Regarding the bomb, I like how he framed the argument that if "dropping the bombs" is Plan A then Plan B can't be "not dropping the bombs". It's either continue with fire bombing, invade the islands, or a blockade that will starve the Japanese to death. All of which still kills lots of people and probably even more.

I never thought about what it took to get the Japanese army in China to surrender. Will have to look into that.

AgBQ-00 said:

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Did the statement he made toward the beginning about the Japanese invasion of China leading to the victory of the Communists there strike anyone else? It really made me think about how both WW1 and WW2 very well could be the root cause of global imperial communism.

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That is the inescapable conclusion.

Part 6 was good but it is a ROUGH listen. Such a depressing, mind numbing loss of life and destruction what a price our marines and navy paid. The Japanese made their bed and they had it coming but DAMN. We are so fortunate to live now, standing on the shoulders of the Greatest Generation.

And Army. More army than marines in the PTO. Just less press, surprising considering MacArthur was there.

Working on part VI right now. What an absolute amazing series

boboguitar said:

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Just finished the last part.

Some of those stories regarding the execution of civilians by the Japanese or the stories about the firestorms were really hard to listen to. I'm glad I did but it's hard to not empathize with their situations and put myself and my family in their places.

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The story of that Japanese mother and daughter when the bomb hit was devastating. Can't imagine

The worst was the man who wasn't completely beheaded, then had to lie there and watch them butcher his family.

That one made me nauseous and gave me a nightmare or two over the next few nights. I cannot even fathom the emotions, and I'm not sure I want to.