WW2 Forum - View Single Post - Should the Atomic Bomb have been dropped on Japan?

Kyt · 24-10-2007, 06:52 AM

DWIGHT EISENHOWER

"...in [July] 1945... Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act. ...the Secretary, upon giving me the news of the successful bomb test in New Mexico, and of the plan for using it, asked for my reaction, apparently expecting a vigorous assent.

"During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude..."

- Dwight Eisenhower, Mandate For Change, pg. 380

In a Newsweek interview, Eisenhower again recalled the meeting with Stimson:

"...the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing."

- Ike on Ike, Newsweek, 11/11/63
______________________

And a number of other military & political leaders who disagreed with the use of the Bombs:

ADMIRAL WILLIAM D. LEAHY (Chief of Staff to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman)
GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR
JOSEPH GREW (Under Sec. of State)
JOHN McCLOY (Assistant Sec. of War)
RALPH BARD (Under Sec. of the Navy)
LEWIS STRAUSS (Special Assistant to the Sec. of the Navy)
PAUL NITZE (Vice Chairman, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey)

You can read statements made by them at: http://www.doug-long.com/quotes.htm

24-10-2007, 06:52 AM	#10 (permalink)
Kyt Άρης Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Terra something or other Posts: 5,662 You're Top Poster: #1 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Who Disagreed With The Atomic Bombing? DWIGHT EISENHOWER "...in [July] 1945... Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act. ...the Secretary, upon giving me the news of the successful bomb test in New Mexico, and of the plan for using it, asked for my reaction, apparently expecting a vigorous assent. "During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude..." - Dwight Eisenhower, Mandate For Change, pg. 380 In a Newsweek interview, Eisenhower again recalled the meeting with Stimson: "...the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing." - Ike on Ike, Newsweek, 11/11/63 ______________________ And a number of other military & political leaders who disagreed with the use of the Bombs: ADMIRAL WILLIAM D. LEAHY (Chief of Staff to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman) GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR JOSEPH GREW (Under Sec. of State) JOHN McCLOY (Assistant Sec. of War) RALPH BARD (Under Sec. of the Navy) LEWIS STRAUSS (Special Assistant to the Sec. of the Navy) PAUL NITZE (Vice Chairman, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey) You can read statements made by them at: http://www.doug-long.com/quotes.htm __________________ click me Last edited by Kyt; 24-10-2007 at 06:56 AM..