Truman’s Terrible — and Immoral — Choice, 80 Years Ago

The standard defense of the use of nuclear bombs in Japan is straightforward. Defenders assert that Japan would never surrender without a massive ground invasion by the allies. Such an invasion, the theory asserts, would come at the cost of extremely high casualties, both American and Japanese. Thus, the contention goes, the use of nuclear weapons saved both American and Japanese lives. Read Full Article »