RE: First atomic bomb - 58 years ago today

[BERNARD L COHEN <blc+@PITT.EDU>]

On Wed, 6 Aug 2003, Chilton, Milton W. wrote:



> John, I believe one correction is in order based on your comments. I am only

> an amateur historian, however, I believe it was the Germans that initiated

> "Carpet Bombing" against not only Industrial targets but also including

> civilian targets in Europe. Then yes the British and eventually the US

> followed suit (One reason for carpet bombing was the difficulty in

> accurately hitting a discrete target such as a munitions plants particularly

> while being attacked by fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft fire that at

> times destroyed 30% or more of the attacking forces.). Also I believe the

> Japanese were using such bombing well before the war in Europe in order to



	--It is my understanding that it was widely believed that no

civilized nation would drop bombs on a city. This was originally broken

when Japan bombed Shanghai in the mid 1930s. I recall substantial shock

when this happened. Some still thought it wouldn't happen in Europe, at

least on a large scale, but then Germany carried out devestating bombing

of Rotterdam. This was followed by similar tactics on England, and the

British responded when they were capable with even worse on Hamburg and

Dresden.

	It found it interesting when I was touring the Hiroshima museum

with a Japanese friend that he had never heard about the Japanese bombing

of cities in China (or the rape of Nanking).



************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/