Obama told NHK (Japanese National Broadcaster) that he won't apologize for WWII

[Timpo]

Hiroshima survivor looks back on nuclear bomb horrors ahead of Obama visit
'The sooner we get rid of them, the safer the humanity will be,' Setsuko Thurlow says of nuclear stockpiles
CBC News Posted: May 22, 2016 9:00 PM ET Last Updated: May 22, 2016 9:53 PM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hiroshi...tion-1.3596008


Setsuko Thurlow tells CBC News' David Common about the horrors she witnessed when the U.S. dropped the world's first nuclear bomb on Hiroshima 70 years ago. (CBC)

Setsuko Thurlow was just a schoolgirl in Japan when she bore witness to the devastating effects of the world's first nuclear bomb.

It was Aug. 6, 1945, when the U.S. dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, killing 80,000 people instantly. By that year's end, 140,000 had died as a result of the nuclear detonation.

Thurlow, then 13 years old, was in school, a kilometre away from ground zero when the bomb hit and knocked her unconscious.

"When I regained consciousness, I tried to move my body in total darkness, but I couldn't move, so I knew I was faced with death," Thurlow, 83, who now lives in Toronto, told CBC News' David Common. "Then, suddenly, I started hearing my classmates' voices."

She heard other children crying out: "Mother, help me," and "God, help me."

"So I knew I was surrounded by my friends," she said.

'Everybody was covered with blood'

But then she saw the carnage around her.

"Everybody was covered with blood and burned and blackened and swollen, and skin and flesh were hanging from their bones," she said, closing her eyes. "Parts of their bodies were missing. Some were carrying their own eyeballs."

Nagasaki, about 400 kilometres away from Hiroshima, was hit with a second bomb on Aug. 9 and Japan surrendered six days later, ending the Second World War.

On Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site of the Hiroshima bombing as a part of his Asian tour to boost trade and diplomatic relations.

Obama heads to Japan in effort to boost trade, diplomatic relations
John Kerry, Stephane Dion visit Hiroshima memorial site
Many have called on Obama to use the historic event to officially apologize for the U.S. attack on Japan, but the president has remained steadfast in his refusal.

He recently told the Japanese national broadcaster NHK that no apologies would be included in the brief remarks he is expected to make in the western Japanese city.


U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrive for a joint news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, April 28, 2015. Despite the animosity of World War II and the devastation of Hiroshima, the two countries are close allies. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

"It's important to recognize that in the midst of war, leaders make all kinds of decisions, it's a job of historians to ask questions and examine them," Obama said.

"But I know, as somebody [who has] now sat in this position for the last seven and half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime."

Despite the lack of apology, Japan and the U.S. remain close allies, and Obama is expected to choose his words carefully on Friday.

"I think the president will be very careful to honour both the dead at Hiroshima, and also those Americans who lost their lives in the Pacific theatre," Tom Nagorski, executive vice-president of the Asia Society, which promotes co-operation between Asia and the U.S., told CBC News.


Tom Nagorski is the president of the Asia Society, an organization that works to build partnerships between the U.S. and Asia. He says Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima will be an opportunity to discuss nuclear non-proliferation. (CBC )

"It is a moment to reflect on something that he has talked a lot about in his two terms as president — nuclear non-proliferation and a world that can move towards peaceful security without the arsenals that exist now."

Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 partly for his stance on nuclear non-proliferation, but the U.S. still has 4,700 active nuclear warheads at its disposal.

While those numbers have declined significantly since the Cold War, the country still plans to spend billions over the coming decades to keep the weapons.


The U.S. and Russia are both still enough nuclear weapons stockpiled to destroy the world several times over. (CBC Graphics)

That's something Thurlow finds deeply troubling. She now spends her time travelling the world to tell her story and advocate for nuclear non-proliferation.

"We have waited 70 years ... and it's too long, too dangerous," she said. "The sooner we get rid of them, the safer the humanity will be."

[Timpo]

Some people say that USA should apologize to Japan for dropping bombs targetting civilians.
But Japan bombed Pearl Harbour first.

Their argument was that Japan did not kill US civilians at Pearl Harbour. Whereas US dropped bomb to kill Japanese civilians. Not military.

However Japan had already done all the brutal mass killings to civilians at other Asian countries.
Therefore they say that Japan does not deserve USA's apology.

Oh man...if Obama isn't apologizing, maybe they can try next US president for an apology... DONALD TRUMP???

[murd0c]

Why would he apologize for the bombing when no matter how devastating it was it was still warranted for the bombing of pearl harbour. It's a war and you do what you can to win and thankfully that was the first and currently the last time a nuke was used in battle.

[68style]

If the USA apologized for every time it has targeted and/or killed innocents in its various warfronts over the years, the president would be doing nothing BUT apologizing. They haven't exactly played it clean, World War 2 is far from the only example of that.

[Manic!]

Originally Posted by Timpo

Their argument was that Japan did not kill US civilians at Pearl Harbour.

There were a total of 2,335 military personnel killed, including 2,008 navy personnel, 109 marines, and 218 army. Added to this were 68 civilians, making the total 2403 people dead. 1,177 were from the USS Arizona.

Wounded came to 1,143 with 710 navy, 69 marines, and 364 army, as well as 103 civilians.

Total Japanese personnel losses were 55 men.


https://pearlharboroahu.com/faqs/how...ng-the-attack/

[m4k4v4li]

war is not about who is right
it is about who is left

[asian_XL]

but Japan killed million Chinese in China, and no apology from Japan.

[flagella]

Surprised Japan is spewing this bs when they have not even had officially apologized to Chinese. Let's not even get started with altering history books and continued visit to the shrine by the moronic PM.

There's absolutely nothing the US has to apologizes for. The innocent dies during war, period. The nuclear bombs devastated civilians and I do feel sorry because many were very much against the war. There were probably more that were brainwashed and thought their godly emperor would lead them to victory. Dropping the nuclear bombs was the quickest way for the US to end the war. How about surrendering after the first bomb so less people would've died?

On the other hand, the Japanese killed countless Chinese for fun and now wants an apology for the US? Fucking lol.

Here's what Japanese need to do. Apologize to China, correct the history book, and remove the emperors. They serve nothing in this day and age but only to fool the retards.

[StylinRed]

China has come out with a lot of bs and blown things out of proportion against Japan to detract from internal issues, that's no surprise, but to use the strife between China and Japan with this isn't fair.

Japan has dumped so much money into China, and loaned them countless more for next to no interest... and iirc Mao or Shek had come to an agreement with Japan not requiring an apology. While i agree Japan should apologize for the shit they did do, thats a separate matter, these are the civilians and victims asking for an apology from the US, not the govt.

The thing with the US, is that they deliberately targeted civilians... With Nukes, Nukes... Nukes, hell that general wanted to drop even more Nukes... But as 68style said, the US isn't exactly going to be apologizing for every time they deliberately targeted civilians (especially with the prospect of being sued, given current events)

Plus if Obama apologizes now that's going to give the Republicans so much more ammo in the election

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

but Japan killed million Chinese in China, and no apology from Japan.

it was not just isolated to china, but surrounding asian counties as well

this is also not to mention the gang rape contests and mutilation of women and children.

i see no issue with having an emperor. on the other hand the shinto war shrine including the war criminals/leaders responsible for the above and recounting of history...

since we're on the topic
Saying sorry to China with sex

[dbaz]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

but Japan killed million Chinese in China, and no apology from Japan.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...ssued_by_Japan

There's been many apologies, and repayments to both China and Korea, along with other asian countries.The problem is that within their respected country and in the news, there's no acknowledgment about it. This is due to political cards and economic cards that can be played in the future.
Also find it fucked up that in Japanese schools if they are learning about world history there's only a paragraph on WW2, which only talks about Europe, and the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Until they actually give a proper education which highlights what they actually did, they will continue to have the idiots that denounce everything that happened, and threaten to take away donations to the LDP if they don't visit the shrine

[Jmac]

[mr_chin]

Does it really fucking matter now? If US apologizes, then what? If not, then what? Life still goes on. It will not bring the people that died, back to life.

It's freakin' 7 decades ago, let it go. The people that were involved in all the killings and massacres probably aren't even alive today, and for some odd reason, this lady who lived through those days, want Obama who wasn't involved to be... involved now? Obama wasn't even alive at the time and suddenly some bitch wants him to apologize for something he didn't even witness.

Pearl Harbor was more of an invasion than anything else. When you sucker punch somebody and don't knock them out, you will face consequences. Japan launched a surprise attack and got retaliated, and now this lady wants an apology? WTF is wrong with her?

It's done, it's resolved, both side had their casualties. It's not about who had it worst. They should be grateful that their country and race still exists today. Not implying that the U.S have the power to wipe them out, but that luckily, the bomb and it's aftermath didn't.

[Rallydrv]

Lol.

Once you apologize for something, u open gates to lawsuits and financial restitution. That's why countries (Catholic Church for abuse )don't apologize.

And in China's case it's a way to give the masses " something to do" and stir patriotism etc.

Look at Korea. Japan paid $, and comfort women issue has been put to rest.

Japan and South Korea agree WW2 'comfort women' deal - BBC News

[MG1]

US got what it wanted. A base to use, just in case, against the communist countries. Hey, Japan, we will give you aid and help you rebuild your country. Such nice guys. Look into events leading up to the war. Also, Japan had its share of Hitlers and the Emperor was just a puppet. Military and Imperialism.

In any case, the woman is seeing shit from her side of things and should have just stopped at asking for a ban on nuclear weapons. The world is a lot more complicated.

[flagella]

Exactly. It is not even about apologizing but rather an attitude issue going forward. It makes no difference if Japan apologizes when it continues to deny the atrocities it has committed in history books or continue to visit the shrine to pay respect to "war heroes" (aka greedy fuck murders).

[Timpo]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

but Japan killed million Chinese in China, and no apology from Japan.

Japan did apologize several times (approx 40 times according to the Japanese government) + they have also given massive financial support to China, Korea and other countries as a compensation.

Some of the statements are on Wikipedia as well
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ssued_by_Japan

I do not condone the change of history book though.

[Nlkko]

Originally Posted by murd0c

Why would he apologize for the bombing when no matter how devastating it was it was still warranted for the bombing of pearl harbour. It's a war and you do what you can to win and thankfully that was the first and currently the last time a nuke was used in battle.

Are you crazy? Nothing warranted a massacre of 120 thousand some civilian. 2 wrongs don't make a right. Don't apologize, but don't try to justify it. Fascism was a travesty, nuking 120,000 some civilian was also a travesty. Japan was already defeated (yet to surrender) before the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. These two bombings were not a last-resort-bomb-them-or-we-are-fucked kind of thing.

I'm glad the subsequent presidents of the United States were educated and level-head enough or they would nuke Vietnam and many other countries to the ground. And then what to stop other superpowers like Russia or China from doing the same. Don't know about you but I'd rather live in the world that doesn't have entire cities wiped off the maps because someone need to show how big his dick is.

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by Nlkko

I'm glad the subsequent presidents of the United States were educated and level-head enough or they would nuke Vietnam

didn't they ineffectively mass carpet bomb vietnam mostly killing innocent people vs actual military and used agent orange to lay waste to forests which is chemical warfare, harshly affecting cilvilians. i guess that's better than getting nuked but that's still pretty savage.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by mr_chin

Obama wasn't even alive at the time and suddenly some bitch wants him to apologize for something he didn't even witness.

Pearl Harbor was more of an invasion than anything else. When you sucker punch somebody and don't knock them out, you will face consequences. Japan launched a surprise attack and got retaliated, and now this lady wants an apology?

[Galactic_Phantom]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

but Japan killed million Chinese in China, and no apology from Japan.

China doesn't deserve an apology. The PRC killed millions of their own people themselves

[flagella]

lmao, by that logic, nobody deserves any fucking apology ever, because clearly you have harmed yourself in some ways.

[CorneringArtist]

Originally Posted by GLOW

didn't they ineffectively mass carpet bomb vietnam mostly killing innocent people vs actual military and used agent orange to lay waste to forests which is chemical warfare, harshly affecting cilvilians. i guess that's better than getting nuked but that's still pretty savage.

Yet they think they won that war.

[Manic!]

Originally Posted by GLOW

since we're on the topic
Saying sorry to China with sex

And let me guess she wants to film it so she can sell the tape and keep all the money, exploiting the Chinese people again. What a b/tch.

[m4k4v4li]

speak of the devil