The Logic Off Topic list

dchapsk@... wrote:

>I've always been under the impression that the US could have beaten Japan
>without dropping the A-bomb.  Just like we beat Hitler. 
>
>But we had this new toy, and...   "let's see if it works."

It's a little late to second guess that decision, considering that 
the people who made it have been dead themselves for quite some time. 
Dropping the two bombs certainly saved the lives of a lot of American 
soldiers. Also, consider the fact that the conventional munitions 
being dropped on Japan were extremely potent  (including large loads 
of incendiary devices which started massive fire storms in densely 
populated areas where building materials were highly flammable). 
Larger bombers were being used than the ones that had been used in 
Europe. Many more months of similar attacks would have caused a lot 
of death and suffering had the A-Bomb not been dropped. I do think, 
however, that it was wrong to drop two of them in relatively rapid 
succession. One should have been more than enough to send the message.

Then again, there *were* only two A-Bombs at the time. The aftermath 
was shocking enough to prevent their further use (up to this day). I 
shudder to think what would have happened if the world waited until 
more, and larger A-Bombs were available before they were first used 
in a conflict.

On the other side of the coin, I'm quite sure that both Japan and 
Germany would have used the A-Bomb against the US in WWII if they had 
possessed it. Nobody was holding anything back at the time.

Lee Blaske