RE: The Nuking of Japan
September 12, 2012 at 2:06 am
(This post was last modified: September 12, 2012 at 2:09 am by Anomalocaris.)
It is idiotic to second guess astute and far-sighted planners based on hindsight knowledge of contingent events. I think dropping of the bomb on Japan was the correct and justifiable decision based on the various imperatives facing the US in 1945. Remember soviet union was coming into the war against Japan.
1. US understood she faced a very strong soviet geopolitical and military position in europe.
2. Patton's moronic braggadocio aside, US has reason to suspect she faced substantial chance of defeat should soviet union decide to test the issue right then and drive the western allies off of European continent.
3. The US was at the very zenith of her strength and war waging potential in 1945. Britain is completely exhausted and would be more a burden than a help in the pacific. The us would bear the brunt of any bloody war to conquer japan proper. A long grueling fight on Japanese home island would only sap American strength while the soviet union recovers hers.
4. Soviet union may not make any major invasion of Japan proper, but she doesn't need to. much of Japan's critical war industry was relocated to Manchuria out of the reach of US B-29 bombers during war. Prolonged us preoccupation with landwar in Japan would enable soviet union to occupy Manchuria for prolonged periods, possibly either annexing Manchuria, or set up her own puppet in Manchuria, but definitely greatly strengthening soviet position on the Asian mainland.
5. So if the war with Japan does not end immediately, then for every day it lasts, American strength would decline, American capacity to act in Europe and elsewhere in asia would decline, while soviet union would recover in strength, benefit from appropriated German and Japanese resources under her control, and expand her freedom of action in both Asia and Europe.
So it was an absolute imperative for the US to obtain a favorable end to war with Japan immediately. The fact that Japan might seem to be ready to surrender is neither here nor there. The possibility of Japan extending war on even for a few month through foot dragging, internal discussion, haggling over the details, etc is to be forestalled if at all possible whatever the humanitarian cost.
Furthermore, opportunity should be exploited to demonstrate clearly to the soviet union that the US possess tools to thwart soviet military power despite soviet military advantages in Europe, which at the time is of vastly greater importance than Asia.
So dropping the bomb was the right decision under the circumstances.
1. US understood she faced a very strong soviet geopolitical and military position in europe.
2. Patton's moronic braggadocio aside, US has reason to suspect she faced substantial chance of defeat should soviet union decide to test the issue right then and drive the western allies off of European continent.
3. The US was at the very zenith of her strength and war waging potential in 1945. Britain is completely exhausted and would be more a burden than a help in the pacific. The us would bear the brunt of any bloody war to conquer japan proper. A long grueling fight on Japanese home island would only sap American strength while the soviet union recovers hers.
4. Soviet union may not make any major invasion of Japan proper, but she doesn't need to. much of Japan's critical war industry was relocated to Manchuria out of the reach of US B-29 bombers during war. Prolonged us preoccupation with landwar in Japan would enable soviet union to occupy Manchuria for prolonged periods, possibly either annexing Manchuria, or set up her own puppet in Manchuria, but definitely greatly strengthening soviet position on the Asian mainland.
5. So if the war with Japan does not end immediately, then for every day it lasts, American strength would decline, American capacity to act in Europe and elsewhere in asia would decline, while soviet union would recover in strength, benefit from appropriated German and Japanese resources under her control, and expand her freedom of action in both Asia and Europe.
So it was an absolute imperative for the US to obtain a favorable end to war with Japan immediately. The fact that Japan might seem to be ready to surrender is neither here nor there. The possibility of Japan extending war on even for a few month through foot dragging, internal discussion, haggling over the details, etc is to be forestalled if at all possible whatever the humanitarian cost.
Furthermore, opportunity should be exploited to demonstrate clearly to the soviet union that the US possess tools to thwart soviet military power despite soviet military advantages in Europe, which at the time is of vastly greater importance than Asia.
So dropping the bomb was the right decision under the circumstances.
