Hi Andy:

I read several of the comments by your readers before commenting myself.

I feel that you have taken a very narrow view and narrative of the events surrounding the use of the atomic weapon against an increasingly fanatic opponent, Japan. There is no way to capture the fury and despiration the Japanese were capable of in those final months of the war. Kamikaze attacks were wreaking havoc on the US Navy especially in Okinawa...and that's only the tip of iceberg.

Operation Coronet the invasion of Japan was slated to involve approximately 1,000,000 sailors and soldiers with expectations of over 250,000 killed and another 250,000 wounded.

The Japanese knew where the landings would occur and had reserved hundreds of suicide boats to attack the US fleet as well as landing craft and over 10,000 planes for kamikaze attacks. The result would have been nothing short of cataclysmic on both sides.

The fire bombing of Tokoyo was far worse in terms of civilan casulties than either of the atomic bomb blasts.

I understand your position on the use of the bomb but

beg to disagree. I feel it was very much justified as a viable solution to end the conflict. In my family it was a question I put to my uncles who served in Okinawa and Guadalcanal. They all felt it was the right answer.

Thanks for the piece.

Walter