one more comment then I’m out…

Perhaps rollzone is of Japanese descent.  His father or grandfather may have been a Japanese soldier holed up on some godforsaken island that was about to be fought over with Americans.

Perhaps, the dropping of the bomb allowed his father or grandfather to leave that island and return to Japan after the war to raise a family. It might not have happened had the Japanese continued to fight for that little island.

@Peetawonkus, you’re a funny man…

@EJH

I’m not sure we can have an intelligent conversation on this issue.  I think we’re talking about two different things.

You want the conversation to center around atonement for you consider American war crimes.

I want the conversation to center around how humans can change their behavior.

As an American, I’m always willing to entertain a rational discussion on any subject.  But you would have to admit that it’s difficult to hold these types of conservations when one side isn’t willing to see the larger picture as your currently doing.

More importantly, I’m wondering where you came to the conclusion that the conversation wasn’t going my way.  My conversation was going the way I wanted it to…I think you’re the one who didn’t like what I was saying.

It is only because hundreds of thousands died in the Hittite-Egyptian wars of 1300 B.C.E. that I am here today. And I am here to tell you: it was all worth it. Anytime, anywhere in history mass murder justifies my existence, I’m all for it.

rollzone - Frankly, I have no idea what you are
talking about.  I did find one part of your stream of
consciousness interesting, though.

“because we used atomic weapons to incinerate
hundreds of thousands of civilians in Japan, i am
here today.”

Strangely, I have heard this said by other Americans
as well.  I have never understood how instantaneously
murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians
in a country on the opposite side of the planet could
have played much of a role in making your existence
possible.  I guess we can see how some people can sit
in Cleveland or Phoenix and truly fear “international
terrorism”.

Also, assuming that those hundreds of thousands died
so you could live, would a person as compassionate as
you claim to be really believe that hundreds of
thousands of lives in exchange for one is a fair
deal?  Of course, the ones murdered in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki were Japanese and you, I presume, are
American and we all know how Americans feel about
body counts. 

Honestly, your comment did not make any sense at all
and the only reason I am responding is because I know
there are many other Americans who think like you do
about the value of non-American (or non-white) lives.
http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/

hello. because we used atomic weapons to incinerate hundreds of thousands of civilians in Japan, i am here today. i have compassion for more people on this earth than you will ever be able to even imagine. perhaps had this happened today: it would end all wars. it is difficult to forecast the outcome; with all the belief in the triggering effect. the decimating horrors, in 3d, on plasma screens -could be soul determining. we only know that after the war, many insane people got their way with our military. it could not be helped. now the next big thing, could make nuclear weaponry look like a pimple striking the globe. it could obliterate a big part of a continent. not using it is as much the question, as these atomic strikes back then. they sent an indisputable statement about the new state of reality. by the way, the Japanese did lie to us: right up to a couple hours into the bombing of Pearl Harbor. it was a world war, and the statement we made was the right one.

Blame is not the issue.  Taking responsibility is. 
The Americans continue to try to justify their war
crime and, more significantly, they continue to
commit them. 

The whole Hiroshima discussion would be much more
constructive if we could move past the American self-
serving, nonsensical and propagandistic idea that
murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians
helped end the war when it is a well-documented fact
that the Japanese leaders had already made it clear
that they were prepared to surrender.

Intelligent, open-minded discussions of the horrors
of the atomic atrocities in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
will not be “the cause for a lot of wars” as your
twisted logic suggests.

I hope I am not being presumptuous in guessing that
you may be American.  Your comment essentially says
what Americans seem always to say when a discussion
does not go their way: “Just shut up!”
http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/

@EJH

I regurgitated only some of the propaganda in order to make a larger point - poorly I admit.

So let me dumb it down for you -

War is immoral.  But humans do it and they do bad things to one another when their fighting wars.  WW2 especially.

Assigning blame to those who did the worst stuff is an exercise in futility and quite often is the cause for a lot of wars.

Now quit trying to pick a fight.

deecue - Thank you for regurgitating some of the
official American propaganda regarding their greatest
war crimes.  Aside from the inherent inhumanity of
creating and using a bomb to murder hundreds of
thousands of innocent civilians, the other reason
your argument does not work is that the Japanese were
already trying to surrender before August 6th, 1945. 
The Americans ignored them because they wanted to use
the bombs.  Please read John Dower’s War Without
Mercy to better understand the racism behind this
decision (and also to learn about the Japanese racist
wartime attitudes toward Americans).  And also please
try not to be so gullible when dealing with American
propaganda. http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/

squash

morning sickness remedies

Wow this movie will be great! This tragic movie will definitely be a hit. I’ll surely wait for this!

Our government has a particularly insane concept that they have used since the misnamed Civil War: “unconditional surrender.”

This is an obviously macho term intended to play well with the drooling pro-war side in home politics. But in fact, it makes no sense.

So, if I am to surrender “without conditions,” what precisely does that mean? That I have to let you kill my senior officers and rape any civilian of your choice?

Actually, the Japanese got the same conditions AFTER the criminal nuking of Hiroshima that they were bargaining for before: mainly that the Emperor would be untouched.

Had we simply pursued negotiations in July and August 1945, we likely would have gotten the same deal we got after roasting alive a hundred thousand innocent civilians.

This, I submit, was sheer criminality. As Curtis LeMay, the insanely evil air force leader said—had we lost the war, our own political leaders would have been brought up successfully on war crime charges.

It is a terrifying thought that we as a nation are responsible for the worst crimes ever commited against mankind. Not the Nazis, nor Stalin, nor Genghis Khan or his son…. no our parents generation, the so called Greatest Generation.. Greatest War Criminals in human history

Perhaps the most significant step toward world understanding would be if the US were to admit deep regret and sorrow for inventing and using (not once, but twice) the A bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If, at the same time, the US could find it within its foresight and ability to promise to destroy all its remaining nuclear weapons, cease production of new ones, and work with other nuclear nations to do the same, the entire world could heave a sigh of relief.  It’s confidence in us would be renewed and our own filthy consciences would be to a great extent unburdoned. It is doubtful that we can ever again be trusted by anyone until we swallow our false pride, admit what was a colossal error, and
take concrete steps toward making a repetition impossible.

My libertarian, non-interventionist view:

I hope the film is well-made, and I hope it shows America’s nuclear attacks on Japan for what they were: the two worst war crimes ever committed. America needs to have this discussion and this lesson.

Japan, in August 1945, was a defeated enemy. Her ability to conduct war had been smashed. She was willing to discuss terms of surrender.

But the war criminal Truman had his new toy, and he just HAD to try it out. On defenseless civilians.

Go, James Cameron!

rollzone - “Who cares about the Hiroshima exit” you
ask?  Anyone who cares that America committed the
world’s greatest single crime against humanity on
August 6, 1945 and has ever since been acting as if it
is possible to justify such an atrocity. 
http:/theunpeople.blogspot.com/

hello. it always seems that when these successful types make a boatload of money: they retire. it was so much work, such a huge undertaking, i had to literally give my left nut to the project, ... they just can not do it again. pet projects aside: you have accomplished a work formula, that produces what the public wants- and in your own mind you convince yourself you can not possibly start another similar project again. maybe after something easier: and then they never can get the formula quite right again. OK, fine, congratulations on your glorious achievement: now retire and spare us any hope you will do it again. who cares about the Hiroshima exit? i won’t pay to go see it. Go Away. i doubt you will ever be able to produce a mainstream blockbuster again. i bet against it.