1) I assure you that I've been closer to death than you have, and there are things other than radiation that can linger on the battlefield long after even conventional conflicts end (ask me about digging up American-made DPICMs and anti-tank mines in Iraq). Just think about how many Ukrainian kids will be stepping on cluster munitions an…
1) I assure you that I've been closer to death than you have, and there are things other than radiation that can linger on the battlefield long after even conventional conflicts end (ask me about digging up American-made DPICMs and anti-tank mines in Iraq). Just think about how many Ukrainian kids will be stepping on cluster munitions and landmines for decades to come the longer the Ukrainian conflict goes on.
2) We firebombed over 50% of some 60+ Japanese cities--intentionally targeting civilians and selecting incendiary munitions over traditional ones because Japanese homes were made of wood--and created "firestorms" on the ground that engulfed hundreds of thousands in single nights (100k+ dead in Tokyo in a singular bombing for example). By the time we wasted the folks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki we were sparing lives, not taking more than what would have already been lost by other more costly means for both sides. The way we saw it, we were done trading American lives for Japanese ones. It was time for them to throw in the towel, and that's the message Hirohito took away after we sent him that message wasn't it? So weird how speaking violently to violent actors tends to deliver a message. Just took us a good long time and a lot of people dead to finally get there. Wonder how long it will take this time.
1) I assure you that I've been closer to death than you have, and there are things other than radiation that can linger on the battlefield long after even conventional conflicts end (ask me about digging up American-made DPICMs and anti-tank mines in Iraq). Just think about how many Ukrainian kids will be stepping on cluster munitions and landmines for decades to come the longer the Ukrainian conflict goes on.
2) We firebombed over 50% of some 60+ Japanese cities--intentionally targeting civilians and selecting incendiary munitions over traditional ones because Japanese homes were made of wood--and created "firestorms" on the ground that engulfed hundreds of thousands in single nights (100k+ dead in Tokyo in a singular bombing for example). By the time we wasted the folks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki we were sparing lives, not taking more than what would have already been lost by other more costly means for both sides. The way we saw it, we were done trading American lives for Japanese ones. It was time for them to throw in the towel, and that's the message Hirohito took away after we sent him that message wasn't it? So weird how speaking violently to violent actors tends to deliver a message. Just took us a good long time and a lot of people dead to finally get there. Wonder how long it will take this time.