Atrocities of War

Had FDR changed his mind about bombing two cities in Japan which had no military targets?

(LOS ANGELES) - Interestingly enough, President Harry Truman was not even aware of the Manhattan Project while President Franklin D Roosevelt was alive.

Upon being sworn in as President, Truman was briefed by high ranking military staffers that both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were, indeed and factually, military targets which were to be destroyed by the atomic bombs dropped by B-29 Bombers in August, 1945. Truman was then presumed to have placed his blessing on the upcoming event, allowing for plans, then in motion, to proceed on schedule for the final stages of construction and testing of the bomb..

One must question the published facts that include reports that Russian Officials strongly suggested to Roosevelt's son, Kermit, then a U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, that he ask his mother, Eleanor, to demand an autopsy on the dead president. World War II was then still raging in Europe and the Pacific.

There was no autopsy conducted on the president who had been diagnosed (by unknown authorities) to have suffered a brain hemorrhage and aneurism, causing death.

A 17-year old Georgia National Guard soldier had been posted to the President's house in Warm Spring, Georgia in April, 1945, and ordered to stand guard at the bottom of the steps leading to the veranda which enclosed the entire house. An elderly black man was seated in a rocking chair on the veranda quietly sobbing and holding his face in his hands. Suddenly, and with great emotion he cried: "Oh, the Master's gone. The Master's done shot himself".

The FBI and Secret Service quickly removed the elderly black man who had been the President's piano player and was blind. What he heard but could not see was a gunshot presumably fired by the President while he and the President had been in the same room.

Had the President changed his mind about bombing two cities in Japan which had no military targets?

Had the Manhattan Project reached a point of no return re production critical path?

Shortly before the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the Russians had declared War on Japan. Immediately and with great urgency the Japanese government vigorously attempted to surrender, unconditionally, to the United States. The Japanese had no stomach for Russian occupation as the results of Japanese atrocities to Russian and Chinese prisoners of war had been reported in depth by the Japanese and allied news media. The Japanese effort failed, falling on deaf ears.

And the Americans wanted to show the Russians not only did the United States possess this new wonder weapon but also had the temerity to drop it on Civilian Targets, twice. The Japanese were then allowed to surrender, unconditionally, to the United States on the deck of the USS Battleship Missouri then anchored in Tokyo Bay.

While some would challenge hero status for a man who admittedly was ordered to train assassination teams for the CIA during the Vietnam War (none of which carried out a mission), no one can challenge the fact that as a triple volunteer (airborne, ranger, Special Forces), John served his country with bravery, honor and distinction. Like so many of the young men who went to Vietnam, he believed in his country and what he had been taught was the rightness of its mission in the world. But this is also the story of John's disillusionment and of his painful awakening, which came at the cost of wife, family and friends. It is a story about how he stood alone, at a crucial moment, as his country broke its word to him and refused to capitulate as he saw that the moral leadership of those who gave him orders was an empty house of cards. ---
Mike Ruppert, 7/14/98

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Hank Ruark July 17, 2010 8:52 pm (Pacific time)

Friends:
Re John's story, no comment since no new information.

Re FDR's death, noted artist
Elizabeth Shoumatoff and his longtime woman friend Lucy Rutherford were both there at the time, as artist Shoumataff was painting his portrait.

Sudden collapse is described in detail in "FDR" by Jean Edward Smith, the classic biographical source: ISBN 978-0-8129-7049-4.

The key pages are 635/636 --last ones in the book.
The whole last chapter sets up the history of his recently returning illness and the setting --as the lunch table was prepared by a steward-- when he grasped his head and complained of a terrible headache.

His deteriorating health and his cerebral condition as part of that are matters of solid medical record, and persons named by Smith are verifiable as actual observers of his last moments.

No wish to query story, but only to add historical and very checkable information...

Jerry West July 18, 2010 7:08 pm (Pacific time)

Joe, it is not a proven fact the A bombs saved any lives. See J.L. Mann's comments which are correct. That the A bomb saved thousands of lives is propaganda that has been perpetuated in some of the subsequent history. (I lived in Japan, and was Marine, but mostly as a student of Japanse history and military history, and a degree in Japanese History, I know this.) John: Do not go too far out on a limb with the idea that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not military targets. They had military value. It is a minor point and tossing it in can weaken credibility and sidetrack the debate from the bigger picture of the fact that the bombing was not necessary to end WWII.

Carolyn July 18, 2010 6:23 pm (Pacific time)

Those familiar with our war with Japan are all quite happy that it was brought to a quick conclusion with the nuclear bombs. Of course no one at the time knew for sure if the first bomb would have even worked. Those who interviewed Japanese military leaders after the surrender were quite sure Japan would have never surrendered and millions most likely would have died if not for just the first bomb, for the second drop was needed. Japan was prepared to commit suicide. A blockade around Japan would have never worked. Do you realize how big their mainland is? Years and years of floating at sea? They would have rebuilt their military, weaned their population size and who knows how many more Americans would have needlessly died. We fought that war to win and we did. It has been debated for years in college classrooms that dropping a nuke somewhere outside of a population center would have been effective, well, as mentioned above, there was no sure way knowing it would work. Japan was dealt a blow she richly deserved for they killed millions all throughout Asia. Only those who fail to grasp history would call it a war crime. We needed to defeat a ruthless enemy as soon as possible. God Bless America.

Daniel Johnson July 18, 2010 7:17 am (Pacific time)

Just the fact that the U.S. dropped not one, but two, bombs on civilian populations makes America the perpetrator of the greatest war crime in history. (I discount the Holocaust in this context because it was an ongoing crime and not two single acts.) They had, presumably, only two bombs ready. What I have never been able to understand is why they didn't drop one on some uninhabited island--letting the Japanese know in advance--then saying, if you don't surrender immediately, the next will be dropped on Japan itself. I think that would have had the same result without the loss of the civilian lives of two cities.The US is the proud holder of the distinction of being the only country to use the bombs. There was also the firebombing of Dresden, another civilian target, but that was an act that the Allies cooperated in.

J. L. Mann, Kalamazoo, MI July 16, 2010 5:13 am (Pacific time)

For Joe: Sir, by the time Hiroshima and Nagasaki were annihilated the US Navy had achieved a 100% naval blockade of Japan. As an island nation utterly dependent on imports for survival, Japan would have collapsed completely within months, starving because of this blockade. The Pentagon and White House were fully aware of this. There was never a need to invade, squandering the lives of US servicemen. Nor was there ever a need to vaporize scores of thousands of common Japanese civilians. Perhaps the vital question here is why the "urgent need" to A-bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki is so indelibly impressed on the greater American historical consciousness -- when the truth renders that particular imprimatur into something iffy indeed. Real truth is tough to come by in America, where 'image is everything.' John McCarthy occupies a unique place for offering us his perspective of the truth. He knows first hand the twin images of American-style freedom and justice often have no substance in fact. He's lived it.

Anonymous July 16, 2010 1:31 pm (Pacific time)

whacko conspiracy websites, now thats funny.. Since MSM is doing such a good job.. Smedley Butler, highest decorated marine of his time, said: I spent 33 years…being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism…. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1916. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City [Bank] boys to collect revenue in. I helped in the rape of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street…. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested….I had…a swell racket. I was rewarded with honors, medals, promotions….I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate a racket in three cities. The Marines operated on three continents… (end quote) my quote: And if you think for one minute, this is not still going on, but now with a much higher tech involved, ie: owning mainstream news, indoctrination camps they call the public education system, and bought off politicians etc..you are highly mistaken.

J. L. Mann, Kalamazoo, MI July 16, 2010 5:12 am (Pacific time)

Joe July 15, 2010 9:38 pm (Pacific time)

You guys are starting to sound like those whako conspiracy sites. It's a proven fact that the A Bomb attacks, as horrible as they were, saved hundreds of thousands of American and Japanese lives which would have been lost if the war continued. Tim, as a Marine you know this is true.

Tim King: Joe, I also grew up with WWII parents who wholeheartedly supported the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but you have to admit this is interesting. I learned a lot about Japan by reading 'The Flyboys' that I did not know. Regardless, this is John's story and we should try to not call everything we haven't heard before a conspiracy theory. Thanks for your comment.

Anonymous July 15, 2010 8:01 pm (Pacific time)

telling fibs to get us into war for the elite and their agenda, and using soldiers as cannon fodder?? no, say it isnt so.

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