Kevin W, I saw your headline and I didn't bother reading your article because I figured you would just say that it was bad to murder all those people, including many Catholics. Then I saw that you actually supported the dropping of the atomic bombs. Did you know that in the past, the Church has opposed the use of crossbows in battle because, unlike swords, they killed indiscriminately? And yet you support nuclear annihilation. What can I say, except you are wrong on this matter.
Like it or not, those two bombs saved the Japanese Race.
My goodness, you are saying that by murdering several hundred thousand people we kept ourselves from killing many millions, therefore it was a good act to murder several hundred thousands. You do understand that we could have murdered zero people and offered reasonable terms for the Japanese to surrender and they would have accepted, instead of forcing them to surrender "unconditionally" or be annihilated. You speak like you believe that only Americans are fully human and other people are little better than animals.
Matto,
I've already cited historical facts illustrating that it was the Japanese themselves who made these cities legitimate military targets, as well as the Bushido Tradition that demanded the fight to the death of every man, woman and child. Either that, or the parents would kill the children, then themselves. The Japanese proved that fact at both Okinawa and Saipan.
If you can cite facts that show me to be wrong, then I invite you to please cite them.
If you want to blame anyone... blame the Japanese. I ask (yet again), why did it take TWO atomic bombs? You'd think they would have gotten the message after #1 was dropped. Obviously, the peace loving Japanese Empire didn't get that particular memo.
Let's put Pearl Harbor off to the side for the moment. It was The Japanese Empire that showed absolute barbarity. Would you care to discuss the Manila Massacre (100,000 civilians dead), the Rape of Nanking (400,000 civilains dead), the slaughter of the Allied POWs (death rates as high as 50%+ in many POW Camps). Please keep in mind that the examples I just gave were of zero military significance, unlike Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
BTW, I haven't injected even the slightest hint of racism, yet you and one other have accused me of such.
If you both want to disagree with me... then fine. But like many others that have disagreed with me in the past, instead of showing evidence of where I may be wrong, it's easier to accuse me of being a racist. (BTW, I'm mixed race.)
You two aren't Democrats, are you?