Atomic Bombing of Japan
Did the americans bomb japan because it was revenge from the suprise attack at Pearl Harbour?
The point of the atomic bombs was a calculated mathematical decision. With invasion, and because of the Samurai code, it was estimated that the losses for the USA forces were in the neighborhood of 100,000 men. The losses for Japan and its citizens were estimated in the 2 million range. Now, you "may believe" that these numbers are high and cutting them in half would be more appropriate.
OK, I'll play with you. USA losses 50,000 and Japanese losses 1 million. The result of the atomic bombs were zero (0) losses for the USA and the two bombs produced a total of about 300,000 japanese losses.
Well, increasingly, the secondary role of the bombs as a deterrant to Stalin has become more and more clear; yes, they forced the Japanese to surrender and avoid either a horrific Home Islands invasion campaign that would have killed millions or the alternative strategy of a blockade and campaign to force the Japanese civilians to overthrow the government or face mass deaths by starvation ( and , as we saw in Iraq from 1991 to 2003, sanctions and depravation of the public usually do nothing to bring about the overthrow of a military ruling party).
However, and ultimately more importantly, the bombs showed Stalin, albeit without an overt threat from the West, what could be the Soviets fate, should they continue their opportunistic land grab in 1945...
Did Pearl Harbour have a bearing on the decision? Most likely it strengthened our resolve to carry on total war, but that resolve was also seen in the events leading up to the nuclear attacks with Midway and the island hopping campaign.
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