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To my knowledge formal apologies have been issued for the internment of Japanese Americans and the dropping of atomic weapons. I do not believe the japaneese have ever apologized for Pearl Harbor.
"Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
FDR on december 8th to a joint session of congress.
"Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
FDR on december 8th to a joint session of congress.
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But - there was no chance they were going to win at this point.
Then - why nuke their city?
They were negotiating terms of surrender already. Why was a civilian-killing invasion the only other option? Why would we have found it necessary to gun down children in the course of invading and occupying the country?
Japan had lost. We dropped that bomb to show the world - especially Stalin - that we had it. What would have happened if we hadn't? Japan would have surrendered very shortly anyway. Blaming them for getting bombed, claiming that they brought it on themselves, is not acceptable.
Nor am I willing to accept the brutal death of thousands of people as a regrettable necessity. There were plenty of intelligent people in positions of power then - you're telling me the only ideas they could come up with were "atomic bomb" and "slaughter and pillage?"
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Predictions for casualties in the proposed Operation Downfall varied widely. I'll be reading up on the plan and getting back to you, since I'd like to know what I'm talking about before going on further. :)
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It /is/ the case that civilians die in warzones, but the standards the nations of the world have agreed on require us to pursue military objectives in ways that preserve the most civilian life. Even if one accepts that there were factories in those cities and the factories were the military target of the bombing, it would be considered a war crime in the modern day to use a wide-area weapon against them rather than a more specifically targetted one.
Now, that said, with the caveat that it is an entirely different subject than the moral question of whether the bombing was appropriate: It's my belief that had atomic weapons not been used at the close of World War II, they would have been used (in a bi-lateral, more wide-spread way) during the subsequent conflict between the United States and the USSR. In the absence of the images of destruction from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I don't believe that the US and USSR would have managed to pull back from the brink during the various moments of critical decision during what turned OUT to be a Cold War.
Does that justify the deaths? Not in the sense of supporting the decision, because it wasn't a factor at the time. But perhaps it does give them some meaning. They might well have been martyrs to the cause of preventing an actual nuclear war.
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To his credit The emperor of japan and some of his advisors saw that this was a posability. Sadly he was not in control as he was a voice calling for surrender.