POLL: How are you commemorating Hiroshima Day today?

Interesting Q! I WAS remembering the day that my husband and I drove our MG with the top down, through Hiroshima, in l955. My husband was stationed on Kyushu (in the US Air Force), and we were on vacation. We got caught in a terrible traffic jam, and had to get out of the way of this huge bus--but two little girls jump right behind us and were playing in the soft dust in the road behind us. We could not back up--and there was no WAY we dared to pick the children up to move them to the side. People just stared, but one old WWII vet, still in his old army uniform, and who had one wooden leg, came out shaking one of his crutches at us and rabble-rousing the crowd against us. It was really frightening! All I could think of was how enraged I would have been if I were a Japanese citizen of Hiroshima. Finally, someone got the children out of the road and we were able to be on our way. I do think that--as bad as the H-bomb was--that it did shorten the war. My landlord's Daughter and I used to talk, and she told me that the authorities--the Generals and others in command--had told them that if the Americans fought their way up to Kyushu, that they would kill every man, woman and child. That was no doubt to get the people to fight to their death. But my landlord's Daughter told me how totally surprised everyone was, when they saw the first American soldiers, who were smiling and passing out chocolate candy bars to all the children! The atomic bomb is a terrible thing--and we all have to work for Peace over the world, all the time.

One way I commemorate it is to read the Wiki page below on Japanese war crimes in World War II. The Japanese holocaust killed twice as many people as N@zi Germany.

And the invasion of Japan in 1946 was forecast to cause two million American deaths, and more than 25 million Japanese deaths. Did you know that every Japanese civilian older than four was being trained on how to attack American soldiers from behind, with poison tipped bamboo spears? Some members of the Japanese War Council felt it would be better if the entire country died fighting, rather than face the humiliation of surrender. That would have been close to 100 million deaths.

When I reflect on all of that, then I don't think the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were that bad. Before you get too comfy on that high horse, you might stop to think that there were reasons for the decisions made.

Commemorating the date in the US with the International Date Line on the fact that today is 7 August and commemorates the landing of US Marines in Guadalcanal. If the Japanese had surrendered unconditionally the bombs wouldn't have had to have been dropped.

See pictures of Nagasaki and Hiroshima today? Compare it to modern day pictures of Detroit Michigan and tell me what you think.

I cannot see any reason why I should waste my time remembering the war crimes committed by the Japs for which they were never fully punished. They are right now about to change their constitution to allow themselves to become warlike once more.

Time for another bomb?

Two Jap words spring to mind; Tsunami and Sushi.

Death comes with the first and vomit with the second.

London UK 070813.0351

what for i cannot see any reason to remember anything about Japan and their part In WW2

I am still controlling my anger after Being Bombed By the Nazis for 5 years and I had never met a German Let alone a Nazi

I'm not because no jews were killed so we are not forced to hear about it every other day.

For those of you who comfort yourself by saying that it shortened the war I a afraid it didn't japan had been trying to surrender for 3 weeks. The communications are recorded look for yourself, America wanted to try out its bombs on intact cities which is why Tokyo was not bombed.

I have never heard of it, all I know is my wife's uncle was a Japanese POW and for the rest of his life he would never buy Japanese goods or talk to a Japanese person..

I'm not. I'm gad the war was brought to an end without the invasion of mainland Japan and the consequent enormous loss of life, but I don't see what there is the actually commemorate.

6th August 1945 no American causalities.

すし, 寿司, 鮨, 鮓, 寿斗, 寿し, 壽司