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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:24 AM
Original message
Christians Set Off Two Nuclear Bombs in Japan
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 10:32 AM by kpete
Christians Set Off Two Nuclear Bombs in Japan
by WinSmith
Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 08:16:57 AM PDT

Let us not forget the two greatest single attacks on civilian populations by small airplanes in the world's history.

Hiroshima.

Nagasaki.

..................

That's over 150,000 civilians killed by a small group of Christian pilots:

............

They are all Christian.
That is the only factor that's relevant here.
Not their nationality.
Not the larger context of the war.

?????

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/8/17/893875/-Christians-Set-Off-Two-Nuclear-Bombs-in-Japan


DISCLAIMER: "just saying..." kpete

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Common Sense Party Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:26 AM
Response to Original message
1. Fail.
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davidinalameda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:27 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. you're being very generous
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KansasVoter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:19 PM
Response to Reply #1
31. Not really, why are we the only country to ever use them?
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Lagomorph Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:35 AM
Response to Reply #31
51. We got them first....
...and we promised to use them preemptively. If we had got them before Germany surrendered, I'm fairly confident we would have used them in Europe. I've read that Germany, Japan and Russia all had nuclear development programs that were suffering regular setbacks due to large scale conventional bombing that killed far more people than the nukes did.

The US selected Hiroshima because it was a pristine target. Nagasaki was an alternate weather target that wasn't even on the list of primary targets.

Japan killed millions of people, rather than thousands, and had a penchant for selectively using biological and chemical weapons on civilian populations.

There were some quiet, back channel diplomatic exchanges regarding Japan's surrender before the bombings, but Japan's fanatical military establishment was still arresting and disappearing Japan's pacifists up until the end, when they were too busy killing themselves to avoid the inevitable humiliation to follow.(testosterone gone wild)

After we dropped the bombs, we stayed years ahead of every other competitive world power in warhead and delivery system development. I think the German scientists made every effort to surrender to American and British forces, although they preferred Americans because of all the V1's and V2's that landed on England. By the time the K-19 fired it's first test missile, we were in a position to destroy Russia's 100 largest cities. When Russia was putting missiles in Cuba in the sixties, the US didn't have to use overseas bases to hit targets in Russia.

Another mind boggling statistic I ran across is that before nukes, death from war was twenty times higher than post nuke. Before nukes about 20 million people per year died war related deaths, after nukes, around one million/year. The post war world population explosion seems to support the idea.

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DailyGrind51 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 06:40 AM
Response to Reply #31
55. Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union were all working on their own paths toward the A-bomb!
The Nazis were steeped in Norse mythology and Wagnerian symbolism. The Japanese were Shintos. The Soviets were atheists.
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davidinalameda Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:26 AM
Response to Original message
2. how about the thousands of people that Japan killed during the war
do you blame Shinto for those?

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no limit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:28 AM
Response to Original message
4. I don't think us dropping those bombs had anything to do with religion.
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Common Sense Party Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:30 AM
Response to Reply #4
6. I highly doubt the pilots were singing "Onward, Christian Soldiers"
as they released their payloads.
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Ezlivin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #6
16. They weren't singing "Jesus Loves the Little Children" either
Today they'd be listening to rap or metal as they released the bombs.

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RaleighNCDUer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:38 AM
Response to Reply #4
20. Would we have dropped on Christian Germany, if the bombs were
ready six months earlier?
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no limit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:17 PM
Response to Reply #20
29. Probably. Why do you ask?
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11 Bravo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:21 PM
Response to Reply #20
32. Nah, we just firebombed them. Ever been to Dresden?
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:44 PM
Response to Reply #4
26. do you think the guys who did 9/11 would have given a rat's ass about attacking us
if we hadn't spent decades propping up dictatorships because they did business on terms our oil companies liked.

If they were really upset about our freedom and licentiousness, they would have gone after Scandinavian countries where you can legally walk down the street naked and have sex with goats.
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no limit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:18 PM
Response to Reply #26
30. I agree with you. But you are missing my point (or atleast you're being a bit too defensive)
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yurbud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:47 PM
Response to Reply #30
43. actually, I agreed with your point but I think I meant to reply to someone else.
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MisterP Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 04:03 PM
Response to Reply #26
39. August 1945, September 2001, and the reactions to both are often strong examples of exceptionalism
had the Gleiwitz Incident not been fake, the soulless, legalistic defenders of civilian bombing against Axis populations would NOT endorse the London Blitz against the British aggressor; many Americans are OK with Hiroshima and Nagasaki but not Abdulmutallab's Detroit underwear incursion solely because Americans did the first two and the second was directed against Americans. Who the aggressor is or isn't only comes in after the primary consideration--that Americans/Washington are ultimately blameless.
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truebrit71 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 04:09 PM
Response to Reply #26
41. Wait, what? Sex with goats?
Dude, I am so there!!! :evilgrin:
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slackmaster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:28 AM
Response to Original message
5. Unrec for piss-poor attempt at analogy
The religious beliefs of those airmen had nothing to do with the reasons for the bombings.
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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:30 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. exactly
Right!
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joeybee12 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 04:11 PM
Response to Reply #5
42. You're right...
and to blame an entire religion for the actions of a few, well, that's bigotry, isn't it?
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LTX Donating Member (400 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:30 AM
Response to Original message
8. To be fair to the author of the article excerpted in the o/p,
the point he is trying to make is the following:

"I am NOT comparing the American pilots of WWII to the terrorists on 9/11. I am pointing out that by reducing any historical action to one of religion is idiotic, reductive and reeks of the "group blame" that the great demonizers of history routinely employ to inflame a population with racism.

The crazed zealots who attacked us on 9/11 were not simply "Muslims," they were terrorists who happened to believe in a crazed, extremiset, cult-like perversion of Islam. To simply describe the attack as "Muslim" is just as ludicrous as saying "Christians" nuked Japan.

That is my point, not a moral equivalency of the actions taken, only a larger point about reducing those actions to some apocalyptic clash of religion."


It may not be the best analogy, but the excerpt standing alone is rather misleading.

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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:31 AM
Response to Reply #8
10. and another
perfect observation,
thank you LTX
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valerief Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:31 AM
Response to Original message
9. Yep, and their Christian president, too! nt
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montanto Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:37 AM
Response to Original message
11. Oh, What?
What? Christians? Pilots? WTF? Absurd.
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county worker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:38 AM
Response to Original message
12. Be sure to read the piece to see the connection to the mosque thing-ie.
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LostinVA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:40 AM
Response to Original message
13. I agree, Kpete, and it is disgusting there are still Christian churches
in the two cities. The Japanese Government should forbid them.
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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #13
15. now
you see...
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LostinVA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:59 AM
Response to Reply #15
17. Did you see my OP?
In GD?
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Demeter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 10:46 AM
Response to Original message
14. Subtlety Is a Lost Art Around Here
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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:06 AM
Response to Reply #14
19. it sure is
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11 Bravo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:23 PM
Response to Reply #14
33. And irony has been toast for a long time, as well. Sad.
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gratuitous Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:06 AM
Response to Original message
18. Oh well, see, that was TOTALLY different
And we have a boatload of reasons and excuses why the United States is exceptional, but the actions of a couple dozen Saudis can be imputed to the world's billion Muslims, every Muslim majority country, as well as anyone who might object to such imputation.

You'll see.
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proteus_lives Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:41 AM
Response to Original message
21. Sorry but legit military targets in a declared war aren't the same thing.
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LanternWaste Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:06 PM
Response to Reply #21
28.  Terror bombing, though found to be high ineffective militarily...
"The purpose of waging war is to deny the enemy the ability to wage war." (Von Clausewitz)

Hence, any action-- military or otherwise which may reduce an enemies abilities, morale or strength, directly or indirectly is a legitimate target.

Terror bombing, though found to be high ineffective militarily and inefficient on a cost/benefit analysis in WWII (To Destroy a City, H. Knell), still appears to be utilized by all sides.
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WolverineDG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:57 AM
Response to Original message
22. Shintoists & Buddhists bomb Pearl Harbor
imprison countless civilians, including women, children, & babies, raping, beating & starving many of them to death.

dg
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humblebum Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:35 PM
Response to Original message
23. Well, they also were all white, and all males
"They are all Christian. That is the only factor that's relevant here. Not their nationality. Not the larger context of the war."

And then of course it pales to the 130 million or so murdered under atheist dictators in the 20th century alone. A number greater than those killed in all religious wars in human history.

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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:41 PM
Response to Original message
24. Funny how your point is being missed by so many in this thread.
kicked & rec'd
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Common Sense Party Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:41 PM
Response to Reply #24
25. Not missed. Rejected.
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proteus_lives Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:56 PM
Response to Reply #25
27. +1
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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 02:15 PM
Response to Reply #25
36. I think she's pointing out the absurdity of blaming an entire religion for 9/11
you're rejecting that notion?
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Bluebear Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #36
54. Subtlety is not the strong suit of some people. nt
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Obamanaut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:28 PM
Response to Reply #24
35. No point to be missed - pointless. nt
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Ignis Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 03:03 PM
Response to Reply #24
37. It's because they haven't bothered to read the whole article.
One hopes. :shrug:
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kpete Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 03:49 PM
Response to Reply #24
38. yep
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Obamanaut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:27 PM
Response to Original message
34. Let's not forget that there was a declared war in progress, that the
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 01:37 PM by Obamanaut
people in Japan were aware of that war, that other bombings had occurred in their territorial space (remember the Tokyo bombings?).

The people who were snuffed out in the September 11 killing spree were unaware of any potential danger to their well-being.

"just responding..."

oh, and unrec

ETA a few items from prior to the September 11 killing spree, by wait for it.....persons other than Christians. There are more, you know, in addition to these few

1979 seizure of US Tehran Embassy, Iran (Nov 4, 1979 for 444 days)
1983 Bombing of US Beirut Embassy, Lebanon (April 18, 1983)
1983 Beirut, Lebanon (Oct 23, 1983) Marine barracks bombed
1983 (Dec 12, 1983) US Embassy in Kuwait bombed
1984 (Sept 20, 1984) Kuwait embassy, again
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Canuckistanian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 04:07 PM
Response to Original message
40. Einstein and Teller were Jews
They MADE the bombs. Along with Oppenheimer, who was pretty much an atheist.
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nadinbrzezinski Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:51 PM
Response to Original message
44. What a bad analogy
nation state is not the same as a terror group.
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SwampG8r Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 12:04 AM
Response to Original message
45. historically flawed
Edited on Wed Aug-18-10 12:07 AM by SwampG8r
the only man to fly BOTH missions over Japan was Lt. Jacob Beser who was jewish
ETA i only know this because i made a study of tibbets who commanded the enola gay
he is a fellow florida gator and our alumi are interesting to me
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AsahinaKimi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 12:54 AM
Response to Original message
46. You probably didn't know this..
Edited on Wed Aug-18-10 01:04 AM by AsahinaKimi
But in Japan today less then..I repeat, Less than 1% of Japanese are Christians. Missionaries go there every day and fail. Why? Because, Christianity is bad luck to most Japanese.

Even if by some remote reason you felt the two Atomic bombs would, by some way or means get them to convert to Christianity, it has not. You might try looking into some Japanese history and something called the Shimabara Rebellion.

link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimabara_Rebellion

Even before that in 1587 the Shogun wanted Christianity out of Japan, wanting all Christians to leave or be killed.



Today, Japanese can be very superstitious more so then religious (Even Buddhism had a hard time settling into Japan) and Japan has had a long history of Christianity trying to plant its roots into Japanese soil. The people know about what Christians tried to do to bring Christianity to Japan, and most people there avoid it like the plague.

They may celebrate Christmas, but its not a religious holiday. Its seen more like Valentines day (in the way American celebrates its Valentines day), a time for romance and gift giving. Christmas in Japan is not even a non working holiday. Its look at, as a kind of novelty. January 1st is more important, as its a new year.


Shinto was at first a religion in Japan. A belief in the spirits in all things. A mountain, a tree, a rock, the wind, fire, all things had their own "kami". But the religion changed with time. It became a philosophy and rules for life. When a couple marry they get married by a Shinto Priest. Even a new car can be "blessed" by a Shinto priest for "good luck". People go to Shinto shrines more then they will ever visit a Buddhist Temple. Buddhism is for the after life. When a person is buried, then a Buddhist priest is called in.


Christianity has always had a difficult time in Japan. Even when the first Portuguese made contact with Japan, and brought their bibles, Japanese found it odd, and said no thank you.







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ConsAreLiars Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 01:17 AM
Response to Original message
47. The unreccers are just saying that when the US tortures or imprisons without trial, it's OK and not
like when the commies or nazis did those things. And when those running the US commit mass murder against a civilian population then in Japan or now in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's OK because our masters have said so.

And when the internal security apparatus tracks every move by the people it controls, it's OK because it's not like the totalitarianism when Stalin tried to do that because here-now it is "to protect us."

Too many "Good Germans," here and everywhere.
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Common Sense Party Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:07 AM
Response to Reply #47
48. Epic fail.
Let me amend that: Epic, incoherent fail.
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ConsAreLiars Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:17 AM
Response to Reply #48
49. Your delusional history and amoral value system is fully recorded in that reply. (nt)
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Common Sense Party Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:20 AM
Response to Reply #49
50. (snort)
Whatever you say. Let me know when the acid wears off.
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ConsAreLiars Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #50
53. Thank you. Yet another dumbass commenting and re-affirming the universally obvious, (nt)
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Hannah Bell Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-18-10 02:37 AM
Response to Reply #47
52. +100
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