Hiroshima, 6th August 1945

[SaxonPagan]

65 years ago today.

Any thoughts on this?

[Wynterwade]

Sad that it had to happen, but it saved millions of Japanese and American lives.

Why did it save lives?

1) Estimates for causalities during Operation Downfall (invasion of Japan)"A study done for Secretary of War Henry Stimson's staff by William Shockley estimated that conquering Japan would cost 1.7 to 4 million American casualties, including 400,000 to 800,000 fatalities, and five to ten million Japanese fatalities." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasio...ted_casualties

2) Japanese Civilians didn't want to surrender (look at Okinawa)

3) Japanese Soldiers fought to the death

4) Japanese executed many prisoners.



The atomic bombing was a necessary evil.



Here is something to think about....
"Nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the casualties resulting from the invasion of Japan. To the present date, all the American military casualties of the sixty years following the end of World War II—including the Korean and Vietnam Wars—have not exceeded that number. In 2003, there were still 120,000 of these Purple Heart medals in stock.[48] There are so many in surplus that combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan are able to keep Purple Hearts on-hand for immediate award to wounded soldiers on the field."