4 ms·
I've heard the idea that atomic bombs were the deciding factor in ending the war is in large part American propaganda. The fact is the Soviets had far superior
by Entwickler 6y ago
I've heard the idea that atomic bombs were the deciding factor in ending the war is in large part American propaganda. The fact is the Soviets had far superior divisions (in both manpower and fire power) lined up against the Japanese in Manchuria, and shattered them within weeks.
From wikipedia(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_War), "Tsuyoshi Hasegawa's research has led him to conclude that the atomic bombings were not the principal reason for Japan's capitulation. He argues that Japan's leaders were impacted more by the swift and devastating Soviet victories on the mainland in the week after Joseph Stalin's August 8 declaration of war because the Japanese strategy to protect the home islands was designed to fend off an Allied invasion from the south and left virtually no spare troops to counter a Soviet threat from the north. Furthermore, the Japanese could no longer hope to achieve a negotiated peace with the Allies by using the Soviet Union as a mediator with the Soviet declaration of war. That, according to Hasegawa, amounted to a "strategic bankruptcy" for the Japanese and forced their message of surrender on August 15, 1945.[39][16] Others with similar views include the Battlefield series documentary,[2][11] among others, but all, including Hasegawa, state that the surrender was not caused by only one factor or event."
- purple-again 6y agoIn the surrendering words of the emperor himself the atomic bomb is directly mentioned as one reason for the surrender.
- catalogia 6y agoWords which almost weren't heard at all because some parts of the Japanese military attempted to prevent the surrender from being published.
- edflsafoiewq 6y agoHe also says: "Indeed, we declared war on America and Britain out of our sincere desire to ensure Japan's self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement." The Jewel Voice Broadcast should not be read uncritically.
- trhway 6y agoyes, USSR squashing Kwantung army may have naturally led to a scenario where USSR forces could flood down south into China, Korea, may be even invade the North Japan, etc. with US having no troops there to "meet" USSR forces like it happened in Europe. Whether USSR had such plans doesn't matter really. It is very telling that USSR offensive on August 9 was according to the plans made together with US months in advance, and so US could hardly time the 2 bombs better - one on August 6 and another several hours after the start of the offensive - to make such an extremely clear message.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]