My stupid question about ww2

[1031]

Why did the Americans not decide to simply disengage from the conflict with the Japanese?
I mean why didn't they simply take a highly defensive role and allow the Soviets and Chinese to deal with that threat?

I realize some of you history buffs will scoff at the idea or suggestion but to me it just seemed unnecessary to get a surrender out of a nation that was already beaten.

 

[member 3289]

They were far from beaten, and they weren't going to give up.

The Japanese government went on the radio to instruct the citizens of Japan how to make weapons from kitchen utensils.

We had two choices:

1. Invade Japan and force a surrender
2. Drop the H bombs and force a surrender

We had already suffered heavy casualties in many battles against the Japs, and we were looking at tens of thousands more deaths if we had invaded.

Not wanting to lose that many men with the war in Europe already over, we made the decision that, thankfully, no other country has had to make in the history of humankind.

It may be controversial, and I don't want to sound insensitive to the innocent lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but we did what we had to do.

We didn't start that war, but we made damn sure that we ended it.

 

[EyeAmYuki]

 

[Yossarian]

Because the Japanese did not surrender after the first drop on Hiroshima. The Soviets soon after decided to invade Japanese occipied Manchuria which played a big role in the surrender to the Americans. They were beaten maybe, but they did not plan on surrendering after every man, woman , and child was sacrifiiced. When Manchuria fell, only then the Japanese realized a surrender was inevitable. Of course to the Americans, who were believed to be much kinder than what the Soviets were known for.

 

[member 3289]

My maternal grandfather was stationed in the south Pacific at the time. When there was still deliberation about what the military was going to do, his batallion was told that they would be part of the groups sent to invade Japan if we chose to invade.

Kinda crazy to think but I might not be here today if we hadn't dropped the H bombs.

 

[1031]

They were far from beaten, and they weren't going to give up.

The Japanese government went on the radio to instruct the citizens of Japan how to make weapons from kitchen utensils.

We had two choices:

1. Invade Japan and force a surrender
2. Drop the H bombs and force a surrender

We had already suffered heavy casualties in many battles against the Japs, and we were looking at tens of thousands more deaths if we had invaded.

Not wanting to lose that many men with the war in Europe already over, we made the decision that, thankfully, no other country has had to make in the history of humankind.

It may be controversial, and I don't want to sound insensitive to the innocent lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but we did what we had to do.

We didn't start that war, but we made damn sure that we ended it.

So the Japanese would have rallied after getting fire bombed to hell and set about crossing the Pacific and attacking the US or setting out to invade Australia?

I appreciate the feedback but instructing the citizenry to make homemade weapons doesn't sound the same as drafting them and loading them on transports. I.e. it sounds like they were asking their citizens to anticipate an invasion but my question supposes that wasn't really necessary.

 

[member 3289]

So the Japanese would have rallied after getting fire bombed to hell and set about crossing the Pacific and attacking the US or setting out to invade Australia?

I appreciate the feedback but instructing the citizenry to make homemade weapons doesn't sound the same as drafting them and loading them on transports. I.e. it sounds like they were asking their citizens to anticipate an invasion but my question supposes that wasn't really necessary.

They would have done whatever it took not to lose. As @Yussarian said, they didn't surrender after Hiroshima.

They would have bided their time until they were capable of attacking us again.

They attacked us first. We could not trust China and Russia to ensure that they wouldn't attack us again, something we had to be 100% sure of.

 

[1031]

guys, fellas, gentlemen, I'm not asking why they dropped the bomb instead of invading. My question is why it was necessary to pursue a surrender, i.e. why couldn't they just have said "adios." Was the Japanese military really going to counter attack if it meant having to cross the Pacific to do so? And would that have even been possible?

 

[member 1013]

This documentary will tell you everything you need to know, @blank.

 

[member 3289]

Eventually, yes. They were still a highly militarized country.

The British and the French "just let Hitler be" when he annexed Austria and the Sudetenland. How'd that work out for everyone?

 

[Pitbull9]

They were far from beaten, and they weren't going to give up.

The Japanese government went on the radio to instruct the citizens of Japan how to make weapons from kitchen utensils.

We had two choices:

1. Invade Japan and force a surrender
2. Drop the H bombs and force a surrender

We had already suffered heavy casualties in many battles against the Japs, and we were looking at tens of thousands more deaths if we had invaded.

Not wanting to lose that many men with the war in Europe already over, we made the decision that, thankfully, no other country has had to make in the history of humankind.

It may be controversial, and I don't want to sound insensitive to the innocent lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but we did what we had to do.

We didn't start that war, but we made damn sure that we ended it.

Awesome post

 

[member 1013]

Serious post:

The U.S. also did not want to split Japan with the U.S.S.R .as they had done in Europe and mainland Asia. They figured the Russians were ready to invade and instead of a bloody battle to gain control as much of Japan as they could before it surrendered, they dropped da bomb.

 

[Yossarian]

guys, fellas, gentlemen, I'm not asking why they dropped the bomb instead of invading. My question is why it was necessary to pursue a surrender, i.e. why couldn't they just have said "adios." Was the Japanese military really going to counter attack if it meant having to cross the Pacific to do so? And would that have even been possible?

The almost entire population of Japan was being drafted by Hirohito, to fight to the death. And all that without the presence of uniforms, which would turn civilians into targets for the allies. A surrender was of course needed in order for Japan to rebuilt and to make repairs. Japan occupied Korea, China, Vietnam, Manchuria, Indonesia, etc. and thus it was important that Japan was disarmed and nuetralized before the allied forces turned homeward.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Do you really think the chinese had any say in what tje Japanese did? The Japanese pretty much steamrolled through Asia without a whole lot of resistance. The Russians only declared war on the Japanese after Europe was decided. Would you rather have the asia we have today or a whole continent that looked like eastern Europe?

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

LOL At the H-bomb justification

The Japanese were ready to surrender but no one wanted to tell their living god.

I think merica just wanted to try her toys out.

Ill post some citations to back this up once I get home

 

[member 1013]

Control of the Pacific was also very important to the U.S. Navy.

 

[member 1013]

LOL At the H-bomb justification

The Japanese were ready to surrender but no one wanted to tell their living god.

I think merica just wanted to try her toys out.

Ill post some citations to back this up once I get home

Why do you hate freedom so much?

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

I think the UK perspective on this is funny, you begged us to get involved both times and when we did you say we were late. No way in hell do you have enough European manpower to storm the beaches on your own, if it wasnt for American weapons and manufacturing you wouldnt even have stood a chance. Hell even the King of England wanted to align with the nazis at tne start of WW2 and They only got involved with WW1 because of a treaty with Belgium otherwise they would have stayed out of that as well.

Also all the hate on America but where were your EU partners the Spanish or Portuguese at? How did they manage to be basically persona non grata in these conflicts?

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

Why do you hate freedom so much?

I don't the way Japan carried on during the war its hard to give a fuck haha

But here's some easy reading.

"A Beaten Country

Apart from the moral questions involved, were the atomic bombings militarily necessary? By any rational yardstick, they were not. Japan already had been defeated militarily by June 1945. Almost nothing was left of the once mighty Imperial Navy, and Japan's air force had been all but totally destroyed. Against only token opposition, American war planes ranged at will over the country, and US bombers rained down devastation on her cities, steadily reducing them to rubble."

Was Hiroshima Necessary?

 

[Yossarian]

Serious post:

The U.S. also did not want to split Japan with the U.S.S.R .as they had done in Europe and mainland Asia. They figured the Russians were ready to invade and instead of a bloody battle to gain control as much of Japan as they could before it surrendered, they dropped da bomb.

LOL At the H-bomb justification

The Japanese were ready to surrender but no one wanted to tell their living god.

I think merica just wanted to try her toys out.

Ill post some citations to back this up once I get home

The justification of the H-bomb must be made in the context of the wide-spread use of firebombs, which were equally horrific, yet on a smaller scale. The fire bombs however, would've taken as much victims on a prolonged period of time.

 

[member 1013]

I don't the way Japan carried on during the war its hard to give a fuck haha

But here's some easy reading.

"A Beaten Country

Apart from the moral questions involved, were the atomic bombings militarily necessary? By any rational yardstick, they were not. Japan already had been defeated militarily by June 1945. Almost nothing was left of the once mighty Imperial Navy, and Japan's air force had been all but totally destroyed. Against only token opposition, American war planes ranged at will over the country, and US bombers rained down devastation on her cities, steadily reducing them to rubble."

Was Hiroshima Necessary?

I know all that and I never said it was the right thing to do to drop the bombs... if you are implying so.

Also Freedom Isn't Free

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

The justification of the H-bomb must be made in the context of the wide-spread use of firebombs, which were equally horrific, yet on a smaller scale. The fire bombs however, would've taken as much victims on a prolonged period of time.

Thanks, can you expand on this a little please? Im intrigued and should probably look it up and will but am putting out some fires at work atm.

If not Ill look it up later

Thank you

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

I know all that and I never said it was the right thing to do to drop the bombs... if you are implying so.

Also Freedom Isn't Free

Fucking whatever with this "freedom" bullshit hahaha

Using that term in the context of bombing civilians is just wrong, anywhoo its not like the Japanese were ethical with their treatment of civilians, I know my great grandfather fought them in Malaya and lost an arm doing so.

Fuck em but enough with the freedom shit M8E

 

[member 1013]

Fucking whatever with this "freedom" bullshit hahaha

Using that term in the context of bombing civilians is just wrong, anywhoo its not like the Japanese were ethical with their treatment of civilians, I know my great grandfather fought them in Malaya and lost an arm doing so.

Fuck em but enough with the freedom shit M8E

tee hee!

 

[member 1013]

Fucking whatever with this "freedom" bullshit hahaha

Using that term in the context of bombing civilians is just wrong, anywhoo its not like the Japanese were ethical with their treatment of civilians, I know my great grandfather fought them in Malaya and lost an arm doing so.

Fuck em but enough with the freedom shit M8E

Looks like your grandpa knows freedom isn't free.