>:(

Another argument for the bombings I came across - Japan had a kill order for all 100000 or so POWs in their camps. Had we not finished the Japs then and there, it is almost universally believed by the POWs and others that they would have all died.

This was to happen if any invasion attempt were to be made. An invasion could have been avoided of Japan anyway. One of those generals had a great solution still using the bomb, using it on that forest composed of large trees.

Edited 8/2/2016 11:25:20

It's better than chopping it in two and handing it to dictators hell bent on conquering the other side, which would result in more than two million deaths and a possible chance of nuclear holocaust. Note, this wouldn't have to be permanent and the US could later start separating Japan from Korea, and Japan could be forced to decolonize it.

It would mean the continued exploitation of resources and the people, and the Korean War was inevitable in any case unless it could somehow remain part of Japan until the 1990s, when the Soviet Union fell.

Okinawa was occupied by the USA for almost 30 years, and it was part of Japan from a long time before World War 2. Also, Okinawans actually want to be part of Japan, unlike Koreans.

It would mean the continued exploitation of resources and the people, and the Korean War was inevitable in any case unless it could somehow remain part of Japan until the 1990s, when the Soviet Union fell.

All governments exploit people in their country, and the Korean War was not inevitable, since a united Korea couldn't war itself. I might be wrong here, but Stalin agreed with FDR to have Korea be a independent entity, but Truman came and mucked it up, so in any case, it could remain only nominally under Japan for a while, maybe only a few years.

Okinawa was occupied by the USA for almost 30 years, and it was part of Japan from a long time before World War 2. Also, Okinawans actually want to be part of Japan, unlike Koreans.

Yes, you could probably consider Okinawa to be somewhat of a US colony, but they still followed Japan's laws and were taxed by them. Also, India had been apart of Britain for even longer than Okinawa was apart of Japan, but I guess that is harder to compare considering India couldn't really be as well Britainized as Okinawa Nipponized.

Edited 8/3/2016 05:12:12

All governments exploit people in their country, and the Korean War was not inevitable, since a united Korea couldn't war itself. I might be wrong here, but Stalin agreed with FDR to have Korea be a independent entity, but Truman came and mucked it up, so in any case, it could remain only nominally under Japan for a while, maybe only a few years.

Japan went far beyond mere exploitation, they attempted to eliminate Korean culture, like I've already said. If you think a country can't war itself then guess you've never heard of a civil war. There were plenty of communists in Korea, especially in the north, and I'm guessing they wouldn't be thrilled with living in a united capitalist country.

Japan committed terrible acts in Korea and almost all of East Asia, allowing them to keep territory from their brutal imperialism would be unacceptable. The atomic bombs were good not because of revenge, but because it at least allowed for Korea to retain its own identity.

If you think a country can't war itself then guess you've never heard of a civil war. There were plenty of communists in Korea, especially in the north, and I'm guessing they wouldn't be thrilled with living in a united capitalist country.

A United Korea would be preferably a democratic state, where these things can be handled more or less in parliament. Worst case scenario is a Syngman Rhee though, and in that case, there most definitely is a chance of communist uprisings.

Japan committed terrible acts in Korea and almost all of East Asia, allowing them to keep territory from their brutal imperialism would be unacceptable

Letting them keep territory nominally for a small time is better than extending a war killing millions.

The atomic bombs were good not because of revenge, but because it at least allowed for Korea to retain its own identity.

Korean culture lasted 45 years under Japan and was not extinguished. It could last 5 more under a Japan directed by America.