This is a good point to keep in mind. Too easy for us to overlook in the 21st century.
What happens to Truman if he didn’t use the atomic bomb?
- Thread starter Bellacinos
- Start date
This is a good point to keep in mind. Too easy for us to overlook in the 21st century.
I believe I read somewhere that there were 165,000 of those in Japanese custody in the summer of 1945.
I am not sure if that includes Chinese POW's, though.
Memphis Willie B. was one of many GI's who approved of Truman's decision:
I was way overseas, I was way over in New Jerusalem, General Eisenhower say, "You soldiers got to go over in Tokyo," say, "and do the best you can." But I told him,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. Say, I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't send me over in Tokyo."
He said, "Germany done fell now.", say, "You soldier boys know what it's all about.", say, "You got to go way over near the island, get General MacArthur out.", but I told him,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. Say, I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't send me over in Tokyo."
You know, General Eisenhower and General MacArthur had a conference. They were talkin' about that atomic bomb. He said, "Then do what I think now, you boys, so your men won't have to come.", I said,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. So I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't take me over in Tokyo."
We was sittin' in the stagin' area, waitin' on the results of that atomic bomb. Finally, MacArthur sent Eisenhower a letter, sayin', "Your boys don't have to come." I said,
REFRAIN: "I'm so glad, little Willie don't have to go. Say, I had so
much trouble with them Germans, don't take me over in Tokyo."
SOLO
I told him I had a sweet thing in the U.S.A., she is sweet as she can be. She got a lot of work she want did, it's to save the job for me, that's the reason I'm cryin',
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. I had so much trouble with
them Germans, Don't send me over in Tokyo."
I was way overseas, I was way over in New Jerusalem, General Eisenhower say, "You soldiers got to go over in Tokyo," say, "and do the best you can." But I told him,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. Say, I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't send me over in Tokyo."
He said, "Germany done fell now.", say, "You soldier boys know what it's all about.", say, "You got to go way over near the island, get General MacArthur out.", but I told him,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. Say, I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't send me over in Tokyo."
You know, General Eisenhower and General MacArthur had a conference. They were talkin' about that atomic bomb. He said, "Then do what I think now, you boys, so your men won't have to come.", I said,
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. So I had so much trouble
with them Germans, don't take me over in Tokyo."
We was sittin' in the stagin' area, waitin' on the results of that atomic bomb. Finally, MacArthur sent Eisenhower a letter, sayin', "Your boys don't have to come." I said,
REFRAIN: "I'm so glad, little Willie don't have to go. Say, I had so
much trouble with them Germans, don't take me over in Tokyo."
SOLO
I told him I had a sweet thing in the U.S.A., she is sweet as she can be. She got a lot of work she want did, it's to save the job for me, that's the reason I'm cryin',
REFRAIN: "No, little Willie don't wanta go. I had so much trouble with
them Germans, Don't send me over in Tokyo."
Truman will be hated and very likely impeached - though I dont see how he will get charged with treason. But assassination attempts are likely - maybe one succeeds.
Later however he might get a cult and become a hero in anti-nuclear bomb and the like circles. He will be the guy that could have wrought absolute destruction and stopped his hand. Whatever the losses suffered and the reaction to that the decision of not erasing the existence of hundreds of thousends of woman, children and elderly with a single stroke will give him the moral high ground and justification in the eyes of a lot of people. Especially if the bomb is used later in a different war - as it surely will especially after such preconditions (if he is impeached for not using it in the next war any president will be bound to use it).
To sum it up: He will be a very controversial figure - a hero to some and a tratior to others.
Later however he might get a cult and become a hero in anti-nuclear bomb and the like circles. He will be the guy that could have wrought absolute destruction and stopped his hand. Whatever the losses suffered and the reaction to that the decision of not erasing the existence of hundreds of thousends of woman, children and elderly with a single stroke will give him the moral high ground and justification in the eyes of a lot of people. Especially if the bomb is used later in a different war - as it surely will especially after such preconditions (if he is impeached for not using it in the next war any president will be bound to use it).
To sum it up: He will be a very controversial figure - a hero to some and a tratior to others.
Deleted member 142663
I think it does increase the likelihood of the bomb being used in a future conflict, which increases the likelihood that the Russians will have the bomb by the time it is used (or maybe even become the first to use it) which does increase the likelihood of a nuclear exchange. Maybe instead of 2 bombs dropped on Japan history will record 7-8 being dropped in Korea?
Garrison
Donor
This borders on ASB, what possible reason would Harry Truman have not to use a weapon that would potentially save the lives of hundreds of thousands US soldiers? You are basically positing a complete mental breakdown on Truman's part, because there is no way a sane Truman would consider such a course of action. Unless of course you are inclined to offer an an actual plausible POD for such an action rather than yet another 'lets skip the hard part and consider the consequences of the impossible happening thread'?
I'll agree but not for the same reasons. Neither Truman nor the military thought that the bomb would end the war. It was not a choice of bomb or invasion. It was bomb and invasion. Though there were many getting leery of an invasion.
That might be putting it too strongly. My sense from the contemporary correspondence is that they really weren't sure if it would, but the possibility was certainly entertained.
There is this letter from Truman to Senator Russell on the day Nagasaki was bombed, for example, where he argues that the combined impact of the bombs and Soviet entry into the war would force a surrender:
It’s pretty interesting to see that its almost a unanimous consensus among people here that Truman really didn’t have a choice in using the bombs and that it’s borderline ASB to argue otherwise where if you were to ask the general public now, it would probably be a 50/50 split maybe even more people condemning Truman.
Look at Twitter a few weeks back. I saw people claim that Truman wanted a testing ground for his "New Toy".