Razors Edge ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Share #1 Posted August 6, 2020 ...or, at least, I hope we do: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Share #2 Posted August 6, 2020 Did he invent the Kiss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted August 6, 2020 Share #3 Posted August 6, 2020 That pic is too large, I think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Share #4 Posted August 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F_in Ray Of Sunshine Posted August 6, 2020 Share #5 Posted August 6, 2020 Not sure if I know him or not. I left my microscope at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Share #6 Posted August 6, 2020 @jsharr? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Share #7 Posted August 6, 2020 Just now, Dottles said: @jsharr? Not me. My Jeep was red and had big mud tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophet Zacharia Posted August 6, 2020 Share #8 Posted August 6, 2020 Why does he hate America? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Silly Posted August 6, 2020 Share #9 Posted August 6, 2020 19 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: ...or, at least, I hope we do: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted August 6, 2020 Share #10 Posted August 6, 2020 48 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: ...or, at least, I hope we do: Interesting read. I scanned the article but plan to give it more time later. Not sure how I feel about this... The suffering by innocent civilians is horrific but the a bombs caused the Japanese to surrender saving thousands of American & Japanese lives. My parents had a deep hatred for the Japanese due to the atrocities they faced 1st hand during the occupation of Indonesia. Their take on the bombing was good, you got what’s coming to you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 6, 2020 Share #11 Posted August 6, 2020 4 minutes ago, ChrisL said: the a bombs caused the Japanese to surrender saving thousands of American & Japanese lives. a position I've subscribed to in the past. But current events have me rethinking a lot of things. The victors write the history. Wouldn't be the first time we were given a justification that later turned out wrong. Sure, it could be true. But I don't know enough about it. Were the Japanese already on the run? Would they have surrendered soon anyway with far fewer lives lost? Did we need the second bomb to prove the point? Conversely, did the horror of those two early and not very powerful bombs convince the world not to use any of the newer, far more powerful bombs since then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted August 6, 2020 6 minutes ago, ChrisL said: Interesting read. I scanned the article but plan to give it more time later. Not sure how I feel about this... The suffering by innocent civilians is horrific but the a bombs caused the Japanese to surrender saving thousands of American & Japanese lives. My parents had a deep hatred for the Japanese due to the atrocities they faced 1st hand during the occupation of Indonesia. Their take on the bombing was good, you got what’s coming to you. Yep, that's the nature of it. An eye for an eye? Two wrongs making a right? A simple difference in perspective? A truth we tell ourselves to sleep at night? It scares me to think that "good, you got what’s coming to you." is still in use today - and often by folks doing bad things against Americans and thinking it is par for the course. There were a LOT of unknowns for Truman and his generals & advisors to consider, and that decision was surely a tough one. The weight of 70,000+ civilian deaths (some "slave" laborers, many women and children), followed by another 40,000 a few days later would weigh on anyone's soul. Have you read Hiroshima? It's worth a read. I find Night by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima by Hersey as essential reading on WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoseySusan Posted August 6, 2020 Share #13 Posted August 6, 2020 13 minutes ago, 12string said: Conversely, did the horror of those two early and not very powerful bombs convince the world not to use any of the newer, far more powerful bombs since then? That the horror led to the development of far more powerful bombs suggests the answer to your question is no. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 6, 2020 Share #14 Posted August 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, roadsue said: That the horror led to the development of far more powerful bombs suggests the answer to your question is no. good point. at least I got one good answer today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted August 6, 2020 8 minutes ago, roadsue said: That the horror led to the development of far more powerful bombs suggests the answer to your question is no. I'd say the ability to equally hit back is the difference. An "absolute" non-retaliatory strike option would likely still give leaders at least a willingness to consider these newer bombs, but the reality that the other guy (or his proxy or protector) can hit back with equal or greater force keeps things from going too far. Sort of why North Korea with it's insane leadership will continue to cause headaches on how to contain them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Silly Posted August 6, 2020 Share #16 Posted August 6, 2020 12 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: Have you read Hiroshima? It's worth a read. I find Night by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima by Hersey as essential reading on WWII. My most recent read on the subject was David Sedaris's "When Engulfed in Flames". He has an essay on his move to Hiroshima and there was an extensive, sobering section on the long term health effects on the survivors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted August 6, 2020 3 minutes ago, 12string said: good point. at least I got one good answer today I'll offer a "42" as a ready to go answer in advance of any future questions you might have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share #18 Posted August 6, 2020 And, FTR, I don't think there is a correct "answer", only a hope and desire to never again have to make such a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted August 6, 2020 Share #19 Posted August 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Razors Edge said: Yep, that's the nature of it. An eye for an eye? Two wrongs making a right? A simple difference in perspective? A truth we tell ourselves to sleep at night? It scares me to think that "good, you got what’s coming to you." is still in use today - and often by folks doing bad things against Americans and thinking it is par for the course. There were a LOT of unknowns for Truman and his generals & advisors to consider, and that decision was surely a tough one. The weight of 70,000+ civilian deaths (some "slave" laborers, many women and children), followed by another 40,000 a few days later would weigh on anyone's soul. Have you read Hiroshima? It's worth a read. I find Night by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima by Hersey as essential reading on WWII. No I haven’t read it. Not saying it’s OK but I understand my parents feelings. Both lost their fathers to the Japanese, my dad lost many friends, my mom had to hide her baby sister after witnessing Japanese soldiers bayoneting a friends baby.... Their perspectives were totally different from ours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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