Remembering Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Tokyo: Statism Manifested as Murder Apologism (why some individuals still view mass murder as morally legitimate)
A view of Hiroshima in the aftermath of the bomb being dropped.
225,000 men, women, and children dead. Some still defend the US attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as being "necessary."
Yesterday was the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. According to the jumbled "official story" there was no choice but to drop the bomb. If it weren't for that bomb you'd be speaking German right now! is still the favorite line of many statists in the USA, and even around the world. Some in Japan even seem to believe it was a sad "necessity."
Regardless of the fact that there were many, many direct overtures of surrender and willingness to negotiate coming from the high ranking officials in the Japanese government prior to the bombings, individuals brainwashed by statist indoctrination and nationalistic programming still wish to somehow "justify" this mass murder. I would highly encourage anyone to research this topic (see hyperlink above).
All this notwithstanding, though, whether or not the Japanese government was planning to surrender is irrelevant when coming to a verdict on the morality of these acts of aggression. They were wrong. They were unethical. They were murder. The end.
The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was pre-meditated mass murder, regardless of the Japanese government's stance on surrender at the time.
You see, a government's supposed evil plans never justify the taking of innocent life. This is where the collectivists and nationalists who support blanket military action against any and all individuals living within a given geographical region have it dead wrong.
When innocent people are killed, and innocent lives are taken in events such as those that transpired 72 years ago in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is not just "collateral damage." It is....innocent lives being taken. And claims that all this was for the "greater good" are nonsensical. Why? Well, how can good come from evil? If taking innocent life is always wrong, how, then, can it ever be "right"? Performatively, the religious nationalists who make these "arguments" always contradict themselves, anyway.
Most Americans arguing for this "greater good" would not be willing to die for the "greater good" should it consist of some other country bombing them if the USA allied itself with some new, evil world power.
It was worth it for peace, they say. I say Great. The US is right now indiscriminately drone bombing villages in the Middle East. When someone from their country comes to the US to murder you, please step out and willingly die. It is worth it for peace, after all.
I would like to dedicate this post to all those who lost their lives in these bombings, as well as the firebombings that occurred in other cities, such as the one in Tokyo which was the deadliest single air raid in all of history.
RIP. There is a better way.
Thousands upon thousands of lives destroyed in seconds, with the push of a button from the air.
Tokyo after the infamous firebombing known as "Operation Meetinghouse," the deadliest bombing in history, still largely ignored and often forgotten.
This is the cancer called nationalism.
These individuals are to blame?
There is no apology that can erase this. Google "Voluntaryism," and come to your senses.
Peace.
~KafkA
(All images public domain, Wikipedia.)
Graham Smith is a voluntaryist activist and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
Couldn't possibly agree more with this article as this is a belief I have always held as well. It is so sad to me that when Americans commit atrocities like this they are a "necessary part of war". Ask ANY American how they feel about 9/11 though? We can ALL agree that it was a tragedy. But what we did to Japan is not even comparable and so many just shrug it off as not being a big deal. If some other country hit us they way we hit Japan, it would be considered unforgiveable. I just wish more people could see life through the perspective of others sometimes. So sad.
I remember that my father used to say that the atomic bombs were necessary 'because the Japanese would never stop'. I also remember that I thought it was a strange and scary thing to hear that there are people who actually think it's OK to murder so many innocent people out of fear of...of what really? My father was originally from Amsterdam, lived through the WWII and has seen many of his friends being deported to death camps. I remember the tears that came when he was telling us stories about friends that were taken and never seen again. I could never understand how the lives of these friends were more precious than the lives of those who died in Japan. I probably never will. Thank you for this post. RIP to all those lives that were lost during this horrible event in history.
You raise a really interesting point I think about tribalism and the potential detriments of the "in group/out group" mentality found in all animals, including humans.
I am so sorry to hear about your dad's friends. I am really struck by your willingness to see things so clearly, though. Why were "those people" different?
Thanks for your comment.
Thank you! Things like that have been keeping me occupied from the moment I started searching for truth. In my opinion all life is precious and killing is and can never be the answer. I can't even begin to imagine how the men on both sides of any war would feel after they follow orders like that. Of course some (like the Japanese and Germans) are usually pictured as evil, but I think we all know there would have been pure evil on either side and good just as well. I can't imagine that all of the Gestapo members were evil, just like I know that not all allied soldiers were good. Most of them were following orders, desertion or failing to follow those orders were punishable by death. I think any war brings a lot of young men and women with high expectations and false ideas. I think most are disillusioned by what they end up having to do, or not. Which brings me to a question: what if all those who are 'just following orders' would turn around and say they aren't doing it anymore?
That would be a beautiful day!
I couldn't agree more!
Upvoted and also resteemed :)
Thanks, @behappy.
Statism, the most dangerous and destructive religion ever devised by man ...
Truly sad.
Humankind is a strange animal with a strange behaviour. Lets not forget that people are totally blind of the mass genocide is going on with the children of the world. A shameful number of 25000 innocent children dying daily because of starvation and not many seem to care.
And today the enemy are the Muslims, so its okay to bombard muslim weddings...
The best sign I have ever seen regarding this stated:
Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity.
It used to be the Russians. Now it's Muslims and the Koreans. Media is manipulating a lot in this, and they get their orders from higher posts.
Thank You Graham for including the photographs, as they say, a photo is worth a 1,000 words.
And I totally agree... There IS a better way.
Have a Good Week !!
The US knew the Japanese were prepared for surrender, this was all about show of force and the efficacy of modern weapons. The innocents that perished in Japan via Atomic weapons, were essentially props. That horror has kept regimes quiet for almost 80 years. Terrible way to seize power.
May those innocent souls Rest In Peace. Yes it is one of the bloodiest day in human's history. But Kudos to all people of Japan ,regardless of such an incident they are one of the most developed nation now!!