Re: [Marxism] J. Robert Oppenheimer documentary to air on PBS tonight

[David Walters <dwaltersmia@xxxxxxxxx>]

J. Walker Samual's first version of his book was the last one I read on
this. He subsequently came out with another one with new archival data but I
don't know the thrust of this. The book I think was called "Destruction:
Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan". I don't have the book
now, so I can't give HIS citation which is what one wants. But the general
staff aspect of this can be deduced from *any* history of the Pacific War.
Most of the new archivial stuff has information on Swedish parely attempts.

The best book I read on this is "Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45"
by British historian Max Hastings. I read it quite a long time ago and he
makes the case also* *against* the atomic bombing but points out that an
actual invsasion was in the works, the issue of course was negotiating the
"Emperor" status which, after surrender, the US continued to "allow".

I reject the 'method' that says "The US should't of bombed Hiroshima or
Nagasaki because the Japanese were going to surrender". Besides actually
proving this being rather difficult, the issue is the method...so that if
one argues that that the Japanese would NOT surrender, then somehow the
A-bombing is somehow justified? The atomic bombing should be rejected
instrinsically, but making the Japanese out to be on their last legs doesn't
have to flow *factually* from that first assesement.

The US was plannng an invasion...about 10 times the size of D-Day. Planning
never stopped nor is there any evidence that the US started demobilizing for
such an invasion until it was clear the US Army now had a workable nuke. I
don't believe from all the stuff I've read that the US would of easily
rolled over the "remnents" of the Japanese army as eaily as some argue.

The problem with the historicagraphy of all this is the game playing
historians do to either justify using atomic weapons or condeming their use.
The above two historians seem to not to play these games, from remembering
this stuff.

David
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