't say that if I were in Truman's shoes at the time I would have
decided any differently- nor can anybody else who wasn't there (or even
born) at the time.

Obviously, nor can we say, with any certainty, that the Japanese would have surrendered
without the use of A-bombs. However, forty years after the war, their plans to defend against
the invasion were declassified. If they were implemented, they definitely would have cost a
major number of American lives.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro.../downfall.html

thunder wrote:
On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:51:40 -0700, Chuck Gould wrote:


I can't say that if I were in Truman's shoes at the time I would have
decided any differently- nor can anybody else who wasn't there (or even
born) at the time.

Obviously, nor can we say, with any certainty, that the Japanese would have surrendered
without the use of A-bombs. However, forty years after the war, their plans to defend against
the invasion were declassified. If they were implemented, they definitely would have cost a
major number of American lives.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro.../downfall.html


I always thought the Germans were far more deserving of having a couple
of nukes dropped on their cities, but the European war ended before that
could happen.

On Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:33:05 -0500, HK wrote:


I always thought the Germans were far more deserving of having a couple
of nukes dropped on their cities, but the European war ended before that
could happen.

I don't understand that thought. I don't think the Japanese were "deserving" of being nuked.
It was about winning a war, with the fewest American casualties. Nuclear weapons kill quite a
few undeserving. They are quite indiscriminate. Personally, I wish we hadn't used nuclear
weapons, but, unfortunately, I think it might have been the right decision at the time.

"HK" wrote in message
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thunder wrote:
On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:51:40 -0700, Chuck Gould wrote:


I can't say that if I were in Truman's shoes at the time I would have
decided any differently- nor can anybody else who wasn't there (or even
born) at the time.

Obviously, nor can we say, with any certainty, that the Japanese would
have surrendered without the use of A-bombs. However, forty years after
the war, their plans to defend against the invasion were declassified.
If they were implemented, they definitely would have cost a major number
of American lives.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro.../downfall.html


I always thought the Germans were far more deserving of having a couple of
nukes dropped on their cities, but the European war ended before that
could happen.

Why? The European theater was a lot less nasty than the South Pacific.
Something like 5% of the German prisoners died in captivity, and that
includes those wounded when captured. Japan killed about 39% of the
prisoners.