Re: Asbestos Clear & Present Danger

++ for the asbestos information, but you are way off mark to suggest that the A-bomb ended WWII in Japan.

Japan was already putting out peace feelers with a view to surrender. Truman was worried about the reaction of the American population when they found out that billions of dollars (in 1940s real dollars) researching weaponary that was never to be used! Imagine all the B-17s and B-29s they could have built with the money... The pressure was too much to resist: he had to order the bomb to be used, in order to prove that the money spent was worthwhile.

And US and western media basically went along with this story for decades. We all heard at school that the death toll would have been horrific had there been a land-based war on Japanese soil. This was never on the cards, Japan was trying to find an honourable way to surrender and make peace.

Alternate media channels tried to bring this issue to light a couple of years ago, and were roundly attacked for doing so. Never mind that in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 95% of the victims were civilians.

Some more interesting links on this subject. I am sure that googling for atomic bomb hiroshima controversy will turn up many more links -- these are just old links I have bookmarked in years past.

update: how cute, in this whole OT thread, this node managed to garner a response labelling it off-topic. I thought this forum was about Perl, but never mind.

I freely admit to fail[ing] to offer an alternative, consequence-free path of action. The immensity of the stupefying act of terrorism boggles my mind. That said, I don't think jingoistic editorials like this particular diatribe offer any constructive advice. That's just pouring oil on the fire.

`g r i n d e r`

Comment on Re: Asbestos Clear & Present Danger

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(OT.ot)(grinder) A-Bomb spin by gregor42 (Parson) on Sep 14, 2001 at 19:19 UTC
you are way off mark to suggest that the A-bomb ended WWII in Japan. I did not. You are attempting to spin doctor my comments to justify your rant. I was speaking about desperation: It is also clearly an act of desperation. In WWII the japanese resorted to the 'divine wind'/kamikaze attacks because they clearly were losing the war. It didn't prevent them from losing, it only made the final resolution more bitter. We resorted to the A-Bomb because projections for taking the island of Japan put the casualties at one million. In this way, using the A-Bomb saved lives. But in the pure view of morality you're looking at the difference between civilian & combatant's lives... I will repeat that I do not condone the killing of civilians, even in times of war, which this is clearly not, since no formal declaration war has been made by our cowardly enemies. However, a military response towards military targets is the only response anyone can realistically expect. Even if, as may very well be in this case, your "military bunker" or "munitions factory" is a basement apartment with a bunch of guys with bathtubs, gasoline, and soap - straight out of Fight Club. This is terribly sad, yes. But a chain of events has been put into motion that isn't going to stop. I find the very wide and unprecedented powers that are being given to the CiC at this time a little ominous... Writing a blank check always is... And this one has War - American style filled in for the amount. But while you may throw stones at the imperfect handling of these events, you fail to offer an alternative, consequence-free path of action. Wait! This isn't a Parachute, this is a Backpack!	[reply]

Replies are listed 'Best First'.

(OT.ot)(grinder) A-Bomb spin
by gregor42 (Parson) on Sep 14, 2001 at 19:19 UTC

you are way off mark to suggest that the A-bomb ended WWII in Japan.

I did not. You are attempting to spin doctor my comments to justify your rant. I was speaking about desperation:

It is also clearly an act of desperation. In WWII the japanese resorted to the 'divine wind'/kamikaze attacks because they clearly were losing the war. It didn't prevent them from losing, it only made the final resolution more bitter. We resorted to the A-Bomb because projections for taking the island of Japan put the casualties at one million. In this way, using the A-Bomb saved lives. But in the pure view of morality you're looking at the difference between civilian & combatant's lives...

I will repeat that I do not condone the killing of civilians, even in times of war, which this is clearly not, since no formal declaration war has been made by our cowardly enemies. However, a military response towards military targets is the only response anyone can realistically expect. Even if, as may very well be in this case, your "military bunker" or "munitions factory" is a basement apartment with a bunch of guys with bathtubs, gasoline, and soap - straight out of Fight Club.

This is terribly sad, yes. But a chain of events has been put into motion that isn't going to stop. I find the very wide and unprecedented powers that are being given to the CiC at this time a little ominous... Writing a blank check always is... And this one has War - American style filled in for the amount.

But while you may throw stones at the imperfect handling of these events, you fail to offer an alternative, consequence-free path of action.

Wait! This isn't a Parachute, this is a Backpack!

[reply]