RE: Annual attempt at correction

["Jacobus, John (OD/ORS)" <jacobusj@ors.od.nih.gov>]

Michael,

Of course, the assumption was that the peace overtures were genuine.  Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, there were two political forces who either favored or opposed the war.  Obviously, the pro-war side won.  I guess the question is how realistic were the peace overtures based on what we know about the Japanese commitment to defend the home islands, and their refusal to have their Emperor be removed from power and possibly tried for war crimes.  The arguments that the islands were surrounded under siege by Allied naval forces, and under constant air bombardment.  There is no question in my mind that Truman wanted Japan to surrender before Russia entered the war, which Stalin had agreed to do during the Yalta Conference in February 1945.  Of course, Roosevelt was President at that meeting.  I believe Russia declared war against Japan two weeks before Japan surrendered on August 15, which was just before the atomic bombs were dropped.

 

I also believed that the use of the atomic bombs was inevitable.

 

 

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
3050 Traymore Lane
Bowie, MD  20715-2024

E-mail:  jenday1@email.msn.com (H)     

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Kay [mailto:makay43@attbi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 11:34 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: Annual attempt at correction

Quote from President Truman's Personal Journal July 18, 1945:

"...Stalin had told P.M. of telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace. Stalin also read his answer to me. It was satisfactory. Believe Japs will fold up before Russia comes in..."

 

Photocopies of the journal pages are in Technology Review, August-September 1990.

 

The use of the atomic bomb did not end the war! It was essentially over. There was not going to be an invasion of the Japanese Homeland.

 

The purpose of Truman's using the atomic bomb was to avoid having to share hegemony after the war with Stalin.

 

The arguments that the preparations for the invasion were still going on are correct. There is no need to stop the show until the papers are signed. This is good strategy.

 

The dislike of Stalin by Truman is the reason he wanted to have control over Japan at the end of the war. The previous page in the journal talks of dividing up the colonies and mandates of Italy, which Truman would have to share with Stalin (and possibly the British).

 

July 18, Truman told P.M. (Winston Churchill) of the success of "Manhattan". Truman was out to make certain that Japan surrendered to him before Russia attacked Japan from the Northwest.

 

The above is not revisionist history. It is from Truman's own hand. The revisionist history is that it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs to avoid an invasion of Japan and end the war.

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Personally, I also think that the "We have it so let's use it and see how it works." thoughts entered into the decision.

 

Michael Kay

makay@alum.mit.edu