"I am become death"

I found this interesting quote by J. Robert Oppenheimer. He gave this quote after the atomic bombing on Japan. He took this quote: "Oppenheimer remarked later that it brought to mind words from the Bhagavad Gita", which he translated into "Now I become death, destroyer of worlds".
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb13ynu3Iac
You can see the guilt on his face.

 

That video was also done 20 years after Trinity, and 3 years before his death.

There is no "look of guilt" in this Edward Murrow interview from, IIRC, 1954.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVCL3Rnr8xE

 

I found the same quote in this song by 'Neat Beats'.
The song is called: 'The Destroyer of worlds'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpfWV5N407U

 

Logical, lets drop a couple of atom bombs and save lives?

 

Yes, Mr Smith. And?

 

Yes Millions

 

That wasn't my point. My point was that I found a song that used the same quote. I just thought it would be something interesting to put on this forum.

 

And what?

Show me a report put together before the bombs were dropped that shows how the numbers you quote were compiled. I am fully aware of the work done in later years but on what information was the decision to drop the bombs made?

 

This topic has been beat to death at least 3 times on this forum. Look up any one of those threads. No need to repeat the same thing over and over again.

 

EDIT:

See George Patton above

 

I wouldn't waste your time, Dave.

 

Good to see you can think for yourself, I suppose your views on life were gathered the same way, follow the loudest voice.

There is nothing in the previous threads that shows any conclusion, just 2 sides pulling each other apart. I have no time to waste on inflexible minds either but everything I read on this shows consensus was that Japan was ready to surrender before the first bomb was dropped. Only after was any thought given to numbers of possible casualties should an invasion be mounted. You cannot defend decisions with hindsight.

 

I believe this pdf summarizes the various pre-Bomb Olympic casualty estimates nicely.
http://www.theamericanpresident.us/images/projections.pdf

Of course, we could have taken the US Navy's option and just blockaded and starved Japan into submission. Those deaths were projected to run into the millions too(all Japanese), but starvation deaths were not expected to fully take hold until early to mid 1946.

 

What exactly have you read?

Did any give a consensus of the Japanese? Their consensus was quite different than that of the Americans.

If the Japanese were so ready to surrender before the first bomb was dropped...Then why didn't they?

Did they Japanese make any direct attempts to surrender to America & Britain...No. Instead, a few individuals used "backdoor" unofficial channels through the Soviet Union(then still neutral).

 

How did this forum go from 'hey, look at this quote' to 'show me the reports'?

 

Both sides presented evidence for their arguments in great detail. You can draw your own conclusions from that. Of course, if you don't like what was presented here you could google your question. There are many very good sources -- one of which Takao was kind enough to present to you. I'll also point you towards Curtis LeMay's plans for the post-Summer 1945 strategic bombing of Japan which would have been carried out had the atomic bombs not been used.

I'm done here because I can only stand so much of this mentality. Cheerio, old boy!

 

Guys, lets not argue. If you want to argue on this subject please do it some where else. It's just a quote I found some place and I just wanted to see what your guys opinions on it.

 

Unfortunately threads have a tendency to take on a mind of their own or someone decides to troll and blow up a conversation. You'll be able to tell from experience.