Bombings in context

Regarding the recent memorializing in Bangor of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki:

It is interesting how the “blame America first” crowd refuses to debate the necessity of the bombings, while hinting they think it might not have been necessary. In fact, they refuse to enter into the debate because there are still enough of us around who either were alive at the time, or are the sons and daughters of those who served in World War II and know better.

Japan in the first part of the 20th century was an imperialistic force in the western Pacific, Asia and Micronesia. A war-like people, they spent many years developing a culture of superiority toward their neighbors.

The Japanese occupied Southeast Asia into Burma and threatened India. They turned their attention to the western Pacific and worked southward toward Australia. Every place they went they mercilessly subjugated the inhabitants.

My father served in the Solomon Islands campaign, seeing action against the Imperial Japanese at Guadalcanal, Bougainville and New Georgia. He described atrocities taken against the native people and American captives that will always stay with me.

During the invasion of Okinawa the residents fought to the death hiding in caves and using sticks and farm implements. When defeat was at hand, whole families chose to commit suicide by jumping off cliffs – women with babies in arms.

Thank God for President Truman having the guts to make the difficult decision to use the bombs against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the residents and slaves – including American POWs – were manufacturing arms and munitions to be used against the American servicemen.

In examining historical events, context cannot be ignored.

Andrew Rudzinski

Corinth