Following on from the deviation in the 9/11 thread, was Truman right to authorise the use of atomic weapons against Japan in August 1945?

Did This course of action take lives to save lives or was it an unnecessary course of action against an already defeated foe and an act of political posterising against the Soviets?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVO1GOQuX4I

Dropping the second one was taking the piss a bit.

In a very strange sort of way if it hadn't of been dropped I dont think the cold war would of been cold!!

After what I've seen and read about it is that Japan would not surrender and the yanks were gearing up for a full on invasion of Japan until they dropped the bomb
After the first one was dropped Japan still wouldn't surrender so that why they dropped the second one,only then did they surrender and in the long run it may of saved millions of lives as I'm sure a full on invasion many more people would of be killed

The Soviet invasion on Manchuria was more important in ending the war anyway.

My understanding is they surrendered, but america wanted unconditional surrender which they didn`t want so the first bomb was dropped.A bit harsh i think.

If i am wrong i await to be corrected.

Whatever the political and military motivations for dropping the two bombs, what should never be forgotten is the human cost and suffering, over many decades don't forget:



The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are flea farts compared to the firepower of modern nuclear weapons, of which there are enough of to destroy the world many times over. M.A.D by name, mad by nature.

Someone will complain about this you know. You see, people are quick to dehumanise, and act as though those who died in enemy countries during the war, were not people. Indeed, this is how wars are fought. This is how atrocities occur in warfare. You must make the others less than human to do this to them. People don't like being reminded of it. But they should. Anyone who says the bombs ought to have been dropped should be made to look at the consequences.