Thank God for the Atom Bomb

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"So why is it exactly that Democrats act so morally superior on this issue, as if it’s REPUBLICANS whose hands are soiled by the dirty fall-out of our WMD program?"

I understand Leftists have put down America for dropping The Bomb(s) and ending the war, and of course conservatives can be thought of as representing America in all its Glory, while Leftists can be thought of as opposing that spirit, still, I wasn't really aware that Democrats blamed Republicans for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was there something in particular to which you were responding here?

Wherever did you get that "to satisfy America's thirst for vengeance against the Japanese" and the rest of those "reasons" for dropping the bombs? One might almost imagine from the tone of this that you somehow object to our having dropped the bomb, although I presume you're merely being sardonic. No question there was a desire for vengeance among many where the "punishment" of Hiroshima and Nagasaki fit the "crimes" that began (for the USA) with Pearl Harbor, but the satisfaction of vendetta was primarily a consequence, hardly significant as motivation. Certainly, there was already an interesting in showing the Commies our superiority. "Justifying the effort and expense" is just plain stupid. Ending the war without invading Japan was the crucial matter. The toll upon both sides had we failed to act, or delayed, would have absolutely dwarfed the damage to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For that matter, the carpet-bombing of Tokyo was more devastating than The Bomb.

For the real human toll likely in the event of delay or choice to not drop the bomb, I recommend "Thank God For The Atom Bomb" [ArthurK] over at Ace of Spades, and the [PDF] article to which it refers. Also recommended is the History Channel show on Japan's atomic bomb, rumored to have actually reached the stage where they test-fired one in Korea.

My Uncle Ed, after slogging through the mud of Europe, was one of those positioned to die invading the Japan islands, but who instead is alive to celebrate his 90th birthday next week. Thank God for the Atom Bomb!