Radical history revisionists are attempting to blame the United States for dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Smithsonian debacle over the exhibit of the Enola Gay provoked a justified backlash by informed people.

The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis was fighting the Allies (United Nations) during WWII. Hitler alone was responsible for the premeditated murder of 6 million Jews and 7 million Gentiles, plus the many casualties of war.

About 200,000 Japanese were killed or injured from the two atomic bombs. Statistically, 200,000 deaths pale into insignificance when compared to at least 57,000,000 deaths for which the Axis powers were responsible during World War II. The following statistics give an idea of the number of people killed in WWII:

17,000,000   Allied and Axis Military
11,000,000   People Murdered by Hitler
19,000,000   Soviet Citizens
10,000,000   Chinese Citizens (Est)
[Unknown]    Civilians Without Records
57,000,000+ Total

Also remember that Japan and her Axis partners were the aggressors.

Japan was developing an atomic bomb and had probably detonated an atomic device! Japan would have used an atomic bomb against the United States, according to atomic physicist Tatsusaburo Suzuki. Mr. Suzuki served on Japan's WWII atomic research team. The team made eleven pounds of enriched uranium and were on the right track to making an atomic bomb. After the war, we found the research equipment and dumped it in Tokyo Bay. (The Associated Press, "Japan aimed to use atomic bomb," The Kansas City Star, 20 July 1995, p. A-10).

Japanese fanatical dedication was demonstrated when 110,000 Japanese died defending Okinawa. Only 8,000 Japanese surrendered. America lost 49,000 of its sons in this battle.

The conventional firebombing of Tokyo probably caused more destruction than the atomic bomb did
at Hiroshima five months later. Still, Japan was not ready to surrender.

What was the scenario of taking Japan with conventional warfare? Japan had 2,300,000 troops, 4,000,000 Army and Navy employees, and 28,000,000 home militia—many would have fought until death. Admiral Leahy, Truman's military advisor, estimated that we would have 395,000 casualties just taking the small Japanese island of Kyushe. Japan planned to execute 400,000 Allied POWs and civilian detainees when invaded. Total United States and alies casualties were projected at 1,000,000. Japanese casualties may have been as high as 4,000,000. Many Japanese cities would have been leveled by bombing and shelling to "soften" Japanese resistance to the invasion force.

Emperor Hirohito sent Koki Hirota with a proposal to Josef Stalin on June 3, 1945. Japan offered to give the Soviet Union all of Europe and half of the Orient, if the Soviet Union would join Japan against the United States and England. Truman did not trust Stalin, and ordered the atomic bomb to be dropped on the industrial city of Hiroshima—it was dropped August 6, 1945. The Japanese did not surrender. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria August 8, 1945. Truman ordered the second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki—it was dropped August 9, 1945. Japan surrendered unconditionally September 2, 1945 aboard the battleship USS Missouri.

As many as 5,000,000 Japanese and Allies lives saved as a result. The United States helped rebuild Japan and now, with determined effort, the industrious Japanese people have built a very strong
economy. They rebuilt Hiroshima and it is magnicent!

The introduction of atomic warfare brought terror to the hearts of people the world over. It brought a new type of war doctrine, Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). The idea is that if one world power used atomic weapons against another, it would be destroyed also. This new mega-balance of power may have prevented World War III—at least to this point.

Many would like to do away with all atomic weapons. This is an excellent idea, but how can it be done? How does one atomic power know that the others have truly done away with their atomic weapons? There is no way to verify the word of the superpowers.

We cannot go back in time to the pre-atomic world. We must work to reduce world nuclear threat. Keeping atomic weapons from sociopathic leaders and terrorists is a must. The United States must maintain military superiority. And we must develop a better Civil Defense.

Only Jesus, the Prince of Peace can bring peace to individuals and, later, to the nations of the world! Evangelism will change the character of those who respond. Moral people will reduce the threat of global disaster.

Each human life is of infinite value. May world leaders invite the Author of Life into their hearts. Then, may they recognize the value of human life and avoid killing people.

And, oh yes, the writer's late sister-in-law was Japanese.

Sources

Carl N. Degler et. al., The Democratic Experience (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1963), p. 610.

Bruce Lee, "Why Truman Bombed Hiroshima." The Wall Street Journal, 5 May 1995.

N. W. Hutchings, "Why the A-Bomb Was Used on Japan," Prophetic Observer, June 1995.

The Associated Press, "Japan aimed to use atomic bomb," The Kansas City Star, 20 July 1995, p. A-10.

Unrecalled article by a military chaplain who served during WWII, in Chaplain, to the best of my memory.

The World Book Encyclopedia, 1993, S.v. "World War II," by James L Stokesbury.

Japan's Atomic Atomic Bomb PART 1 of Five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdCe2wBeCiw

Essay 70, from my ebook, Essays Exposing the Myths of Political Correctness. 
Copyright ©John E. Russell 1993, 2017

In Essentials: Unity; In non-essentials: Liberty; In all things: Charity
—Peter Meiderlin 1626.

You have permission to copy, email or print unedited Power Articles free of charge.