General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A-bombs taught U.S. how to justify attacks abroad [View all]LS_Editor
(893 posts)Prior to our use of the atomic bomb. And those raids killed more civilians, who were the ultimate losers of World War Il. It was already okay.
Bombing civilians was already being done comfortably. Also, consider the fatcs an American invasion of the Japanese home islands would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of American casualties, and Russia was mobilizing to take Japanese territory ànd create another Cold War arena.
America needed the war over, and Truman knew if he sent in grounds troops every Japanese civilian would resist and drag the conflict on. And when Americans found out he could've just used the bomb, they would have crucified him. A significant delay of Japan's surrender may also have allowed Russia to make a move on the Japanese home islands.
Not saying using the bomb was not a war crime. Simply stating the U.S. had already established bombing civilians was okay. And the Japanese resolve to continue fighting was so strong the Japanese did not surrender after the first atomic bomb, and almost didn't after the second bomb.