This week marks the 64th anniversary of one of the largest and most heinous acts of terrorism ever perpetrated: the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States of America, the only country to have ever used nuclear bombs to massacre civilians. The largest attack, also perpetrated by the U.S., was the firebombing of Tokyo five months earlier, killing 80 000 to 120 000 civilians in one day.
What I find particularly hard to contemplate is not that these events took place but that most Americans ever since have viewed these incredibly heinous crimes as necessary, effective and other than criminal and immoral, or at best necessary evils. This is to effectively believe that anything can be legitimate means, as long as it’s carried out by the Americans.
I doubt this kind belief and the survival of the human species are mutually inclusive.
Comments
What you fail to realise is that the two atom bombs dropped on Japan saved many lives. You are obviously too naive and/or ignorant to realise this. The fact is that Japan were a very proud race and would always fight to the last man, just look at figures from the battles, particularly Iwo Jima. Without the shocking effects of the atom bombs the fight would have made it to the mainland and would have certainly resulted in many more deaths (Japs, Americans and civilians) than what resulted from the atom bombs. Also, both cities were due to be carpet bombed anyway so most of those people would have been killed either way.
Japan may have been a proud race! By how does killing of Thousands on innocent people justify this act as a moral thing? On 9/11 when Al-queda attacked the Twin towers and pentagon killing 3000 people, people continued to say that innocent people were killed! So if the bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were acts of morality, then I m sorry to say but 9/11 attacks were of morality too.
I love America more than anything, but covering up its wrong doings is not the best way to highlight it! Bombing of Nagasaki n Hiroshima were certainly cold-blooded acts of terror! because the people who died were as innocents as our heroes who died on 9/11.
just for your information the japanesse had already surrender when the bombs were dropped, yes there was some independent kamikaze attacks but nothing the US couldn’t control.
Whatever makes you sleep easy Matt. Many disagree with you. The truth is you don’t actually know what would have happened. You’re just happy to believe what you’ve been fed because you’d otherwise have to deal with the cognitive dissonance that arrises from realising the U.S. and its allies are not actually a force for good.
The truth is you wouldn’t regurgitate this silly argument were it Japan that had dropped atom bombs on the U.S. in the name of ending the war and “saving lives.” No, then it would just be a plain old terrorist attack by the baddies.
Matt, you fail to “realise” that the term “jap” is ignorant, thus you calling someone else ignorant hilarious. A war tactic can still be a terrorist act, such as burning a village or bombing civilians.
I disagree with the author of this, while I do think it was horrible that it happened Japanese were crazy back then they attacked us out of nowhere at Pearl Harbor, they invaded many countries like Korea,China,Philippines raped and killed innocent women and children. Without the atomic bombs the struggle with the Japanese would have gone on and on. The Japanese were like the asian nazis they felt all other asians inferior and their lives didn’t matter.
the way i see it you guys are tied up to much about the past what you should be talking about i whats comming in the next few months were alllllllllll screwed!!!!!!
I don’t know if the bombs dropped on Japan were etirely necessary. But I do know that it ended world war II which was consuming the planet with a plague of death more every day. And the Japanese are the ones that woke the sleeping dragon, just like the terrorist did when they attacked the world trade centers.
It was an act of war. Are you saying the Holocoast was a terrorist attack too? Because if that’s the case, the death toll was a lot higher than the atom bombs.
Countless lives were save and America remains free today, even though it is constantly attacked, because those bombs were dropped.
Was there another way? I would like to think so.
i agree with matt. We should have done the same after 9/11
You really are an idiot to call an act of war TERRORISM. You disgust me. Regardless if this act of war was right or wrong, regardless of the facts the Japanese would have refused to surrender and the killing would have went on and their absolute disregard for their peoples life, you are a MORON for putting that into a category of true terrorism that goes on in this world. Go kill yourself.
These bombs are the worst act of TERRORISM the world have ever seen, thats a fact. And its horrible to see that the US is invading counttries all the time to look for weapons of mass destruction, when in fact its USA alone who have been coldblooded and dumb enough to ever have used these bombs on foreign soil, The world should invade USA and remove there atom bombs!! And Im sure that will happen soon because USA is the most hated country in the world today, hated by all other countries, thats also a fact. You morons are digging your own graves, If I was you I would stop terrorising all other countries and start fixing stuff back home, like medical care, because you got one of the worst medical care systems in the world as well! American bastards!
Ryan, I realise the word terrorism has become a little muddied in the U.S. as of late — and now means something more along the lines of “anything they do to us” — but the truth is terror and war are not mutually exclusive. Terrorism is simply the planned use of violent or intimidating methods against civilians to coerce a government or community. Blowing up a city of people with an atom bomb is about as violent and intimidating as it gets.
Indeed it was your commander-in-chief who stood up in front of Congress on 20 September 2001 and pronounced to the world that, “on September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country.”
So what was it? An act of war or an act of terrorism?
In the mean time, perhaps have a think about how you might describe it were the U.S. on the receiving end.
If it were not for the allies winning the war we would not be permitted to have this conversation.The loss of life was horrible I send my condolences but based on conversations I have shared with vetrans of the pacific front I would side with necessary evil and am proud to be born of my own will creator of my own futer.I hope humanity will one day set asside our differences and strive for a more productive and peace practicing race.
Christiaan here goes your theory out the window the bombs were not dropped
to intimidate civilians.The intentions of dropping them were to send a message to there government not to fuck with us,and to save our comrades and family’s the pain and losses.So yes it was the smart solution.
Now days we have better technology to reduce civilian casualty’s.Witch we didn’t have back then.Thank you
Are you European? If so, you owe a tremendous debt to the United States of America. For what? For saving the lives of your ancestors! Because of the sacrifice and hard decisions made by our people, you’re free to post a ridiculous blog like this. You’re doing a tremendous dis-service to your ancestors by condemning the actions of the country that saved their lives.
Ya know, it’s so easy to be a critic! It’s so easy for you to make a blog and condemn and criticize others. And the fact that you do, says something of your character. It much harder to give someone (or even a nation) the benefit of the doubt. The men who made the decision to drop those bombs do so with no easy feelings! A terrorist delights in the death of their foes. They enjoy the pain they inflict on others.
You can’t compare the bombs dropped on Japan with the Twin Towers, because the bombs were dropped during Wartime! BONEHEAD!!! You know that and yet you still murmur about it like a child! And those bombs were dropped to stop, STOP, further war! The Twin Towers was meant to provoke, not to end conflict, only to stir it up.
Get your facts straight, Sir, and learn how to not be a critic. I know you hate America and Americans but you need to see how much that hate blinds you.
I agree with Matt and Christiaan at the same time because this event saved many lives however I think it is rather cruel that these people were killed without knowing of their impending doom. I also agree that if someone had dropped these bombs on the USA it would be seen as a terrorist attack. But I do think It was important that it was done then because it was a terrible thing but if no-one had done that no-one would know of the devastating effects and it would be done now with more weapons and ones many times more powerful than the 1945 bombings maybe ending in the near destruction of the world so I believe this is a debate that will never end.
I think these attacks were brutal and unnecessary, but who am I to question these acts, as I am living in a free land in the U.S., which could be partly because of these very actions.
Japanese Heritage
–Akeno Lee
I do not agree with this article. our ancestors were terrified they saved themselves and many americans. its war. in the end there are people who won’t ever like with the choices america had to make, but we cannot time travel so i suggest you worry about terrorist attacks that could happen at any minute and could change your life or end it.
If I’m going to thank anyone for stopping the Nazis it’s 20 million dead Russians on the ground, not a bunch of cowards in the air.
In my opinion, most of the posts here, even conflicting ones, are correct.
Yes, it they were certainly acts of terrorism, and the worst one the world has ever seen. They were massive attacks against CIVILIANS for the purpose of creating terror.
BUT, it is indeed very possible that the attacks were necessary. The effect of the attacks and the terror they created was that the Japanese government surrendered.
The truly awful thing about these attacks is that it was civilians that died.… probably very many more civilians died than would have died if the war had continued on without these attacks. The bombs did save the lives of the soldiers that would have had to continue to fight and most likely some civilians as well, but the number of lives saved certainly was nowhere near the number of people that were killed in these attacks.
Oh man, I just read Scott’s post: “Are you European? If so, you owe a tremendous debt to the United States of America. For what? For saving the lives of your ancestors.”
Scott, please check out how many Russian soldiers and civilians died in WWII and then how many Americans died. Check out when the U.S. landed in Europe and how long after the war had started that was. Then you’ll see that it’s England, but most especially the Russians the Europe should thank for the defeat of the Nazis.
.…one last follow up. I don’t mean to diminish the role the U.S. played in Europe. We certainly helped. It’s just that U.S. history and culture leads us to believe that we were the ones who saved Europe when really we were just the guys who tipped the scales at the very end of the war after much greater fighting and sacrifice from, in particular, England and Russia.
What i see here is a whole lot of bias information. I see much patriotism and i see pride in ones beliefs. I am not here to take sides but to show you the reason. When we were all children, we had many fights alright. The Japanese people were basically trying to become of a “man” of which i heard. What the U.S did was esentially wrong and what the japanese did was wrong to. I heard that in the states that “two wrongs do not make a right but from what i hear from here, it does. I hear from this silly blog that its okay to bomb japanese when they killed many people or its okay to kill people in the first case. No. that is false. Logically, we are the victims to ourselves. It’s all really like a children’s argument over whos the boss or not gone out of hands; except we now have bigger toys to play with.
Again, I do not wish to take sides. I am korean.
Sorry for the bad grammar in advance.
@ Scott: “Are you European? If so, you owe a tremendous debt to the United States of America. For what? For saving the lives of your ancestors!“
Your words are revolting and disgusting … I am a European and owe the USA nothing.
Presumably, in your ignorance and arrogance you aren’t bothered who you insult, nor do you respect the millions upon millions of non US Americans whom I actually DO owe a debt?
The ridiculous conversion of criticism = hate when discussing anything even remotely critical of the USA is actually cringeworthy. I encounter it a lot and it never fooled me, it doesn’t, fortunately, convince ALL of your countryfolk either.
Your “A terrorist delights in the death of their foes” is so shallow I can’t even paddle in it … tell … how do you know that? (or is it a propagandist ranting?)
Methinks, when it comes to hate, you yourself are either a pot or a kettle at best.
Attempts at retrospectively embedding a new “American” definition of terrorism in the mind of the world wont work. It’s not a particularly old term, not quite as old as the USA as it happens, but it means what it means and the nuclear attacks on Japan are described to perfection by it.
Scott … I hope you went and learned this between your rant and now.
Ok you don’t know what your talking about… if we wouldn’t have dropped the bombs on hiroshima and Nagasaki we would have lost thousand of more u.s. troops. We had already seen what the Japs were capable of doing at pearl harbor. Why would you want to lose more american life? Your some american have some pride in your country.
Look, the truth is that it is all war. The bombs saved many more lives than they did kill. In the late 1945’s the U.S. was close to finishing Japan. We knew we would have to invade Japan. An invasion would mean thousands and millions of deaths on both sides. With the invention of the atomic bomb, the U.S. had the chance to end the war quickly and efficiently. We dropped two bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Suddenly, just because it was one big bomb, it seems atrocious. See, things like these happened daily. The Germans, Americans, and Japanese alike flew over cities and bombed them to smithereens. These bombings killed nearly twice as many people. After the bombs, Japan surrendered, allowing democracy for itself and peace for the world. Had the bombs not been dropped and the Japanese consequently not surrendered, we would have invaded, resulting in thousands of deaths and a longer war. Also, we did not start World War 2. We wanted neutrality. Peace. The Japanese were aggressors toward the Asian countries (China, Vietnam, Korea) and were sick and brutal with how they dealt with prisoners and civilians. We extended our arm in peace, and they falsely accepted it, scheming behind our backs about bombing the home of the majority of the Pacific fleet: Pearl Harbor. Thousands of Americans dead because of an unprovoked attack by the Japanese empire. In many textbooks, it proceeds Japan as a victim of the war. This view is equivalent of a bully mauling a boy for his money. The boy, knowing martial arts, defends himself, knocking out and wounding the bully. The bully awakens and files a complaint to the police for assault. The boy is then arrested and put in jail. Justice? Hardly. Before someone begins treating an act of war as something atrocious just because we use ONE bomb, and not hundreds of littler ones, like BOTH sides did, i suggest they do some research on just how malicious we were compared to the Axis Powers. Had we not dropped the bombs, millions of justified American soldiers would have been killed, and you’re saying this is how it should have been? I do not understand. This is my viewpoint, and God Bless America.
Also, about how this would be a terrorist attack if not committed by the United States, I do not understand. If another country did this to Japan now, it would be a terrorist attack. If America bombed Japan now, it would be a terrorist attack. Why? Japan is a peaceful democracy. In World War Two, the bomb was a last minute decision, meant to save lives. If we had intended to drop the bomb for no reason other than to kill civilians, it would be a terrorist attack. If Japan had dropped a bomb on us in WW2, it wouldn’t have been a terrorist attack because it was an act of war. Terrorism is when a certain group kills innocents for unprovoked, unnecessary reasons. Even so, the term is incorrect. A country cannot commit “terrorism” because terrorists cannot be a formed government. This would be called GENOCIDE. There is a difference. The nuclear bombs may have been genocide, but hearing this and forming a negative opinion is unreasonable. There is JUSTIFIED genocide, and there is UNJUSTIFIED genocide.
Pearl Harbor: unprovoked, killed thousands.
Atomic Bombs: provoked, killed tens of thousands, Japan had been warned (and we were already at war)
Invasion of Poland: unprovoked, a radio station had been bombed by the Germans (it was staged to make it look like the Polish had done it). They then invaded the country for no reason other than misguided nationalism.
Further more, the United States Armed Forces receives little or no credit for the steps it takes to minimize civilian casualties. People complain that the U.S. kills to many civilians. The military has spent billions of dollars on making military technology safer to use so that civilians aren’t killed. Then the same people complain about the military overspending. When asked, they say they are pro-military. Ha.
This is the difference between justified and unjustified terrorism and genocide, and I want to make my point clear.
In war, there are no rules. This is what happens when opposing countries get together and compete. “Justified” and “unjustified” are just words. In war, everything is possible. I think that probably the U.S., with its argument that they were trying to save lives, was just trying to justify them not having American casualties, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it wasn’t justified. Who’s to say that civilians’ lives have more worth than soldiers? Or that Japanese lives have more worth than Americans? Or the other way around? Whether anyone actually saved lives is not completely knowable. It’s all very debatable.
Decades following the bombing, the Soviet Union and America competed in the Cold War. America did everything they possibly could to prevent a nuclear war. In my opinion, things are improving, if slightly. Nobody wants a nuclear war. The pressure is increasing to get rid of nuclear weapons. Will we succeed? It’s hard to tell. Maybe, maybe not. But for now, at least we’re all trying.
War is NOT terrorism. Lets get that out of the way now.
What Japan did to Pearl Harbor and several other countries was unacceptable. And its disgusting of the Americans to drop bombs on INNOCENTS.
Japan’s reasons for the attacks on Pearl Harbor were totally unnecessary. Telling Americans to back off from their buisiness by attacking Pearl Harbor is also unforgiven. It was the Japanese who initiated the battle, so its their fault for starting it all, but the Americans disgraced themselves with what they did. Around 120,000 civillians died in the Japanese cities. Not something to be proud of, keep in mind.
And DON’T tell me that Americans stopped World War II. It shouldn’t have had to be the hard way.
Of course, the general Japanese will say that Americans are at fault, and the general Americans will say that the Japanese are.
I’m saying that both countries are faulty. America for their final acts, and Japan for their initiative.
I am neither Japanese or American, and this is what I think of the issue.
And, @Scott, you disgust me. Like everyone else here, its the deceased Russians who we thank, so get that in your thick, arrogant skull.
Everyone has very strong points here. War, terrorism, justifiable, unjustified… but at the end of the day it’s war. It’s not going to be anything else but horrific and terrible for all sides. To expect decency and civility when you have so many people literally fighting for their lives by murdering others is unreasonable. War is beyond the logic we are trying to apply to the situation here. Attacking Hiroshima and Nagasaki with weapons of mass destruction was especially atrocious. Granted, they were military citizens, but lots of civilians did die. It could have been Tokyo, but it wasn’t. That doesn’t mean the attack was the right solution. I think once you’re beyond diplomacy, there is no ‘right’ solution. It was a solution and I think at that point in time, that was most important. We have the benefit of decades of research and Apocalyptic close-calls and frankly better weapons to judge the choices harshly, but at the time, what would you have done?
Let’s not forget that by this time, the war in europe was over. The soviets made tremendous sacrifices for which Europe, and America and Canada or indebted. Yes, the Soviets helped the Americans in one sense, the Americans helped the soviets in other senses. We were all allies, we helped each other. Even so, both soviet and american scientists were using the germans’ research to build atomic weapons.
The soviets were committed to spreading communism and expanding their empire even during the reconstruction of europe – ie east germany, berlin wall, satellite states, etc. Many people agree that the destruction of Hiroshima and especially Nagasaki was more of a show of force to the Soviets than to the Japanese. The war was essentially over. Japan was more or less defeated by Aug. 8 1945. It was the United States way of proving to the only other state in the world powerful enough to rival itself that it had nuclear weapons and wasn’t afraid to use them.
If the Russians had bombed Japan (their enemy and neighbor) before the US, perhaps the world would not be undergoing enforced ‘democratization’. Who knows. The point is, war sucks. Once international relationships break down past the point of non-violent resolutions, you’re ALWAYS going to get one atrocity or another. Rather than try to decide who was more wrong, or whether it was an act of terror or act of war (two cities got nuked – what’s in a name?), we should practice peaceable resolutions to disagreements, even on the internet.
Be the change you want to see in the world –Ghandi
(PS I’m an educated American. I’m tired of the world calling all americans stupid americans. and i’m tired of stupid americans giving them a reason to call us names.)
What are you smoking, crack? The atom bombs were part of World War II, and ended the war. I guess you think the Bombing of Pearl Harbor was an air show by a friendly country.
Somebody please overwrite this nosepicker’s drivel.
The bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were NOT an act of terror, but they were an act of war. If the bombs were not dropped there would have been more civillian casualties and a longer world war.
I don’t know where this idea that acts of terror and acts of war are mutually exclusive comes from.
I see the points of almost everyone on here and these facts dont mean I fully agree with either point of view since IMO there is no right or wrong here we cant look back now and play what ifs with such a huge point in history.
But I have to say Japan had 500,000 to 1,000,000 civilian deaths, thats only inocent people.
America had 1700 civilian deaths and 417000 soilders die, that means more civilans died in Japan than American soilders and cilivans together.
Also I must say,
Rufio,
23 July, 2011 at 3:01 am
is the best comment here.
Most of the people who disagree state that their argument for killing innocent civiliansis that it saved hundres, thousands and millions. Where they are getting this data from I have no idea. There is no way to tell even if a single soul would have died. No one sees the future. The bottom line is it is never right under ANY circumstances to kill innocent people who are not signed up for war. If you have not signed up as a soldier then you should not die at the hand of a soldier regardless of your colour of skin. It is unwritten however there seems to be a underlying feeling that there is entitlement and that some nationalities are not as worthy of “life” as Americans. We all enjoy the right to be on this blessed planet. It was a horrible act that should never be repeated. NO CIVILIANS SHOULD BE KILLED ANYWHERE ESPECIALLY WITH PURPOSE.
The droppings of the atomic bomb to Japan by the US was also the mean of a scientific experiment as long as people in Japan today are understood. (The US would never have bombed a European country!) Indeed, the people in my country suffered great deals and has experienced the enormous power of the nuclear with their body and their land.. Yet again, after the war,the next generation was coesed to introduce nuclear energy plant by the US. even though the country’s land is earthquake-prone and it is not fit for the use of nukes. The Japanese scientists and the engineers has also believed the ‘peaceful’ use of nukes. And what happened in Fukushima and beyond since 11/3 this year? It’s an unspeakable disaster.
Anyway,whoever the group of the race or nationality, as long as they are in denial of the atrocity of their action they will continue to terrorise others to get their ways.
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