I say no.

But that doesn't mean we can't express sympathy for the survivors and regret for all the war dead on both sides.

Jim

If the two atom bombs had not been dropped,another million lives would have been lost. Japan was warned about what was going to happen,they refused to end the war.
It took both bombs to end it ,and in no way should an apology be offered.
Tom

What for?

Anyone actually think they wouldn’t have used it as a strike weapon if they could. Not an end weapon like we did?



Owl

James- Do you know of the "Meeting House" section of Tokyo March 8/9, 1945 B-29 bombing raid...?

I'm glad they didn't have to drop a third bomb. I heard the next target was Osaka, where my wife's family lived.

The Emperor ended that war, after the military refused to surrender.

Jim

Ok, a day off, March 9/10, 1945

Ok, off on another account. The mission was called "Operation Meeting House", not the section of Tokyo.

No, I don't; but I'm happy to hear about it.

Jim

It was a defensive move on are part so I say no

You mean like they have to the confederate States and Families.

I first read about it 40+ years ago in junior high in a book called The Fall of Japan. It was the first successful major fire-bombing event of Japan. Over 100,000 dead in one night but almost no Americans know about, everything centers on the two single bomb weapons 5 months later. Dead is dead, burnt to a crisp is burnt to a crisp, whether its from 1 bomb or thousands of magnesium bomblets starting your mostly wooden city on fire. People get hung up on semantics, especially when they're clueless of more history than just what a few media outlet feed them once and while...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Tokyo

Should the Japanese people today apologize to the US for their attack on Pearl Harbor and starting the war with the US? 2,403 people died in that attack -- 2,335 military personnel and 68 civilians. How many people died during this war as a result of Japan's decision to attack the US?

Are there any Japanese people alive today who took part in that decision to invade and bomb Pearl Harbor? Do you believe any of the Japanese people today are responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent war nearly 80 years ago?

But that doesn't mean we can't express regret and pity for those who cart out such inane and useless propositions for the purpose of chastening America because it's easy sport.

No.

Keith

You'd have made one heck of a community organizer James.

Nah, I'd make a terrible community organizer. Cant even get anyone to like me here.

Jim

LOL,James,I have never said a bad word about you. I may not agree with you on many things--but that seems to be the case with a lot of people.
Tom

How in comparison was the Hiroshima bomb to the Beirut explosion?

About like a firecracker to a case of dynamite.Hiroshima killed over 100,00--many from radiation well after the bomb explosion.
Tom

Interesting!

No. Why all of a sudden do we have to apologise for everything? Whether it's slavery, women's rights or dropping a bomb what happened so many years ago has been either handled or not. Many things have brought about the end of a war and they all have been good imo. Some wars never seem to end and people keep dying, that is a reason to be apologetic.

No.

Even Obama wouldn't do it, on his world apology tour.

I used to have a friend and neighbor that was a WWII vet. I didn't know he had fought in WWII till one afternoon I was in his house and we were getting ready to go fishing. A woman on TV said the U.S. should apologize. Bud got so mad I was literally afraid he would have a heart attack. I found out that when he graduated from high school he went in the Army. After his training he went to the Philippines with MacArthur to retake it. He never said much about the battles but he told me after the islands were re-taken they began training for the invasion of Japan. He told me they were not looking forward to it. He was upset for the next few years till he died that there were Americans who thought we owed Japan an apology. For me his opinion on the matter is plenty good enough.

An apology would make it all ok, I guess? Completely pointless.

Maybr a thank you......imagine a full scale American invasion of that island and the millions that wouodve died directly and indirectly rather than just destroying 2 cities.

Honest question. Speaking from the perspective of an allied nation, I think the world would agree Hiroshima was, sadly, a necessity. However, what about Iraq?

Did they apologize for Pearl Harbor?

The U.S. used the two nuclear bombs to end the war with Japan before we had to invade the home islands and sustain unfathomable loss of life on both sides, which would have happened. The two bombs were the only way we could get the emperor's attention to end the war.
The question posed here is should the U.S. apologize to the Japanese ? In my opinion, no. Historically, the Japanese mindset prior to, and leading up to WWII, was totally different than ours. They worshipped the emperor because they believed he was a living god. Their honor meant more to them than their lives and they believed dying in battle was honorable and thought nothing of it.

My destroyer needed repairs, so we were directed to Sasebo, Japan (located on the lower island of Kyushu), into drydock there for about 6-7 weeks. I observed the Japanese yard workers gather together every morning before they began work, performing calisthenics as a large group, then they would begin work.......and work they did !
They did very good work on my ship, much better than I observed back here in the States later on.

While in Sasebo, I had an opportunity to tour Nagasaki, about 2 1/2 hours away by bus. While in Nagasaki, I stood at "ground zero", which is a memorial garden or park. While there I felt like the local citizens there were not happy with us American sailors there. I suppose I didn't feel any different several months before standing in reverance in the USS Arizona Memorial with many Japanese tourists.

No, I don't honestly believe we owe Japan an apology as I believe we did what we felt we needed to do to end the war, but we should show respect to other people and other cultures, including Japan. They have changed their ways since WWII and are a strong ally in the Pacific.

Sorry for rambling..

Vic

no

i say we just save them hundreds on their car insurance.

(This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) No !!

Two bombs weren't enough.

Like Admiral Bull Halsey Said,

And had painted in red paint three feet high,
on the sea wall at Tulagi during the Guadalcanal Campaign:

"Kill Japs, Kill Japs, Kill More Japs !!!!! "

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/books/chapters/0107/-1st-thoma.html


The Japs started it.

The United States finished it.

The butcher's bill for the War
in the Pacific on American Boys
was horrific.

The atrocities the Japs committed
on United States P.O.W.'s were unspeakable.

The Atomic Barbecue was an unmistakable
warning to the Japs that we meant business,
and we would resort to whatever measures
necessary to bring the war to a quick close
without any more American boys dying.

The Japs got what they richly deserved.

All in my opinion.

w

Absolutely not. IMO dropping the bombs saved the Japanese people from annihilation. The Japanese populous was completely indoctrinated in the idea that it was their sacred duty to the emperor to die defending the empire, to the extent that old men, women, and children would have fought our troops with sticks and stones if that was all they had. In other words, every Japanese civilian capable of standing would have become a war fighter if we had invaded the mainland and our troops would have had to kill them just as we had to kill virtually every member of the Japanese military on the island campaign. If that had occurred the Japanese people would have been virtually annihilated. Dropping the bombs effected a cultural "reset" and allowed the war to be brought to an end. Note that at the time the Japanese still had a million man army in northern China fighting the Russians.

Pap was there at the time. He said the people thanked him.
They gave him trinkets.
That's all I can say as his English was even worse than mine.

My Father a WWII vet, spent his end to the war in Okinawa. In our family home, in the attic after mom passed in 1996, dad passed in 86. I found 2 laundry baskets containing what seems every letter and envelope dad sent mom from his time in the service. Starting with boot camp after the draft, ending with boarding a train in San Francisco to come home for good. I have given to my two kids and my deceased brothers kids, nieces and nephews many of the letters and airmail military envelopes as keepsakes. I have kept a couple special ones. One that I kept was a goodbye, "I will always love you letter" written by my father prior to boarding ships with landing craft to commence the invasion of mainland Japan. They were final letters, all but required of the boys going to a battle of all battles. The ink runs and smudges are I am certain mom and grandmas tears. Another letter dealt with Japans surrender and joy of coming home. If not for the bombing of Mainland Japan, I my 3 brothers, my kids and grandkids, nieces, nephews along with great grandchildren, great nieces and nephews would not be here. Apologize if you feel the need, I for one am glad we pushed the button on the bomb bay doors. Mom and dads favorite song was by the Andrew Sisters, " Don't sit under the apple tree" Stephen A Darling WWII, US Army 1942-1946

No

No. Knock over a beehive, you’re gonna rile up the bees and you’re going to get stung. No half measures.

As was said, after Pearl Harbor. "We have woke a sleeping giant"

No

How about we post a great big sign somewhere saying that everyone who ever lived apopogizes to everyone who ever lived, and those who never got a chance to live (aborted), for anything and everything we may have done to harm or offend you.
Then let's move on.

Curious why the question is even asked?

A Turd Stirrer was looking for sympathy.

w

Perhaps a fishing trip.

Japan should thank us for a timely end to the war-Stalin was already ramping up HIS invasion. Look at North Korea today. Japan could be speaking Russian........................

X 2

The 2 A bombs the US dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved lives of Americas. War has consequences. Ive read the US still uses the Purple Hearts medals for the mainland Japanese invasion up until recently.

It is important to learn from the past. But our generation should not apologize for something that a previous one has done. IMHO it would be false as you can not apologize for something you did not do. i was born in Germany and we were constantly reminded and made to fee guilty about the holocaust. I had nothing to do with it so can not feel guilty about it. Same goes with slave reparations and a whole host of other things. Instead of trying to erase history, we should take it as a valuable lesson and try to not make the same mistakes twice. Apart from that, as said before. Those two bombs saved more lives than they took.

I assume because it's the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 6 and 9, 1945 respectively. But for liberals everyday is a day for the United States to apologize for its existence - Make America Guilty Again.

We should send them a few nukes now. Short range of course. With them they could straighten out some bad actors just by having them there. LLL

Hey stop that I like you enough to drive you to a mental health facility just not well enough to drive you to the polls on election day!

No

NO

Amen to that. The question should never even be asked.

NO

Maybe Japan should apologize for attacking Pearl Harbor. Maybe we should apologize to the Japanese that lived in the U.S.A and had business and we put them in camps until after the war. JMO

LOL i like you even if we disagree.... you would get them to your side if you was a conservative... but im not sure what party that is or if there is one !!

Any of us old enough to have had a parent or relative in WWII knows the answer is no. And as we now know, an additional benefit of dropping a couple A-bombs is the world now knows the futility of war on a large scale. Start something now that involves those levels of weapons and the world comes to and end. Sadly, there remain some whackadoodles in the world who don't care.......so the threat of a rogue weapon going off is real.

But as for back then, I never understood the necessity of doing all those invasions. Islands or mainland Japan. Over time, we had sunk most of their ships and planes. The soldiers on the islands would have been stranded there without supplies. Basically prisoners. And over time, same with the "mainland" of Japan, which last time I checked is, also an island. By then, we had enough ships, planes and subs in the area, we could have effectively blockaded the island, which has limited natural resources on it's own. No oil, no raw minerals. Give it a year or so and they would have been forced to give up without the need for us to wade into them. But if a few million starved to death over it when their leaders wouldn't give up, we would probably be getting blamed for that too?

BTW, I have been to Japan to attend my son's wedding. He still lives there. Culture there is still very different from ours. Aspects of it both very good, and some is just plain silly. Question authority? Not in Japan.

Yes. Of course only white U.S. citizens should be required to apologize.

What Walleyed said. This is a sick world we live in too have people think that we should apologize for ending a war that cost so many American lives. And the brave men of America who fault these brutal sick savages that tortured our captured and time again gave no quarter.The Japanese started this war with a country that had done no ill will! Let it be a reminder that America will protect her own and there is a price for fronting her. America is still raising brave young strong men that are still willing to go in harms way and the world needs to know that. Still we wish peace.

I think it's an honest question.

The answer of course is no, but that doesn't negate the fact that there is a huge push in this country lately to apologize to all of the countries whose butts we kicked in wars.

The Empire of Japan in an unprovoked attack of the US resulted in the bombs being dropped on Japan . NO we have nothing to apologise for. This is history true history until they quit teaching American history in school and tearing down statues .

Russia declared war on Japan on Aug. 8'45. The next day they attacked. The war was effectively over at the time of course but Russia was after long disputed Japanese territory some of which was allocated to them once the post war paper work was sorted out.

It is often said the Americans beat the Japanese in WWII. More the truth the Americans were the deciding factor. The Chinese were fighting a Japanese invasion since the 30's and the British Empire and others e.g. Netherlands fought a long slogging war with the Japanese in SE Asia throughout e.g. Burma, Malaysia, New Guinea etc. As Germany collapsed in 1945 the British Empire progressivly directed more forces to SE Asia and Pacific operations against the Japanese.

The last Victoria Cross, the British Empire's highest award for valour (equivalent of American Medal of Honour), was awarded to a Canadian fighter pilot KIA August 9 1945. He was shot down over Japanese near coastal waters in an action against Japanese naval forces. He was based off the British aircraft carrier HMS Formidable which re-joined Pacific operations in April 1945. She was engaged in the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and Norweigian operations earlier in the war also.

Answer to James' question: no

I think internee's of the U.S. camps were paid reparations of 20,000 dollars back in the 80's. I see no reason to apologize to them twice. I also think that out of the thousands of internee's it is likely there were a half dozen loyalists to the Emperor of Japan. That internment likely prevented the sabotage of a rail station or power plant or three.

no!!,,,,,,most don't know it......there were experimental jet aircraft that the japs had,,,,,which was far superior to the mustangs or corsairs we had at the time. they were undoubtly shared secrets from the Nazis...and from my understanding,,,,,,,japan was was close to producing by the hundreds.........couple that , with an invasion on the japenese mainlaind......things could have possibly been disastrous for the united states........even far worse , was the Nazis were working on a nuke bomb as well..................I don't doubt the japs got some info on that as well. we had to act...and act swiftly!! thank god we had men with backbones on every level during that time.........

Another Canadian downplaying an American war victory.....Shocker!

No reason to apologize to Japan.

Should apologize to Eastern Europe for helping the Soviets conquer them. Third bomb should of hit Russia if they refused to withdraw from Eastern Europe.

You say some interesting things, so I like you.

If there is any apologizing to be done it should start a lot closer to home. Like apologizing to the families that have had to loose loved ones to keep this nation free, and the best place on earth to live. Or, apologizing to the countless good law enforcement officers that have had to put up with physical and verbal abuse over the past couple of months because one officer made bad decisions and a bunch of mayors and governors have no backbone.

Ky-coyote-hunter: Boco will deal with you!

I knew 2 different Canadians who were new recruits to the Canadian Army (infantry) in 1945. Both were told their first stop would be Japan. Both were very thankful for the results of atomic bombings.

Boco if you read this one of above was Alex Van Bibber from the Yukon. Ran into Alex at a number of trapper meetings. Yukon's equivalent of Ralph Bice.

The question is out there......really just out there beyond normal thinking. Typical liberal mental deficit thinking.
My uncle died on the bataan death march.

Nope...

It seems like every August, especially when the anniversary of the bombing happens on a five or ten year gap, this issue arises. In my opinion this falls under the same historical umbrella as a lot of other issues, where the past is judged by contemporary thinking. Chis Wallace just wrote a book on this very subject "Countdown 1945". It examines this issue in the context of the time and goes into the debate, AT THE TIME, on whether to drop the bomb or not. Some folks promote the idea that the decision was just a knee jerk reaction by a new president as revenge for Pearl Harbor, something not supported by the facts AT THAT TIME.

No

It has also served as a forever message to others to .....heed warning

No

only after Japan apologizes for Pearl Harbor, their invasions of other countries, their prison camp treatment of our soldiers, and the death march at Batan.

Nope.

Who drew first blood?

No need to apologize for something beyond our control

American pilots flying American planes were shooting down Japanese planes over China before Japan hit Pearl Harbor. It was a tit for tat situation before Pearl Harbor.

None of that really matters though, once you are in a war you fight it to win and that is what the U.S did with the bombs.

Which started with Japan invading Manchuria I believe?

Perhaps James started this thread to bring out the stories of why we should not apologize. Another 10 years and there won't be many left who remember these stories. No one will remember why we dropped those bombs. Liberals will keep the question of an apology going every year!

A man I knew when I was a boy, (he was a friend of Dad's) was in the Marines during WWII. I don't remember what island he was on when the bomb was dropped, but he was glad to hear about it. His outfit had just finished clearing some of the South Pacific islands, and they were gearing up to invade Japan. According to him the A-bomb was the reason he was still here.

I wish I had paid more attention to Roy's stories when I was a boy. He could give good history lessons because he lived through it.

WW2, the US knew how to win wars, I'm not sure the powers that be have the stomach for it anymore. No apologies, in fact most of the world should be kissing America's backside for saving it countless times.

The stories are interesting. I do like hearing them.

My own father was just reaching draft age at the time of Japan's surrender. He'd have surely been sent to the Pacific Theatre. He was all ready to go. Good chance I wouldn't have been born.

I'm also glad the Emperor forced the military to accept unconditional surrender terms. I think Osaka was the next target for a bomb, and that's where my wife was born.

My wife's feelings about that war and how it ended are more complicated than mine. She'll rarely talk about the subject.

Jim

My father turned 18 in 1944. He enlisted in the navy a month later. I assume there wasn't much need for drafting after Pearl Harbor.

No.... but the Japanese should apologize for Godzilla movies ... they sucked

LOL, Savell.

Jim

If you are referring to the Flying Tigers, their first engagement was AFTER Pearl Harbor. There were a couple of mercenary pilots in China before that.

Wife's grandpa was already in the army when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor I don't know how many island campaigns he was involved in , he didn't talk about it much, but he was wounded three times before he was sent home in 1944.

He despised Japanese till the day he died no telling what he saw or went through.

No.

The question to ask is “Would Japan have dropped them if they had them?”

No, we should not apologize.

Hmmmm, mixing apples with oranges aren't we ?!

You are mistaken, American pilots were hired by the Chinese Gov't to fight the Japanese on behalf of China. Yep, they used American aircraft we sold to the Chinese.

American pilots did the same for France in WWI, and again for Great Britian in WWII.

As I said it was a tit for tat situation. Once the U.S froze Japanese assets and placed an oil embargo on them war was inevitable.

No

No!!!! and don't forget 911

Also do not forget 9/11/1565 Or 9/11/1683 two battles that secured the future of Europe against Islamic invasions.

I can agree with that.

Whatever for? They started it, we finished it. You pick a fight, you gets whats coming.

Well, it looks like we don't have many Hiroshima apologists hiding out on this forum.

Who is behind the demand for apology? The Japanese I know don't expect an apology. My wife doesn't think we (she's now American) should apologize.

Jim

No

They should thank us for saving the lives of all of the Japanese people who would have died had the war been drug out for a much longer period of time.

Anyone who's studied of the war in the pacific should know of the systematic fire bombing of Japan's cities and civilian populations beginning in March 1945 under the command of U.S. Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay. It was LeMay who stockpiled and ordered the switch from conventional bombs to incendiaries and the subsequent bombing of some 67 Japanese cities, killing an estimated 500,000 civilians.

LeMay himself was quoted after the war as saying "if we had lost the war I'm quite certain I would have been tried as a war criminal."

War is (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman). Atrocities occurred on all sides. No apologies are due.

4377 NO
.Youz guyz started it.

Nope it was the right decision.

No ...and why throw it out there to be debated???

6 pages so far suggests it's a worthy discussion. I, for one, have found many of the opinions interesting and educational.

No apology to anyone.

Millions of lives were saved by dropping the bombs.

People today are not being taught history anymore.

Seems only the older Americans who lived through the war understand the reality of the day.

The greatest generation is slowly declining, and memories are fading,

We are now left with left leaning pinko historians that are attempting to change the realities of that generation and the war itself.

Again, millions of lives on both sides were saved, because a frontal assault upon Japan itself was avoided.

I am very fortunate to live by having a living breathing Spanish- American War Veteran as a Grand Father.

The whole neighborhood where I lived was full of real Americans that fought in WWI, WWII, and also Korea.

My memories are of real men, strong, with valor, and patriotism.

And I pray that God keep them all under His protective wing.

i say we apologize with a couple more.

Maybe we should apologize for James for asking the question.

we'd have to apologize cause there's no excuse.

No way the apology would even be accepted.

An apology would send the wrong signal. Appeasement of aggression is a losing proposition. Without those bombs we might still be trying to dig diehards out of Japanese caves.

I passed through the area on a troop train in December 1951 and saw a twisted end of a steel bridge sticking up in the air.

Well, I have a deep respect for the Japanese people; I have a deep respect for the German people. Both "people" were controlled by a minority leadership that in turn controlled the direction of their country, plunging them into world war. Those of you who think both countries deserve what they got and that their people should have defended their own rights more strongly, should look at the current condition of our country. There is an all-out battle for the heart and soul of our country, with anarchy and chaos winning the day in some cities.

The difficult part about war is that the casualties of war are not limited to just the willing combatants; innocent lives (i.e. bystanders, ordinary citizens, and even those who oppose the war) often represent the majority of the casualties. I am sorry for the incomprehensible tragedy, pain, loss of life, suffering and death caused in WWII . . . which includes Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also includes Pear Harbor, Okinawa, and the islands of the Pacific. Following WWII, the US and its allies assisted Japan in rebuilding, provided foreign aid and protection, helping to make Japan a world leader in research, technology and industry. Today the Japanese people are once again a strong, proud, independent people. I think we've done our part to say we are sorry for the loss of life, but we make no apology for defending our country and our freedom.

They might not want an appology.

https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-na-japan-hiroshima-apology-20160429-story.html

Innocent people always die in a war. Civilians died at Pearl Harbor. I dont have a clue why The Emperor of Japan thought teaming up with Hitler and attacking the U.S. were good ideas. I don't know why they tortured American P.O.W.s and made young Chinese and Korean girls into sex slaves. I don't know why the U.S. didn't try and hang people for doing that. I feel as a country we treated Germany and Japan MUCH MUCH MUCH better than they would have treated us had the roles been reversed.

We don't owe either country an apology for anything.

the Japanese were far more inhuman to their victims than the Nazis of the holocaust. Even Hitler censured them for their human rights abuses. A popular game among Jap soldiers in China was to throw Chinese babies up in the air and see how many could be caught on a bayonet. Such brutality was encouraged. Nan King, Unit 731... unimaginable. They made Dr. Mengele look like Mother Theresa. The entire population was at fault for allowing their nation to do such atrocities. No American should feel any remorse for doing anything at all to put an immediate stop to their horrific acts.

Plus, I think it was important to let Mother Russia know that we have the bomb and are willing to use it.

Too bad we couldn't have done it sooner.

OF COURSE! we should also apologize to all the alquida members for murdering their people, all the white supremecy groups for hitler, etc,etc,etc. We should just spend every waking minute of every day apologizing to everyone for any physical, mental, or emotional harm we have done to anyone

Here's my Dad in 1944.
As recently as last year, he was still not a fan of anything or anyone Japanese.
So pretty sure he hasn't forgiven them.
And apologize?
LOL

I talked to my Uncle several years ago about this subject. Uncle Francis was in the Navy during WWII and was on a destroyer, what boat I can't remember. Unk. told me that if we had not dropped those bombs on Japan it would have cost the U. S. THOUSANDS OF LIVES. He said if we had not dropped the bombs we would have had to fight every person in Japan house to house. Said we would have had to fight women, old men, kids, from door to door.
I wasn't there, but he was and I trust his word.

Danny’s post says everything I think on the subject.

DaveP my grandfather was at Okinawa. He was not a fan either

It seem there's philosophical debate these past 10 years about the morals of America, more so than any other time I recall.

The 1960's children, are thankfully retiring from all the institutional portions they've held for 5-6 decades, so maybe the teaching/governance/morals/etc. will change for the better.

Maybe these educated hippies will apologize for screwing up this country

Prolly not, and their kids, and kid's kids have picked up their secular banner.

God help us.

Why are we the only ones who have to play by the rules .Who started the war?

I agree with you. Wasn't the attack on Pearl Harbor a preemptive strike with their main target being the Philippines?