Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and What Really Stopped Japan


On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9, 1945, they did the same to Nagasaki. The atomic bombings marked the first and, thus far, the only time that nuclear weapons have been used in armed conflict. Between 129 000 and 226 000 people were killed, most of whom were civilians.

It is commonly believed that these bombings forced Japan to surrender, with some proponents of this oft-repeated narrative (which contains many inaccuracies and myths) going as far as to claim that it was necessary. Contrary to that commonly held belief, it was most likely the very real possibility of a Soviet offensive taking place on the Japanese mainland, which would mean a direct confrontation with Soviet forces, that pushed Japanese leaders to surrender. And so, it was really the military genius of Stalin that helped stopped Imperial Japan -- not the atomic bombs.

"..."[Y]ou can’t analyze Japan’s decision to surrender objectively in the context of the story of the [Atomic] Bomb. Casting it as “the story of the Bomb” already presumes that the Bomb’s role is central."

Read more here (highly recommended): https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/30/the-bomb-didnt-beat-japan-stalin-did/#sthash.CI8uH5Vr.dpuf

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