[Kate Adams]

I'd probably be here, but my husband probably would not.  My Father-in-law 
was a US Marine who served at Guadalcanal.  Though his service records my 
Mother-in-law discovered that he did not make it back until mid 1946 - he 
was part of the force that cleared the last of the resisting forces from 
the outlying islands. (he never talked about it to most and rarely even to 
her ...).  The bomb only mostly, not fully ended the war and that total end 
was difficult enough without a full-scale invasion.

I find it really hard to second guess President Truman on that account.  We 
have a lot more information now and a lot more leisure time to remake his 
decision ad-infinitum or hold a wide ranging discussion or referendum on 
history.  The most important point, however, is that we now know for 
certain how terrible and horrible the use of nuclear weapons is and can be 
- and those bombs were hand grenades compared with subsequenly developed 
weaponry.  Given that terrible knowing, we have no excuses.

At 12:07 AM 8/7/02 +1200, Brian Jacobs wrote:
>You know, I've always had mixed feelings about the atomic bomb drops on 
>Japan.  You see, my grandfather was slated to be in the landing force on 
>Japanese D-Day.  There is a very real possibility that I wouldn't be here 
>if it weren't for the bomb.
>
>Also, I've always wondered if perhaps the knowledge of what really happens 
>when you drop a nuclear bomb on a city prevented it from happening more 
>than twice.
>
>Brian
>
>---
>Rakastaai han maainen, seka kantaai rakas heitan hei tahtille taivassa.
>
>
>
>
>
>On Tue, 06 Aug 2002 19:15:19
>  Jeff and Jane Scott wrote:
> >This city of Blossom and Blood
> >This city suffered more than it should
> >These sidewalk silhouettes not washed away
> >Not washed away...
> >
> >
> >
> >Lest we forget
> >
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> >
>
>
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Kate Parker Adams
kate@dnki.net
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"She's gonna dream up the world she wants to live in,
She's gonna dream out loud" - U2 (Zooropa)
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go Out Of Mind ... http://www.kpasoutput.blogspot.com
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