*** World War II Japan ending the war Japanese strategy bleed the Americans








World War II: Dropping the Bombs (August 6 and 10)

dropping the atomic bombs
Figure 1.--Here a teenage boy carriesbhis injured baby brother outside a first aid station on the day after the Nagasaki bombing. The photograph was taken by Yosuke Yamahata, a military photographer. He produced the only photographic record in the immediate aftermath of the bombing. None were produced in Hiroshim. President Truman has been criticised for usding the atomic bomb and even more so for using it twice. Pictures like this are very moving. Of course what we do not have is pictures of the 20 million victims of Japanesee aggression in China alone, vastly more than the 1 million Japanese civilians. What is poorly undersood is that the conventiionl bombing of Tokyo was more devestating than either of the two atomic bombs. The Nagasaki bomb was necessary because the Japanese did not surrender after the Hiroshinma bomb. The Japanese military assured the Emperor that prooducung the atomic bomb was so difficult, that the Americans would take months to procuce a second bomb. The Nagasski bomb destroyed finally destrioyed all credability the military still had, giving the Emperor the ability to finally overide the Army's desire to fight the war out to the end regardless of civilian casualties.

I am convinced that the Americans had only one bomb, after all.

Gen. Korechika Anami, immediately after the drop of Little Boy over Hiroshima (August 7, 1945)

The United States using the hard-won bases in the Marianas and the new long-range B-29 Flying Fortresses dropped two atomic bombs on Japan (August 6 and 9, 1945). First came Hiroshima. It was not unusual for single B-29s to appear over Jaopnese cities. Single planes were not sent on bombing missions. City residents in Hiroshima noting the planes in the clear summer sky thought they were weather planes or other single planes on some kind of special non-threatening mission. The 'Enola Gay' dropped the Little Boy uranium bomb on Hiroshima (August 6). The Japanese were totally unprepared and at first had no idea what had ocurred. Except for a hanfull of nuclear scientists and Soviet spies, no one in Japan or America had any idea what an atomic bomb was. The War Party in the War Cabinet denied the reports that the blast was atomic despite the reports that it was a sinle bomb an an enitre city had been destroyed. Japan had its own atomic program which had cinckuded that while an atomic bomb was feasible, it could not be built within the time frame of the War. The primary limiting fctor was producing the needed fissile material. The War Party insisted on dipatching Japan's primier nuclear physicist, Yoshio Nishina, to investigate. Nishina headed a team of scientists to confirm whether or not Hiroshima had been destroyed by an atomic bomb. After taking physical measurements, he cabeled Tokyo confirmed the articles appearing in American newspapers (August 8). [L'Annunziata, p. 235.] Army commanders assured the Emperor, however, that the process of producing fissile mateial was so difficult that even the Americans could not possibly have another bomb to drop. The Americans dropped a second bomb the following day. 'Box Car' dropped the Fat Man plutonium bomb on Nagasaki (August 9). The Nakasaki bomb not only destroyed Nagasaki to what was left of the creditability of ther War Party with the Emperor. There was now no reason for the Japanese after the Nagasaki bombing to think thst the Allies did not possess any more atomic bombs. It is true, as Groves puts it, "Actually there were no more bombs ready to go, but more could have been assembled in relatively short order as the fissionable material was available." Gen. Groves later wrote, "Our entire organization both at Los Alamos and at Tinian was maintained in a state of complete readiness to prepare additional bombs." In the process, the world entered the nuclear age. The results were catrosrophic. Both cities were instantly devastated--because of topgraphy, Hiroshima anf Nagasaki. What had taken thousands of planes and million of bombs and at great cost over several years in Europe was accomplished by two planes in an instant--the destruction of entire cities. Two cities were largely leveled and countless souls simply incinerated. In some cases all that was left was a shadow burned into concrete. Many of the survivirs were badly burned. The human tragedies are heart rending. There are many factual accounts. Many fiction writers have also addressed the cataclism. One particularly moving fiction account was about Emikio Amai age 6. "One morning toward the end of the summer they burned away my face. my little brother and I were playing on the bank of the river." [Bock]

August 6

The United States using the hard-won bases in the Marianas and the new long-range B-29 Flying Fortresses dropped two atomic bombs on Japan (August 6 and 9, 1945). First came Hiroshima. It was not unusual for single B-29s to appear over Jaopnese cities. Single planes were not sent on bombing missions. City residents in Hiroshima noting the planes in the clear summer sky thought they were weather planes or other single planes on some kind of special non-threatening mission. The 'Enola Gay' dropped the Little Boy uranium bomb on Hiroshima (August 6). The Japanese were totally unprepared and at first had no idea what had ocurred. Except for a handfull of nuclear scientists and Soviet spies, no one in Japan or America had any idea what an atomic bomb was.

August 7

The War Party in the War Cabinert denied the reports that the blast was atomic despite the reports that it was a sinle bomb an an enitre city had been destroyed. Japan had its own atomic program which had concluded that while an atomic bomb was feasible, it could not be built within the time frame of the War. The primary limiting fctor was producing the needed fissile material. The War Party insisted on dipatching Japan's primier nuclear physicist, Yoshio Nishina, to investigate. Nishina headed a team of scientists to confirm whether or not Hiroshima had been destroyed by an atomic bomb.

August 8

Japanese pysicist Yoshio Nishina after taking physical measurements, cabeled Tokyo confirmed the articles appearing in American newspapers (August 8). [L'Annunziata, p. 235.] Army commanders assured the Emperor, however, that the process of producing fissile mateial was so difficult that even the Americans could not possibly have another bomb to drop. The Americans would drop a second bomb the following day. Meanwhile the war continued. With Japamese officials showing no intertest in ending the War, and favotable wrather conditions over Kyushu, the Americans sent 245 B-29s against Yawata in norther Kyushu--an imprtant steel producing city. More than a fifth of the city was destroyed. Even more imprtantly, the Soviet Union, 2 days after the first atomic bomb was dropped, entered the war against Japan by invading Manchuko (August 8). Soviet armies rapidly swept through Manchuria, destroying the Japanese armies there. Some authors believe that the success of the Soviets in Manchuria and the inability of the Japanese army to resist them, had more of an impact on the Japanese military than the two atomic bombs. One factor that we are not yet sure about is why Japanese resistance in Manchuria colapsed so quickly and why the Japanese military commanders were willing to surrender to the Soviets, but unwilling to surrender to the Americans in Okinawa or the Philippines. The Japanese that surrendered to the Soviets spent years in the Gullag. They were used for years in construction projects in Siberia and Central Asia. [Solzhenitsyn, p. 84.] Only about half survived and ever returned to Japan. While the Potsdam Declaration had no impact on the Japanese War Cabinet, the atomic bomb did. Foreign Minister Togo met with the Emperor and advised him to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The Emperor concurred and told Togo to infiorm Preime-Minister Suzuki than in light of the new American, Japan was powerless to respond. And that he wanted the War ended as soon as possible. (On this and several other occassions when discussing the end of the War, the Emperor always referred to the bombs and not the Soviet invasion.) As a result, Susuki called an emrrgency meeting of the War Cabinet. One of the Big Six (a War Party memer) claimed he had 'more pressing business'. The meeting had to be delayed a day. [Barrett] Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Japanese Ambassador Naotake Satō that the Soviet Union declared war on Japan (August 8). And the War would begin August 9. [Soviet Declaration] There was no advance warning, but an experienced diplomat like Satō mustv have known that this was a real mpossibility.

August 9

'Box Car' dropped the Fat Man plutonium bomb on Nagasaki (August 9). The Nakasaki bomb not only destroyed Nagasaki to what was left of the creditability of ther War Party with the Emperor. There was now no reason for the Japanese after the Nagasaki bombing to think that the Allies did not possess any more atomic bombs. It is true, as Groves puts it, "Actually there were no more bombs ready to go, but more could have been assembled in relatively short order as the fissionable material was available." Gen. Groves later wrote, "Our entire organization both at Los Alamos and at Tinian was maintained in a state of complete readiness to prepare additional bombs." In the process, the world entered the nuclear age. Vuirtually at the same time, the Soviets launched three massive assaults simultaneously on three fronts to the east, west and north of Manchuria (August 9). [Maurer, p. 238.] The Kwantung Army in Manchuko had been one of the major formations in the Japnese Army, able to overwheam the Chinese forces it faced (1930s). Even in 1939, however it was no match for Red Army it faced (1939). The situation by 1945 was considerably changed. The Japanes had drawn down to fight the Pavific War and finally to build up forces on the Home Islnds to resist the American invasion. As a result the missiomn of the Kswantung Army was change to conducting a fighting withdrawl northern Korea (May 1945). [Barrett] The Soviets in contrast with the war in Europe won, moved massive forces east to deal with the Japanese. In this deteriorating situation, the War Caninet met. The War Party continued to insist that the American could not possibly have a second bomb. Adm Toyoda insist even the United States could not ptoduce the fissile msterial. [Barrett] Then news arrived of Nagasaki. A shaken aide handed the report to Suzuki (about 1:00 pm). The Big Six were stunned, but no one changed their position. Then there was further bad news from Manchuko, although the collapse of the Kantung Army was noy yet apparent. Still the War Party was adament. Toyoda did not chnge his mind. Gen. Torahiro Kawabe was not one of the Bif Sux, but sunnaruzes the generak attitude of the Army recals the meerting in his diary, Soviets finally started this morminh. My estimate was wrong. However, now that things have come to this end, we can give no thought of peace." The War Party (Anami, Umezu, and Toyoda) despite all the terrinle newd remain dso confident in the Ketsugo Plan (basically blooding the Americans) that they resist surrender. This meant a three to three stalemate anong the Big Six. The Peace Party was willing to submit to unconditional surrender, with the sole condition of the prservation of the Imperial System. The War Party were still wanted to fighting the decisive battle in Japanese soil. To emd the war hey demsnded preservtion of the iperial system, control over war crimes, no or very limited occupation, and control ovrr disarmaent. Adm. Toyoda point out that Ketdugo mau noprove useless. The Americans may dsimoly stand off and continued unleasing their atomic bombs. In America, seeing no sgn of Japan surrendring, Gen. Marhall wanted futther bombs to be stockpiled and used to support the invasion. [Barrett] He also asks Gen. MxArthur in charge of the invasion of itsas still viable. MacArthur tells him that it was. Togo and Suzuki seeing no way out of the War Cabinet take the unoprecendent step of inoling an Imperial Conference. It was clear to them that only the Emperor could break the deadlock. If the atom bombs and Soviet entry into the War was not going to chnge the minds of the War Party, nothing was going go do it. Soiviet entry into the WSar wa the excuse for invoking the Imperial Conference.

August 10

The Imperian Conference was critical because it meant that the Emoeror could express his opinion on an openn qyestion. This was the first time in the Pacific War that he had this opportunity. Until this the Emperor was presented with a decison taken by the miliy=tat and could only say yes or no. Now he would actuallky have the opportunity to exoress an opinion on an open question. And thus in the early morning. the Emperor exresses his opinion that the war had to be ended. It is unclear if the War Party was prepared for this. The Emperor set onlt two condition: 1) the preservation of the Imperil System 2) "... with the understnding tht the said declration [Potsdam] does not compromise any demand which prejudices the perogatives of His Majesty as a Soverign Ruler." The Emperor's peace off reaches Washington a few hours later. The Americans propooses a counterr offer. Two of these prohibitonss nearly put an end to the an actual peace agreement. Military photographer Yosuke Yamahata produced the only photographic record in the immediate aftermath of the bombing (figure 1). None were priduced in Hiroshim.

Remembering the Victims

The results were catrosrophic. Both cities were instantly devastated--because of topgraphy, Hiroshima anf Nagasaki. What had taken thousands of planes and million of bombs and at great cost over several years in Europe was accomplished by two planes in an instant--the destruction of entire cities. Two cities were largely leveled and countless souls simply incinerated. In some cases all that was left was a shadow burned into concrete. Many of the survivirs were badly burned. The human tragedies are heart rending. There are many factual accounts. Many fiction writers have also addressed the cataclism. One particularly moving fiction account was about Emikio Amai age 6. "One morning toward the end of the summer they burned away my face. my little brother and I were playing on the bank of the river." [Bock] This is how the Japanese view rhe two atomic bombs. And the very tasteful menorials have been built in the two cities to remember the Japanese people lost. And the Japanese have done that beautifully. They are in perfect keeping with how the Japanese want to remenber the War--and the victims. There is one very notable aspect missing at both memorias--why the Americams dropped the bombs. The thousands of Japanese school children that visit these memorials lace with a knwldefe of ewhat happened when the bombs dropped, but no idea why th Americans dropped the bomb on whay they assume was their quiet, peaceful people. Nor is there any effort to rember the 20 million people killed by Japan in thd Wae, molstly fellowe Asians who were actually living quiet peacful lives.

Sources

Barrett, David Dean. 140 Days to Hiroshima.

Bock, Dennis. The Ash Garden (Knopf, 2001), 281p.

L'Annunziata, Michael F. Radioactivity: Introduction and History, From the Quantum to Quarks. Maurer, Herrymon, Collision of East and West, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1951, p. 238.

Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I. The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-56: An Experiment in Literary Investigation (Harper & Row: New York, 1974), 660p.

"Soviet Declaration of War on Japan" (August 8. 1945) Avalon Project: Yale University).

Thomas, Evan. Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign, 1941-1945 (Simon & Schuster: New York, 2006), 414p.






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Created: 12:09 AM 8/26/2021
Last updated: 4:12 AM 10/3/2023