Despite the devastating losses suffered by the Japanese defending the South Pacific islands including Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Peleliu, and finally Okinawa, and the devastating firebombing of the home islands, the Japanese refused to enter into surrender talks. Reports back to the White House indicated that in all of these places (and others), the Japanese had literally fought to the last man. The next step was to invade Japan itself; estimate of US losses were raised to a million US troops. Truman, who had been president for all of four months and wasn't previously even informed of the Manhattan Project had to make perhaps the most difficult decision in presidential history. His decision to drop Little Boy on Hiroshima and later Fatman on Nagasaki killed immediately around 200,000 Japanese (mostly civilians), but ultimately forced unconditional surrender.
My uncle was to be part of the invading force and always credits the flyboys with saving his life. That same day, my dad was command pilot of squadron of B-24s flying a mission against Kagoshima. He witnessed the mushroom cloud from the Hiroshima blast, but had no idea what it was until later.
My uncle was to be part of the invading force and always credits the flyboys with saving his life. That same day, my dad was command pilot of squadron of B-24s flying a mission against Kagoshima. He witnessed the mushroom cloud from the Hiroshima blast, but had no idea what it was until later.
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