[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

On a separate note, we would still be better off had nukes never been invented at all. WMD's will end this world eventually, that's inevitable. Not really relevant to this discussion though because that cat was already out of the bag; SOME ONE was going to use them.

Oppenheimer agrees... and so do I.

Originally Posted by Dezzy

It was cowardly and it was an atrocity. Nothing can justify the fact that America targeted and murdered 200,000 civilians and left many more injured and suffering disease bought on by the bombs.

The regime in charge of Japan was cruel and needed to be stopped but the murder of civilians is never justified. How many military personnel actually died in those strikes? I'm guessing not many. It was a bloodthirsty and vengeful act that wasn't done in the interest of ending a war quickly but done in bloodlust.

It's indefensible.

How many civilians died at Nanking? Where's the thread calling the Japanese cowards - which they were, without a doubt. How many civilians died in the Blitz? Where's the thread calling that an atrocity? I'm sorry Dezzy, but if those are your real feelings about this I would say, with respect, you really need to look at WW2 a little closer, in particular the Japanese part in it. And also ask yourself... had Japan had the bomb, would they have used it? And if you answer answer honestly your answer will be yes, undoubtedly they would.

Warfare involving only military personnel ended a century ago. Everyone fights a war now. And in WW2 the whole population of countries contributed to their country's war effort and all were targets. I don't say that's right or just, I say it's how it is.