Stephen Chenery’s letter (Geelong Independent, July 25) about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki puts the cart before the horse.
Stephen, it was nearly the end of WWII precisely because the Americans dropped those bombs; without them the war could have lasted another three months. Their strategic purpose was to end the war and minimise further bloodshed.
The three-month invasion of Okinawa ending 18 June 1945 had cost the deaths of 12,000 Americans plus over 100,000 Japanese soldiers and almost as many civilians. Invading the Japanese mainland could have caused losses far in excess of that. Despite the certainty that the Allies would eventually prevail, Japanese honour obliged them to fight to the death or commit harakiri (ritual suicide).
Seven weeks later on 6 August the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Two days later the Soviet Union entered the war and the following day the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. To minimise further losses, Emperor Hirohito announced their surrender on 15 August and the surrender instrument was signed on 2 September. This timely act prevented countless thousands (possibly millions) of deaths and the utter destruction of Japan.
Peter Mackinlay, Geelong
