The Bomb of Bombs
by The Panda Man · 08/06/2007 12:02 pmAugust 6, 1945.
The Atom Unleashed
Sixty-two years ago today, the world’s first atomic strike was made by the United States against Hiroshima, Japan. Tens of thousands of Japanese were killed outright, and tens of thousands more injured under the boiling mushroom cloud. Three days later, on August 9th, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan with similar results.
While some have argued the necessity or effectiveness of the atomic bombings, it is simply fact that the Japanese offered their surrender on August 14th, only five days after the Nagasaki attack. An American invasion of Japan was thus averted, sparing millions of Japanese and American lives.
The September 2nd ceremony marked the end of World War II, a truly global conflict spanning six years and costing tens of millions of lives.
You can find more bomb background here.
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And now Iran wants one….
And Iraq….
And Syria…
And ????
This was the epitomy of Peace Through Superior Firepower!
Supposedly the Harley Davidson FAT BOY was named after the two atomic bombs Fat Man and Little Boy.
You know what would save even more lives in the long-run? D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y.
#4 Are you saying it was our failed diplomacy that invited the Japanese to destroy our Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor? You can’t be diplomatic with people that have no desire to listen or reason. What type of utopia do you live in?
#4
Yeah, D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y sure kept Japan from attacking Pearl Harbor. D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y sure kept Hitler from invading Poland. D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y sure defeated the Axis Powers and ended WW2. D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y sure kept Stalin from swallowing up half of Europe and killing millions with the kindness of Communism.
“Peace in our time.” Right.
It’s difficult deplomb with non-deplombers when they have avowed to kill all non-believers/infidels in the world by either bombs, beheadings or any means possible (that means us too)does not convert to their “religion”. How would you suggest that the world “depolmb” with them? What would you say/give/offer/trade/promise, etc. and with whom?
/Maybe it should be spelled: D-e-b-o-m-b-a-c-y?
#5 I should have been more clear. My response was to 1 and 2. I am not enough of a WWII buff to know what went on. My knowledge is limited to the biased public school education I received.
#1 and 2 Yes Iran and Syria want one (want us to give them one).
God forbid that we hurt anyone in this political correct world but if the US would drop a tactical nuke (smaller versions of the ballistic missile type) on some of these powder kegs I think you would see some of these nations standing on our ships in full dress ready to sign an unconditional surrender.
The name should be a dead giveaway:
houstondem
#9 You haven’t learned anything from the Iraq war, have you? The middle east is not the surrendering type. Hell they want to die for this cause. The temptation of 72 virgins is very effective in manipulating you muslim men to “die for their religion”. When 1 is killed 10 are born.
I meant young instead of you
Then why would diplomacy work? You’re not making any sense.
houstondem: Please read up! I have stood on the very spot on the USS Missouri where the Japanese signed the treaty. It gave me chills and pause to thank the men and women who sacrificed their lives and made it possible that we live in this country today. If it weren’t for those sacrifices and those and many others, you’d be speaking German today and maybe Rag-Head-ese in the future if you were around at all. The USA ain’t pefect but it beats the heck out of all the alternative(s).
True diplomacy starts from a position of strength.
13 - If we were to strike first of drop a nuke on them.
If you nuke a city it is difficult to have 10 born after that carnage. Harsh reality but that type of total devastation will result in a surrender not a rallying cry. Of course one incident is not enough to prove the point (Japan for example). You drop a couple of them (Tehran & Damascus or pick some smaller cities for less damage) then folks understand you mean business.
As we discussed in a blog earlier this year if a country is going to engage in a war you must engage fully using all of your resources for victory, to do anything else is asking for defeat and/or large loss of life/resources. The US understood this at the end of WW2.
houstondem: Peace through strength. Reagen won the Cold War because he didn’t sit back and accept the concessions of the previous administrations and the other world governments. The press derided his decisions and people complained that we should just let them live their way, and we’ll live ours.
Go over to Poland and ask them if they prefer the lives they’ve led during the last 20 years over the 20 previous to that.
‘72 virgins’ isn’t as strong of a motivator as personal freedom.
#15,
You lost me. You’re saying that America is the agressor in the war on terror?
I’m not seeing how anyone could possibly say that after 9/11. And if you acknowledge that some fanatical Muslims are prone to suicide bombings, how can you simultaneously believe that diplomacy can work with such madmen?
I agree we should give ” Diplomacy ” and ” Give Peace a Chance ” first.
So now that we have named the two bombs when do we drop them?
Houstondem says:
Then maybe you should do a little research. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Reply to No. 4: How can D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y save lives in the long run? How would you propose to diplomatically end the war? How many of ours and their soldiers would have to die before diplomacy reachs a “FAIR AND EQUITABLE” solution?
As far as Iraq and the terrorists are concern, how do you diplomatically resolve the problem where one group, the muslim terrorist, wants the other group, law abidding civilized non-muslims, to be DEAD?????????
Please let us hear your diplomatic solutions!!!
AZ: Good one! Pick a date, any date. I don’t think that a third one would be necessary, but if it was we could name it: “Here’s Yer Virgins!
#22 malcolm, We ” kill two birds with one stone ” by naming the third bomb ” Jimmy Carter “. That would silence both Iran and Carter.
AZ: Not bad a-tall. I’m sure that our other posters have some good possible names for bombs as well. How about it Guys?
I think we could name on “The Religion of Peace”…
My bomb name submission:
“Allah”
“I am not enough of a WWII buff to know what went on. My knowledge is limited to the biased public school education I received.”
That statement speaks for itself. Hate America first!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueuauKKjPZI
D-O-P-E-L-O-M-A-C-Y
If diplomacy worked, Neville Chamberlin would be Britain’s greatest prime minister.
Iowa class Battle Ship (like the Missouri) firing its guns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsNlmiLJGIw
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Uss_iowa_bb-61_pr.jpg
I just read an interesting book, Racing the Enemy, about the U.S.-Soviet race to control the Japanese surrender. There is considerable evidence that the Soviet decision to declare war on Japan had as much or more influence on the surrender decision than did the bomb. But you could argue it either way: it also appears that in the end, we dropped the bomb a few days or weeks before Stalin expected us to, so he was forced to declare war on Japan early, on August 9, lest they surrender before he had a chance to get in on the action. You could say the most important impact of the bomb was keeping Stalin from getting very far along in his Japanese war, so that he ended up with fewer acquisitions than he might otherwise have acquired.
Houstondem:
There are two books that shoulc be on your *must read* list:
1. “Hitler’s Willing Executioners”
2. “At Dawn We Slept”
Sorry, can’t remeber the authors right now, but Amazon.com should have them in stock….
In the USAF when you do your gunnery school when you shoot a drone down you get the prop as a souvenier.
As a youngster I had two props on my wall. In the center of one was an altimeter. In the center of the second was a clock. These were from the Enola Gay. When the Smithsonian announced plans to restore the Enola Gay the altimeter and clock were anonomously mailed to the Smithsonian.
At the time we were stationed at MacDill Air Force Base and the base commander was General Paul Tibbets. I believe Paul Tibbets is the last surviving member of the crew that dropped one of the big ones.
#33:
I grew up a few miles from McDill. One awesome memory was watching - about 6 p.m. on evening - an entire wing of SAC bombers fly over (after forming up out over the Gulf) on their way to England. This was, I believe, about 1954
Here’s some memorabilia from Tibbets you can buy.
http://www.enolagay.org/
I’ve got several autographs from WWII pilots. I have Johnnie Johnson and Gunter Rall’s autographs. Gunter Rall had 275 victories and was the commander of the first Jet Squadron (ME 262’s) and thank goodness his side lost!
# 34
We lived on base but went to school off base. MacDill had the B 47’s when we were there. That was 40 t0 45 years ago. In fact I was at Robinson High School, Freshman year when the PA system announced that JFK had been assassinated.
I was discussing this with someone on a different blog (unnamed) that when the B-47’s scrambled on an Air Raid drill the ground shook from the power of the engines and the JATO rockets boosting the airborn
And it goes without saying that it was classified information what they were armed with yet as an Air Force brat whose father was piloting one of them we knew that those planes sat waiting for their moment and the USAF is not going to send one up unless it is ready for war. Nukes included
To Houstondem:
You haven’t learned anything from World War II, have you? Japan was not the surrendering type. Hell they wanted to die for their cause as evidenced by their kamikaze pilots. Honor and duty was very effective in manipulating young Japanese men to “die for their emperor”.
What you said about the Muslims was believed about the Japanese. They are our friends and allies now. Why? It shouldn’t be this way following your logic.
That’s why wars must be fought to win and why this was such an important day in history.
On a final note: there’s a reason why Neville Chamberlain is ridiculed as an idiot by historians. It’s spelled D-I-P-L-O-M-A-C-Y. That was lesson #1 of WWII. You can’t reason with madmen.
Fasternu 426
My father was considered to possibly be on that crew with Tibbets and I am glad he did not go. The crews all experienced bad thoughts in later years. I have heard that some had real mental problems leter on.
They knew what the targets were and what they were carrying but none of them expected the impending loss of lives. The crew was totally shocked by the power in that bomb
houstindhimmi
Learn about the Rape of Nanking and the atrocities the Japanese comitted against the Chinese and Koreans. The Japanese in Nanking threw babies into the air and caught them on their bayonets. They killed 300,000 civilians in several weeks.
*******Some Graphic video of Japanese war atrocities*****
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEeQV4UDEJo
Not something GI Joe would do…..
Tibbets an all of them were heroes in my book! I don’t know if we would have the stomach to do the right thing today. Too many take the easy “high moral road” of cowardice cloaked in righteousness…
Fasternu 426
Because of what they did to those they were at war with and especially because of Pearl Harbor our soldiers were ready to end the war.
1, 2, 3 bombs you’re out. Dropping those Nukes ended the war and probably save a whole lot more lives than were lost in those 3 bombs short span.
Anyone who doesn’t think those bombs were necessary doesn’t know what the war was all about. Even Japan says the same thing. (except that idiot that said otherwise and was corrected by his own government)
#20, AMEN..
Houstondem, for some reason you seem to understand that the public education system has a bias, yet you completely fail to do anything to verify what you have learned is true, or if it is only a biased point of view.
Remember those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and there are some in the US that want to treat these radical muslim freaks like Chamberlain did with Hitler.
Look it up Chamberlain got Hitler to sign an agreement not to attack Poland, and came back waived it high in the air and said that there would be peace in their time. What happened in less than 1 year … Hitler attacked. Only fools believe that you can deal with people on a diplomatic level, people that are hell bent on total domination, and destruction of your way of life. The only way to deal with these people is the same way you do a rabid animal… At the back end of the biggest weapon you can find, and if that means making smoking craters out of a couple of cities in say Iran then so be it…
houstondem,
I will give you some footage to consider from Lib Pbs and Nova no less.
Since HAL does not like multiple links, look for them separately. Segment #1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXERWUwyZZ0&mode=related&search=
Segment #2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TM-u_sQsjs&mode=related&search=
Segment#3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD62cZowTAg&mode=related&search=
Segment #4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPs7JRDPnfo&mode=related&search=
Segment #5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPs7JRDPnfo&mode=related&search=
Last segment, #6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDPmtPsxGNU&mode=related&search=
Watch this and realize Diplomacy would never have worked.
I have found that every single person I know who is a liberal democrat, has absolutely ZERO knowledge of WW2. They do not know what country was on what side. They know that the Nazi’s were bad because they’ve seen movies. They are not really sure if the Japanese were bad because they are an ethnic minority and they have been indoctrinated with liberalism to believe that non-white people cannot be bad.
If you don’t understand the history of WW2, you cannot posssibly understand the state of the world today.
The next time you meet a liberal, ask them who we fought in WW2. They will most likely not know the answer…. Believe it or not….
houstondem
There are many online resources availible for you to access. Use them. We are in a fight that will last many years.
Google WW II, that will keep you busy for years.
…but stay away from the holocaust denial sites, even though they may be French.
Houstondem……. the guys have all the information you will ever need on the history of WW2 but I would like to approach your thought from a different angle. War isn’t about feelings. One cannot win a war by simply hoping the enemy will like us once we sit down with them. War isnt’a social exercise in the sense of winning friends. There needs to be a premise established and that is this. Some people may always hate us, not matter what we do. Once you understand that, then you can understand power and strength are all that will subdue the enemy. And an excellent example of that is, the atomic bomb drop. Once we subdued Japan, they became friendly towards us. Sharia muslims will not.
I’ve proposed this solution to the IslamoFascist problems before . . . and I truely think it would work:
Needed: 2 nuclear weapons. One of about Hiroshima size - 20 Kilotons. One of about 10 to 20 Megatons yield.
Set the 20 Kiloton off in the middle of the desert. Announce the date and time. Get all the liberal drive-by media there to cover it. Make the announcement that 24 hours after the detonation - ANY act of terrorism in the name of Allah . . . car bomb, cemtex tuxedo, kidnapping, beheading, whatever . . . the 20 Megaton will be dropped on Meca. We’ll turn their holy rock into a glowing cinder. And then give Dan Patrick the button - He won’t hesitate to push it.
The President of the United States (POTUS), the Secretary of State (SOS), a Moderate Muslim Leader (MML) and a Designated Important Person Stating High Ideas of Muslim Truth (DIPSHIMT) who is representing the radical Muslim faction meet to seek a resolution to ongoing conflict.
POTUS: Thank you all for coming today. I especially want to thank DIPSHIMT for agreeing to meet on infidel soil today.
DIPSHIMT: It was important to meet so that I can invite you to Islam. Allah requires it before I kill you.
SOS: Now, now, that kind of talk will not be productive!
DIPSHIMT: So says you. I do not care if you convert, you are a woman and will probably end up in Hell anyway.
POTUS: Let’s just get down to business, shall we?
DIPSHIMT: My business is done. You have been invited to follow the truths of Allah as handed down by his holy prophet, peace be upon him. Convert or die!
MML: I would like to interject that the moderates of our religion do not agree with the violence of the DIMSHIMTs, Mr. President. Allah says “there is no compulsion in religion.”
DIPSHIMT: Then you too, shall suffer the fate of the infidels! Allah says we must smite at the necks of the infidels until they die! Allah ahkbar!
POTUS: Surely, there must be some way of living together in harmony?
DIPSHIMT: Certainly! Convert to Islam!
SOS: But we believe that every person has the right to believe in a higher power in whatever way they wish. This is a right we believe was given by God.
DIPSHIMT: Allah wants all to follow him, so all who seek “other ways” are infidel and will die!
MML: Please, try to understand! This behavior will only result in more death and misery!
DIPSHIMT: Allah has seen all and has written our fate. If it is fated that so many should stray, then it is fated that so many shall die.
SOS: Why is our tolerance so disturbing to your people that you would kill them? Are they not human?
DIPSHIMT: Allah commands it. We are his chosen people. As Mohammed, pbuh, spread the word by the sword, so shall we if necessary! Allah ahkbar!
MML: Do you not believe that diplomacy and tolerance are more effective means of spreading Islam?
DIPSHIMT: See how effective this is! (DIPSHIMT stabs MML) There, that one will no longer lead people astray!
SOS: Wait a minute, that was uncalled for!
DIPSHIMT: But this is! Allah ahkbar! (Kills SOS)
POTUS: Now, now, I know you’re upset…
DIPSHIMT: I am not upset. I am right. You are infidel, and have refused my offer of Islam. Submit to this peace! (Kills POTUS)
And so ends the negotiations…
#53
If we are inviting the liberal MSM to cover the event, let’s miscalculate the safe distance…the old “two birds with one stone” thing, ya know?
/don’t really want to kill people, but sometimes I dream
Can diplomacy work? Sometimes. People that have a genuine desire to find a nonviolent solution can usually work out a means to avoid war. This by definition excludes groups that are more interested in killing than talking, like Hitler, Stalin or Al Queda. It is important to note that BOTH parties need to want a peaceful solution, not just good intentions on the part of one.
Tedtam that was brilliant……..
So tedtam, let me think this through. If we nuked everyone in the msm, all our troubles would be over. We wouldn’t have to worry about people trying to attack. We wouldn’t hqave an immigration problem. The insurgents in Iraq would be throwing rose petals at the feet of our soldiers. The msm has been an evil influence throughout our history.
Regrettably, the more detailed knowledge of any of WWII and Hiroshima/Nagasaki is by folks approaching or in their retirement years. Funniest thing what living through that time does to your perspective. Everybody else has to rely on book learnin’, or movies, or the History Channel, etc. if they can’t talk to someone who lived through it.
So “houstondem” find as many WWII veterans to listen to as you can. God bless them, we are losing them so quickly now.
Gadboy #58 Go play in the traffic.
Can I invite our president and mr. patrick to go with me?
gadpus, your presence is noted, NWOC.
Go join Shakey, Thanks.
nwoc?
Gadboy, exterminating our president and Mr. Patrick will do nothing to help our impending doom due to global warming. And minorities, the elderly will still die and the environment will still be destroyed.
What the heck does global warming have to do with anything in this post?
#64
I cannot believe you have such a hard time recognizing sarcasm, gaddy.
you still didn’t respond to #58 tedtam, and conservatives are never sarcastic, are they/
July 22nd in 1988, I was FROCKED 3RD CLASS aboard the USS Missouri in Oahu Hawaii. I was there on a two week ACDUTRA (active duty training). I knew the significance of that and was VERY PROUD!
Like most of you - I got a good education!
#66 gadboy
I’m posting between work tasks, so sometimes I don’t respond as per your wishes.
Sometimes, I just ignore stupid comments.
NWTE
I had always thought they should have bombed something even more remote to demonstrate the power first. However, the fact that Japan had to wait for TWO bombs to go off to surrender, indicates the level of denial in the Japanese leadership.
like a comment about nuking the msm?
#70, No need to bother, they’re self destructing.
#58: Gadfly: I didn’t know you we’re capable of such cogent thoughts and conclusions!!!
There may be hope for you yet!