Hiroshima plus 60

It was 60 years ago that the first and next to the last atomic bomb was dropped on human beings. This has never been an easy subject for me as a close relative of mine was the radio operator on the Enola Gay. Here is a Middle Earth Journal encore from February of this year on the subject.
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911, Dresden and Hiroshima

terrorism

n : the calculated use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimindation or coercion or instilling fear.

The word terrorism is on everyone's tongue but what is it? Anthony Gregory gives us his views on the subject in Targeting Civilians at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I have heard the arguments that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were acts of terrorism. This is not an easy subject for me since my mothers cousin, Richard Nelson, was the radio man on the Enola Gay and a frequent visitor to our home when I was growing up. There are many justifications for the bombings and I have heard them all. But if one accepts the above definition they certainly qualify as terrorism.

People still defend Harry Truman's atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on pragmatic grounds. Truman's defenders say that the bombings saved far more lives than they extinguished. They concede that the bombing was an act of targeting civilians, but insist that it was for the worthy goal of ending the war.

Before even examining the plausibility of this argument, we have to acknowledge the argument's essence. In effect, to rationalize the targeting of noncombatants as the best method of bringing about a greater good is to make excuses for state terrorism. Terrorism, if it means anything, is a method by which civilians are the targets of violence for the purpose of achieving political goals. Having Imperial Japan surrender, even if a worthy goal, was nevertheless a political one, and the targeting of innocents to achieve that goal was an act of terrorism.

Indeed, it was terrorism on an incredibly large scale. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese were instantaneously wiped off the earth on August 6 and August 9, 1945. Many more died in the following years from the radioactive climate left behind by the bombings.

So the questions remain: Was this a case where terrorism was justified? Can there be other circumstances where the overt targeting of civilians can be justified, so as to bring about a greater good?

Let's assume that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified to protect our political and cultural way of life then can't the same be said for the jihadists who see America and western civilization as a threat to their culture. Can you justify one and not the other? This is truly intended to be a question not just a rhetorical one, something we need to think about. While I don't agree with Mr Gregory's blanket condemnation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki I do think we need to look at the justification of them when we condemn the actions of the Islamic jihadists. We are the victims this time, is that the only real difference?
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Over at The Left Coaster pessimist has his take.

Update
Steve Soto takes exception to pessimist's post.

Update II
The following comment was placed on the original posting of 911, Dresden and Hiroshima today.

The case for the use of atomic weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is not persuasive: The Japanese had already been reduced to a pre-industrial society by the very successful US submarine warfare against Japanese tankers who had been supplying oil to Japan.

The case for the destruction of Dresden is even flimsier. Bottom line: It was a demonstration of Allied air power to the Soviet leaders, with German civilians as "lab rats". I must confess an emotional bias in presenting my case, for I was there: A small child fleeing the ancient city of Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland).

May future generations of civilians be spared my experience.

Wolfgang P. May
Advisory Team Leader
Republic of Vietnam 68/69

You can visit Wolfgang at The War Around Us