Truman's Correct Call

Fire of Liberty

If your like me, you probably were a little bit disappointed this weekend to see the way the MSM covered the 60th Anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. On almost everything I saw, with the rare exception of some shows on the History Channel, shows that focused more on the devastation wreaked on the Japanese and no reasoning behind the bombing or how the Japanese Empire were bound and determined to fight to the last man. Now, while I'm no fan of using nuclear weapons against our enemies, I cannot find fault with President Truman's decision to drop the bomb because it was one of the most fundamental decisions that led to the end of the deadly fighting of WWII. Even though millions of people feel the same about such a decision, you can be assured that a future generation of young people are being taught very little about WWII and the only thing they do learn is that FDR locked up countless Americans of Japanese descent in interment camps and Truman dropped the A-Bomb thus killings countless innocent civilians. What we can say is that William Tecumseh Sherman's adage "War is Hell," is pretty much a true sentiment.

Though I could wax eloquently the various arguments supporting Truman's decision to drop the bomb, I'll let you read what the experts have to say.

1. Here's a great piece in The Weekly Standard by Richard B. Frank, a historian of WWII, and author of Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. If you want to consult one of the best experts on the moves being taken by the Japanese and US in the months and weeks leading up to this monumental decision then Richard B. Frank is the one to see.

2.Here's a good one by Austin Bay, a syndicated columnist and a Major in the US Army Reserves. It's always good to read something by a soldier who has been in the "stuff" in Iraq and Afghanistan and knows how important it is for the leadership in our military to find solutions that put our soldiers in the least harm, even if it's via the use of the A-Bomb.

3.Here's a wonderful piece by the impeccable Victor Davis Hanson, who always finds a way to cut to the chase of an argument. I'd have to say that he's out-done himself once again. For more on Hanson's wonderful writing and a look at what our soldiers faced everyday against the Japanese, check out his book Ripples of Battle : How Wars of the Past Still Determine How We Fight, How We Live, and How We Think. After reading this, you'll see what added to Truman's decision.

4.Check out this piece by Max Boot. As always, Boot seems to find a way to weave the argument of WWII into today's narrative.

5.Finally, check out this great piece in the The Guardian by Max Hastings, author of Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45. If you want to read something written by a crotchety historian who looks at things from all perspectives then Hastings is the person to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope you will as well.

Anyway, check out these articles and learn the truth behind this important but decisive decision.