jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com> said: jb> At 04:12 AM 2/17/96 GMT, John C. Randolph wrote:

...

I also consider myself a hard-line libertarian, and I'm not going to second guess Truman on the use of the bomb. His duty was to save American and allied lives. He had no duty whatsoever to limit the destruction that was visited upon the japanese mainland, particularly in view of the fact that Japan's war against the United States of America began in an unprovoked, suprise attack.

Japan suffered for allowing their government to run amok. So did Germany. Germans who were paying attention during the thirties fled their country, and those who were unfortunate enough to be trapped, and yet still loved freedom, became members of an anti-NAZI underground.

Japan, Germany, Italy, and other countries like Iraq, where people place obedience to their leaders above their own moral responsiblity, will suffer mass destruction. Think of it as evolution in action. -jcr

jb> On the other hand, there may be an alternative... And that alternative was killing many hundreds of thousands of people, Americans and Japanese, military and civilians, in an invasion of Japan. Have you looked at how many Japanese soldiers fought to the death while the US was 'island hopping' toward Japan? Do you think that they would have been less willing to fight to the death when it was the home islands themselves? Especially since many of the military leaders were arguing against surrender after the _second_ bomb was dropped? Sorry, but 'war is hell'. -- #include <disclaimer.h> /* Sten Drescher */ Unsolicited email advertisements will be proofread for a US$100/page fee.