“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to Ogata Taketora on January 9, 1942.
Rev. Billy Ray Sunday
President Harry S. Truman the Man Who Brought Peace by Ending WWII
<chrisTwire> During the final stages of World War II in 1945 President Harry S. Truman, one of America’s greatest leaders, faced a costly long drawn out land war on Japanese soil. America’s Allies stood ready for the invasion; though the war had ended in Europe with the fall of Berlin and Nazi Germany, the war in the Pacific raged on.
The United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the Republic of China called for the peaceful surrender of Japan to end the war; otherwise the Allied nations threatening “prompt and utter destruction,” should Japan refuse. The Japanese government ignored this ultimatum and opted instead for war.
Throughout history the Japanese had always been a brutal war mongering nation so it’s decision for continued bloodshed is one that came as no surprise to the leaders of the free world. In fact it was Japan who dragged the US into the war with their unjustified attack on innocent men, women and children as well as the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
The US had stayed out of the war, being a peaceful nation America’s leaders gallantly sought a peaceful resolution to end WWII, but the Japs would have none of it. After the massacre of Pearl Harbor the US entered the war; and it was the US who would bring WWII to an end.
President Harry S. Truman now faced a bloody Allied invasion of Japan which would serve only to extend WWII longer as the Japanese wanted. President Truman received US intelligence reports indicating Japan’s atomic bomb program was just days away from completing its first bomb, it’s target was the United States.
President Truman had a number of options available to him; none good. Weighing the invasion of Japan and extending WWII for a longer time and the bloody causalities of soldiers and civilians from every country that extending the war would cost, the President struggled with the atomic option, knowing if he dropped the bomb on Japan he could save untold numbers of lives and believed it would force Japan to surrender and bring a quick end to the war.
On the other hand no government in history had ever employed an atomic weapon before, or any other weapon that would cause the death and devastation of so many. And while that offered a horrific solution to end the war, extending the war would’ve certainly resulted in far more causalities then dropping the bomb.
America’s Atomic Bomb was the First of Two Dropped on the Japanese War-Nation that Brought Peace
On August 7, 1945 the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on President Truman’s order. Hiroshima was a strategic military target and after Japan witnessed for itself the almighty destructive power of the U.S., America and the Allied nations turned again to Japan extending the olive branch of peace. Emperor Hirohito was given the chance for a peaceful end to the war which offered the Japanese people a humane way out with their surrender.
The Imperial Japanese responded publicly with the stubborn arrogance Hirohito was known for. Japan stated it was their intent to fight on to the bitter end and no surrender or peace would be had. Hirohito whose ego had led Japan to many successful victories in the Pacific including the attack on Pearl Harbor had now became the greatest liability to the Japanese people and the future of Japan.
Hirohito was willing to gamble the fate of Japan and its people on bad intelligence. He’d got word that the Allies were bluffing and believed the US did not have a second atomic bomb in it’s arsenal. Assuming the threat of a second atomic bomb drop was a hollowed threat the US could not carry out, Hirohito shamelessly refused to end the war. This would be a decision that would cost the Japanese people a terrible toll.
After the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8, 1945 they invaded Japan shortly after midnight on August 9, 1945. President Truman knew extending the war would produce far more causalities on all sides then the number of people who would be killed by dropping a second atomic bomb on Japan. At least twice Japan was presented with options to end the war, but Japan wanted war and made the decision to fight.
Nagasaki like Hiroshima was another major military production center for Japan’s war effort which is why the US targeted that city for the second drop. President Truman gave the order, knowing his choice was the better of two evils. On August 9, 1945 the second atomic bomb “Fat Boy” delivered its spectacular payload over Hiroshima forcing the warlike heathen Japs to their knees in utter shame to surrender. WWII was finally over.
Peace Loving Americans on VJ Day in Times Square Celebrating the End of WWII
Truman’s decision saved the lives of soldiers from every nation who stood ready to invade Japan. It was also the most humane option available, and his decision saved the lives of an untold number of Japanese people. The number of lives Truman saved with this decision is incalculable, but America prevailed and peace would finally come to so many war torn and devastated nations.
People Everywhere Celebrated Japan’s Surrender and America’s Victory Restoring Peace Worldwide
Emperor Hirohito realized the damage he’d done to his own people and country just to inflate his already enormous ego. It was a high price the Japanese people paid for being a brutal warlike nation. In the end history has proven out time and time again that Truman’s decision to destroy these two large Japanese military production complexes’ at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the right choice.
Londoner’s Wave the U.S. Flag of Peace When the End of WWII Was Announced
It brought an end to Japan’s disgraced War-Emperor and it saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Sometimes peace comes at a high price. Today in recognition of the 67th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Americans are celebrating the memory of a great man and the difficult decision he made in 1945 that saved so many lives.
Today 67 Years Ago the U.S. and Allied Forces Brought the Imperialistic Japs to Their Knees Restoring Peace to the World