Enola Gay, heroism or insanity?

[HenryBHough]

Had Truman not nuked Japan the focus today would be on The Pacific rather than The Middle-East. Year after year of standoffs. It would, however, have ensured full employment due to build war materials and attrition of excess population.

But with what's in the (former) White House it might ended - with a gentle, apologetic whimper. Would that have been a nicer outcome than victory?

 

[whitehall]

The Doolittle Raid was an example of heroism. The Enola Gay attack certainly wasn't an act of insanity. It was a milk run when Japan was incapable of posing any meaningful resistance.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Japan had NO INTENTION of surrendering. In fact the Army which controlled the Government only offered a ceasefire, a return to 1941 start lines and no consequences to Japan at all. After the 1st Bomb they offered a ceasefire and no consequences to Japan again. After the second bomb they still refused to surrender. Only the intervention of the Emperor changed that and then the Army staged a Coup to try and stop the Emperor from surrendering.

The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II A Collection of Primary Sources Source documents and the facts.

 

[rightwinger]

The Doolittle Raid was an example of heroism. The Enola Gay attack certainly wasn't an act of insanity. It was a milk run when Japan was incapable of posing any meaningful resistance.

The Doolittle raid was showboating with little tactical reasoning. Killed pilots for no purpose

The waste of life would not be tolerated today

 

[HenryBHough]

The Doolittle raid was showboating with little tactical reasoning. Killed pilots for no purpose

The waste of life would not be tolerated today

This is true.

Definitely an Obamaesque "president" would never have allowed any action against Japan and likely would have apologized immediately after Pearl Harbor for having provoked the peaceful Japanese.

 

[regent]

Neither. The crew didn't understand what was going on or what they were doing beyond the details they had. But it's not like they understood what "atom bomb" meant that they pushed past the fear of a massive explosion wondering if they'd escape it. The followed orders and trusted in their chain of command. All it was.

The crew was picked and trained for one purpose to drop the bomb. In fact, they trained at Wendover in Utah.