Q: I heard of this thing called an "Atomic Bomb" - can it be real?
A: Unfortunately it is very real.
In fact it has been used in the most horrible way. Most people may know, but few
except myself and Jon actually remember, that not too long ago two atomic bombs were dropped. One on Hiroshima
and one on Nagasaki. What many people don't know is that the Official Bombing Order
on July 25th, 1945 also approved using nuclear weapons on Kokura and Niigata, Japan.
Which brings me to my next point. Doesn't it seem strange that President Truman,
all Willie-nilly like, approved the destruction of four major cities. Military targets is usually acceptable, but
just destroy a city as a show of military strength seems a little drastic.
Perhaps if we look at the way Truman viewed the Japanese people, we would better
understand. In his diary on July 25th, 1945, he mentions, "...the
Japs are savages, ruthless, merciless and fanatic..." Well, well. enough said about that. However, later in
that same diary entry he mentions, "The target will be a purely military one and we will issue a warning statement
asking the Japs to surrender and save lives."
In his radio address to the nation Truman states, "...we wished in this first
attack to avoid, insofar as possible, the killing of civilians." So was he a compassionate man forced into
action?
I doubt it.
In the Official Bombing Order he made no
mention of targeting military objectives or sparing civilians. The cities themselves were the targets. The order
was also open-ended. "Additional bombs" could be dropped "as soon as made ready by the project staff."
Sure it's good to win a war, but at what cost?
On September 30, 1938, the League of Nations Assembly, Unanimously approved the
resolution of "PROTECTION OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS AGAINST BOMBING FROM THE AIR IN CASE OF WAR." In that document they agree that, 1) The intentional bombing of civilian populations
is illegal; 2) Objectives aimed at from the air must be legitimate military objectives and must be identifiable;
3) Any attack on legitimate military objectives must be carried out in such a way that civilian populations in
the neighborhood are not bombed through negligence.
Later the United Nations, on November 24, 1961
confirmed that, "...the use of weapons of mass destruction, causing unnecessary human suffering, was in the
past prohibited, as being contrary to the laws of humanity and to the principles of international law, by international
declarations and binding agreements, such as the Declaration of St. Petersburg of 1868, the Declaration of the
Brussels Conference of 1874, the Conventions of the Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907, and the Geneva Protocol
of 1925, to which the majority of nations are still parties..." In other words, based on previous laws, Truman
should have known better.
Therefore, based on the resolution by the International Community, Truman's Bombing
Order was in every way conceivable an illegal act.
Furthermore, based on the Principles used for the Nuremberg trials, they define a "War Crime" as, "...(the) wanton destruction of cities,
towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity;..." They also define "Crimes
Against Humanity" as, "... murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed
against any civilian populations..."
Since the Order included entire cities (which may have had military targets);
however, the entire cities were not military targets, and the plan was to destroy the each whole city; therefore,
murdering all its inhabitants, then it appears President Truman was not only breaking international law, he is
also guilty of "War Crimes" and "Crimes Against Humanity."
What do you know, I always thought Truman was a nice Joe. I guess Nixon wasn't
the only criminal to work at the White House.
Sorry, no one-liners or jokes in this commentary.
And now you know.