Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ccieng2.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!rochester!ritcv!ccieng5!ccieng2!kfk From: kfk@ccieng2.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: addendum to my flame Message-ID: <107@ccieng2.UUCP> Date: Wed, 8-Feb-84 16:47:18 EST Article-I.D.: ccieng2.107 Posted: Wed Feb 8 16:47:18 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 03:23:52 EST Organization: Computer Consoles Inc., Rochester, NY Lines: 39 ---------- From stolaf!twiss Thu Feb 2 18:49:35 1984 Subject: Re: addendum to my flame > The use of the bomb brought about a merciful close to WWII ____________________ Merciful?!?!? All those people killed?? Many suffering still from radiation sickness?? Those that didn't die immediately suffered *horribly* from radiation sickness. I don't know if I can resolve the question because, morally, it's very complex. But how can we possibly refer to the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs "merciful"?!?!?!?! ---------- Yes, merciful. If you're going to have massive death counts, would you rather count deaths in tens and hundreds of thousands, or do you prefer the big leap straight to the millions? I, for one, am much in favor of the lower numbers for such things. Yes, there was horrible radiation sickness. Just what do you expect? The fact remains that, although MANY were killed and MANY suffered from radiation sickness, FAR, FAR MANY *MORE* would have died if the fighting had been al- lowed to go on using traditional warfare. To all who object to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and who are under 35 years of age: If your father, like mine, was in that war, and if he was in the Phillipines (or that general area of the world), then he was being prepared for the assault on the home islands. I know my father was. He was a Captain in the Army, and he was in one of two divisions which were going to be the first ones to make the assault. The final decision as to which division would actually be THE first was going to be made by coin toss, in order to make sure that no favoritism could be suggested for such an ugly assignment. The anticipated casualties for the first 20,000 men sent were estimated at about 60-70%, which is MIGHTY high. The next time you're thinking of accusing the U.S. of being such horrible place for having dropped nuclear weapons on Japan, think about the fact that, if they HADN'T been dropped, you would have only had about a 30-40% chance of being here to sit on your duff and complain about it all. -- Karl Kleinpaste ...![ [seismo, allegra]!rochester!ritcv, rlgvax]!ccieng5!ccieng2!kfk