GARGLEBLASTER Loc: Spain

A Hiroshima survivor's story.

This is quite a difficult read but please read to the very end before making any judgmental comment:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_8079/index.html?ns_mchannel=email&ns_source=inxmail_newsletter&ns_campaign=bbcnewsmagazine_news__&ns_linkname=na&ns_fee=0

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

Wow!

BatManPete Loc: Way Up North!

. . . . very informative. Thanks.

AnnieE

That really was a very moving read, I can't imagine going through it. Just awful. What is interesting, though, is that even after the first bomb was dropped, Japan did not surrender, and it was 5 days after the second bomb hit them before they finally gave up. What took them so long?? We just watched a movie on the end of the war in Germany, the devastation as the enemy fought with all they had, the far too many deaths on both sides because they wouldn't give up. It would have been far worse in Japan if we had had to invade, as every one of their soldiers would have fought to the death. It's too bad their leaders couldn't see that and caused this horrible catastrophe. I'm afraid the average person there did not realize that it wasn't the American's fault, it was the fault of their own leaders.

GARGLEBLASTER Loc: Spain

AnnieE: I think that in the case of the Japanese it was because of two things: 1: that their belief that they were supreme and 2: that it was a matter of honour. To not have continued to fight would have been shameful and dishonourable. It was and I suppose still is, a cultural trait never to lose face, something difficult for Westerners to comprehend.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

It was only three days between bombs:
Hiroshima Aug 6
Nagasaki Aug 9
My understanding is that the Japanese army told the government that the U.S. had only one bomb ... and then came the Nagasaki bomb.

Dan821 Loc: Traveling........

Watched a documentary the other evening from the Smithsonian that gave more details of the events that led up to the decision to drop the bombs.
Apparently the Japanese Military commanders had the Emperor convinced that they were able to defend the island from all invading forces, and were training women and children in Kamikaze suicide type of tactics. The commanders thought that there was only one bomb until the second attack on Nagasaki. The Emperor was furious with them and was concerned for the safety and security of his civilian population, and finally decided to the unconditional surrender terms.
What they didn't know was that the United States had a THIRD bomb. It had been stored at a facility in Utah and was ordered to be delivered to Titian Island by General Leslie Groves, after the Nagasaki attack didn't produce a response from the Japanese after several days.
Fortunately, the Japanese responded and the shipment was stopped in California and returned to the base in Utah.
The documentary said that the third bomb was more powerful than the first two, and that the intended target was Tokoyo.
I think the delay was the "unconditional surrender" terms, that the Emperor was concerned about.