soc.history.war.world-war-ii

On Apr 8, 8:08 am, Robert Warinner wrote:
> David Thornley wrote:
>
> : In article ,
> : edward ohare wrote:
> : And
> :>the firebombings didn't make Japan quit.
>
> : No.
>
> : The nukes did.
>
> There are other possible explanations.
>
> Tsuyoshi Hasegawa's "Racing the Enemy" postulates that it was the Soviet
> declaration of war on Japan and subsequent invasion of Manchuria that did the
> trick.
>
> I would not defend Hasegawa's thesis to the death but he does marshall a
> certain amount of evidence to support it.
SNIP:
I am just finishing Max Hastings' "Retribution", the war against Japan
from 1944 to the end. 1 1/2 chapters left. The Emperor cites the 'most
cruel bombs' as one reason for ending the war. Yes, the sudden
declaration of war by the USSR after posing as a friend for so long
was a shock - but they weren't at Japan's gates. The USA was. And
Japan surrendered, agreeing to the terms cited in the note from the US
Secretary of State. Just why invasion of Manchuria would immediately
cause Japan to surrender to the USSR is beyond me. The 'Russian
hordes' were a long ways away from the Home Islands. The USA was
banging on the door, so to speak. Loudly, too. Hasegawa is reaching a
conclusion not borne out by facts.
"Retribution" is pretty good; I do not agree with quite a few of
Hastings' conclusions nor some of his deductions as to why certain
actions and attitudes existed. He is imputing a degree of humanity
that wasn't in fashion back then but is now. He wasn't alive then - I
was, and I well remember the national temper. Hit 'em again , harder,
doesn't even come close to how we felt.
Walt BJ