I COMMEND Harry Reid for his article (May 10) about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and particularly his finding that "it is impossible to know what conclusion the whole world should come to, even now." On May 11, William Bonnar states arguments against the bombing. There are other facts.
The loss of life in Hiroshima was less than the number of Japanese civilians burned to death in the incendiary bombing of Tokyo. Plans had already been made to land 700,000 Allied troops on Kyushu in November 1945 (X-Day), and a million more near Tokyo in March 1946 (Y-Day).
Facilities were to be put in hand to deal with 100,000 Allied casualties. The Japanese still had 2,500,000 armed forces, who could be expected to fight to the death. It took two bombs and the fear of more before the Japanese surrendered.
I have to declare an interest. The first troopship containing British Commonwealth air forces of occupation sailed into Kure in March 1946, and I was on it. When we set foot on land no-one died. I was posted, for the next two years, at Iwakuni, 27 miles from Hiroshima. Generally, even in the Peace Pavilion in Hiroshima, the Japanese do not blame the Americans for the bombing. I wonder if there would have been so much soulsearching if the Japanese had had the bomb and had used it. I think it would not have surprised anyone.
I think it is still impossible to come to a conclusion.
F G Reeves, 98 Beechwood Drive, Glasgow.
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