My Wife's Grandparents Were Hiroshima Survivors

[regent]

That debate was interesting in that it brought up an historical no, no; the concept of making judgments on the past with today's values. Sort of like we have done, and do, with slavery, beheading non believers, women's rights, democracy, medical care and so on.
We are told we have, on the ready hydrogen bombs of far greater force than the bombs we dropped on Japan. If we are attacked and the H's are used; fifty years from now will some question our morality for using those weapons on people?
Did the debate give evidence that our values change over time or was it just another use of history to justify our politics?

 

[Unkotare]

Apologists are fucking shameless. Since liberals are naturally without shame (having been taught they cannot but be 'the good') they are ideally suited for playing the role of apologist, as seen in the preceding post.

 

[regent]

Apologists are fucking shameless. Since liberals are naturally without shame (having been taught they cannot but be 'the good') they are ideally suited for playing the role of apologist, as seen in the preceding post.

You shouldn't try to understand just do your name calling bit and be happy.

 

[regent]

Thanks to posters I'm starting to see a different world from 1945. I even see Operation Downfall differently. I now see the Japanese beaches crammed with Japanese welcoming the American delegation (not troops). Japanese kids are waving American flags (made in China) and parents holding saki bottles as gifts. Hirohito is standing pen in hand ready to sign anything.
A small boat approaches the beach, a major is leaning over the side measuring the water depth, when his tape indicates two feet. MacArthur jumps into the water and wades ashore. Hirohito signs and MacArthur makes his "I have returned speech" and the American delegation heads back to their ship and the Pacific war is over.

That's only a little more ridiculous than the notion that all scared, tired, starving old women and prepubescent children would be fighting to the death as an overwhelming military force rolled into a burnt and broken nation full of people long since tired of war.



And it's "sake," you dope.

Well said.

For Americans to believe the BIG LIE that 500,000 American troops would have died had we invaded Japan, they must be able to believe the most absurd absurdities.

Of course the Japanese were a tired and wary nation. Their young men were mostly dead by August '45. Their cities in ruin. Thousands of civilians murdered from the air....and yet, they were going to fight the world's greatest military to the last woman and child...with pitch forks.

How does one believe such tripe?

That was Herbert Hoover's prediction. The estimates were for various periods of time.

 

[whitehall]

Thanks to posters I'm starting to see a different world from 1945. I even see Operation Downfall differently. I now see the Japanese beaches crammed with Japanese welcoming the American delegation (not troops). Japanese kids are waving American flags (made in China) and parents holding saki bottles as gifts. Hirohito is standing pen in hand ready to sign anything.
A small boat approaches the beach, a major is leaning over the side measuring the water depth, when his tape indicates two feet. MacArthur jumps into the water and wades ashore. Hirohito signs and MacArthur makes his "I have returned speech" and the American delegation heads back to their ship and the Pacific war is over.

That's only a little more ridiculous than the notion that all scared, tired, starving old women and prepubescent children would be fighting to the death as an overwhelming military force rolled into a burnt and broken nation full of people long since tired of war.



And it's "sake," you dope.

The Japanese could have ended the war any time. In fact, when the Japanese did decide to end the war, it was over. That simple.
Where the tired starving old women and prepubescent children came from beats me.

Truman didn't have a clue so he relied on FDR policies that demanded unconditional surrender. The major issue was executing the Japanese Emperor and ironically the Emperor was preserved after we incinerated two cities crammed with civilians.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Its been a while now but there was a really very touching and educational documentary on the long term effects of the two bombs.

And, of course, the John Hershey book, Hiroshima.

 

[Unkotare]

Apologists are fucking shameless. Since liberals are naturally without shame (having been taught they cannot but be 'the good') they are ideally suited for playing the role of apologist, as seen in the preceding post.

You shouldn't try to understand just do your name calling bit and be happy.

That post was your version of an unconditional surrender.

 

[Darkwind]

Mr. Seikitchi Uehara and Mrs. Matsu Uehara shown here with my wife at the nursing home in Okinawa where Grandma spent her last days as the effects of Dementia set in.

Grandpa was an Engineer who was, believe it or not, too small to serve in The Emperors Army so put his Engineer degree to work designing Aircraft for the Army. He said he helped design a few Kamikaze planes but wouldn't ever elaborate and even though I'm an Airplane Nut, I never pushed the subject. He did say, and I agreed, that it was the F6F Hellcat that turned the tide of the War in the Pacific.

He and his wife were in Hiroshima to attend a work related meeting of sorts. As fate would have it, on August 6th he wasn't feeling so good so he decided to take the day off and stay in their small apartment on the outskirts of Hiroshima.

That morning Grandma saw the B-29 fly over and witnessed the ensuing mushroom cloud. The next day Grandpa walked into the city and witnessed the devastation first hand. He said it was "Hell on Earth".

He never complained about anything that happened during the war or the nuclear bombs. He just said "It had to happen. Japan was never going to give up".

Both He and his Wife were designated Living National Treasures by the Gov't of Japan and were interviewed numerous times by various agencies and publications over the years. They both lived into their 90's in spite of the radiation effects of the bombing.

Here we are in the house that he built in Okinawa using Japanese Joinery Techniques where not as single nail was used!

The atomic bomb drops have been talked to death on 9,000 forums....

I have to say though....You have one fine looking wife!

Said in the most respectful manner.

 

[namvet]

and on this day in 45 the B-29 bockscar flattens Nagasaki ending the war

 

[Penelope]

=Mad Scientist;5758975]

Thanks for sharing your story, nice family.

 

[whitehall]

The years of political control of the media are (almost) over. Now it is time to consider the propaganda that passed for news during the 2nd half of the 20th century. Thanks to the freedoms inherent in the Constitution the radical FDR left didn't get to burn all the history books. The truth is still out there if you have the courage to look for it. The radical Bushido crazies still controlled what was left of Tokyo which was bombed in daylight raids on a regular basis and they weren't so stupid that they had any thought of victory. Harry Truman was a freaking high school educated clothing store owner in Missouri who was elected to the senate and hand picked by democrats to run for VP when the corpse of FDR was running for his 4th term. Why would democrats pick an obscure senator to be president when they knew FDR was dying? Give 'em hell Harry could be counted on to sign the order to use the new toy.

 

[regent]

The years of political control of the media are (almost) over. Now it is time to consider the propaganda that passed for news during the 2nd half of the 20th century. Thanks to the freedoms inherent in the Constitution the radical FDR left didn't get to burn all the history books. The truth is still out there if you have the courage to look for it. The radical Bushido crazies still controlled what was left of Tokyo which was bombed in daylight raids on a regular basis and they weren't so stupid that they had any thought of victory. Harry Truman was a freaking high school educated clothing store owner in Missouri who was elected to the senate and hand picked by democrats to run for VP when the corpse of FDR was running for his 4th term. Why would democrats pick an obscure senator to be president when they knew FDR was dying? Give 'em hell Harry could be counted on to sign the order to use the new toy.

A few of our presidents had a limited education, Washington, Lincoln and Truman come to mind. Today, Washington is rated by historians as fourth greatest American president, Lincoln as third, Truman as ninth. Maybe other qualities are as important in the presidency?
If Truman hadn't dropped the bombs and the invasion and war had continued how would Truman have been rated at the end of the war and how today?

 

[Unkotare]

He we go again...

Ratings Boy does nothing but cling to a logical fallacy for dear life because he's got nothing else. Like a broken record...

 

[regent]

He we go again...

Ratings Boy does nothing but cling to a logical fallacy for dear life because he's got nothing else. Like a broken record...

It is somewhat sad that historians don't agree with you, but take heart they don't agree with a number of posters. It's the earth is round thing.

 

[Unkotare]

He we go again...

Ratings Boy does nothing but cling to a logical fallacy for dear life because he's got nothing else. Like a broken record...

It is somewhat sad that historians don't agree with you,...

There he goes again...



Someday when you grow up you may develop the ability to think for yourself, though I doubt you'll ever develop the interest.

 

[regent]

He we go again...

Ratings Boy does nothing but cling to a logical fallacy for dear life because he's got nothing else. Like a broken record...

It is somewhat sad that historians don't agree with you,...

There he goes again...



Someday when you grow up you may develop the ability to think for yourself, though I doubt you'll ever develop the interest.

If thinking for myself means thinking like you, give it up.
When I have agreeing with me since 1948 noted American historians and presidential experts I'd be a fool not to mention how they agree with my rating of the presidents. Smart cookies one and all. And recently another 238 of America's best historians, a whole new batch, agreed with my ratings of presidents. I also happen to think that America's best historians know more history than both you and I. Well maybe you.

 

[BillyP]

My Wife's Grandparents Were Hiroshima Survivors

Were they still able to eat rice?

 

[gipper]

It is somewhat sad that historians don't agree with you,...

There he goes again...



Someday when you grow up you may develop the ability to think for yourself, though I doubt you'll ever develop the interest.

If thinking for myself means thinking like you, give it up.
When I have agreeing with me since 1948 noted American historians and presidential experts I'd be a fool not to mention how they agree with my rating of the presidents. Smart cookies one and all. And recently another 238 of America's best historians, a whole new batch, agreed with my ratings of presidents. I also happen to think that America's best historians know more history than both you and I. Well maybe you.

Too funny....you believe the establishment statist historians, but think historians that disagree with those you like, are dunces.

That is most hypocritical. Why believe some historians and not others?

 

[Unkotare]

It is somewhat sad that historians don't agree with you,...

There he goes again...



Someday when you grow up you may develop the ability to think for yourself, though I doubt you'll ever develop the interest.

If thinking for myself means thinking like you, give it up.

There again you demonstrate your aversion to logic.

 

[GHook93]

Thanks for sharing great story. You seem to have a great family!