[SeanPlunk]

I swear I could spend hours just looking through random wikipedia articles. I'll start off with this article on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I did a pretty comprehensive report on the bombings back in 6th grade and remember a lot of it, but I had no idea until looking at that article that we were planning on dropping a third bomb in about another week or so after the first two. Also, if they had not surrendered we were considering dropping three more in September. They were also considering stockpiling the bombs and then dropping a whole bunch in a short time period after the invasion of Japan. I can't even imagine what the fatality count would have been if that had happened.

[Vettezuki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...Administration

This article is polite. The full reality would be pretty surprising to most Americans now. Fortunately, it didn't go too far.

"On May 27, 1935, the NRA was found to be unconstitutional by a unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Schechter v. United States."

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by SeanPlunk

I swear I could spend hours just looking through random wikipedia articles. I'll start off with this article on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I did a pretty comprehensive report on the bombings back in 6th grade and remember a lot of it, but I had no idea until looking at that article that we were planning on dropping a third bomb in about another week or so after the first two. Also, if they had not surrendered we were considering dropping three more in September. They were also considering stockpiling the bombs and then dropping a whole bunch in a short time period after the invasion of Japan. I can't even imagine what the fatality count would have been if that had happened.

My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

[SeanPlunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon

Can you imagine if you saw one of those coming towards you They estimate it may have grown to up to 50ft in length and weighed up to 110 tons. Here is a size comparison with a Great White just to get a rough idea of it's size.

[enkeivette]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Israel

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by enkeivette

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Israel

So, you are going to be deleted????????

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

Good point.

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

Being a History Major and having a minor in WWII. I understand a lot of WWII that is not in regular History Books. Japan was not trying to take over the world. They were just trying to get the resources that they needed ( thought they needed at the time). What they did was wrong, but it was not world domination they were after.
BUT it is greatly agreeded, that there would have been untold (possibly over a million) deaths on both sides- if we invaded Japan. If it was the right call by Truman is still in debate. But, so far, history is in agreement with Truman.

[SeanPlunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_class

Crazy huge cruise ship - it's bigger than a Nimitz class carrier

[two drink minimum]

One of my favorites...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesna_Vulovi%C4%87