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As for use of A-bombs versus a hellacious drawn out invasion steeped in blood- well to each his own conclusion. I know that from the transcripts I studied for the articles I wrote that all during the planning of invasion that the men involved wrestled with ways to keep the casualties to a minimum. This was as much for the Japanese people as the Americans. They endless discussed scenarios about the best way to embark against Kyushu's defenses with the least amount of Japanese casualties necessary to secure the island. This would hopefully equal the shortest time involved in combat and of course time at risk of Allied troops.
I simply can't imagine multi-millions of Japanese corpses at the end of a "successful" invasion of all the islands lasting until 1947 with a 10-year aftermath of hold out mop ups.
One source of the Japanese a-bomb program was the very credible newspaper article. After all why would any journalist write a story that could be proven untrue? How did anyone know in 1946 that nuclear research facilities in North Korea would STILL be unvisited today? No one knew the Soviet influence would last any longer than a couple years of occupation in postwar era.
Snell, David
Japan Developed Atom Bomb; Russia Grabbed Scientists
Atlanta Constitution Oct 2, 1946
American intel documents actually discussed the probability that the Japanese nuclear facility was moved to northern Korea to evade B-29 raids. They knew they were working on a bomb just as were the Germans. War Department documents exist that discuss the possibility of nuclear missile attacks from Germany. We knew!!
Books that has delved deeeply into Axis programs-
Wilcox, Robert K.
Japan's Secret War: Japan's Race Against Time to Build Its Own Atomic Bomb Morrow Publishing, NY 1985
Shapley, Deborah
Nuclear Weapons History: Japan's Wartime Bomb Projects Revealed 1978, Science magazine
Jackson, Robert;
Unexplained Mysteries of World War II- The Mystery of Germany´s A-bomb
Grange Books; 1991
560 kilos of uranium oxide was shipped to Japan in the surrendered U-234 that. That amount of uranium oxide contained about 3.5 kilos of U-235. That is about 1/5th-1/3rd the amount needed to make a nuclear bomb. The material certainly found its way to Oakridge but there is no way of knowing specifically what device it was used in.
The Japanese had a substantial amount already gleaned from scouring China for their nuclear research facility in North Korea. They had developed gas centrifuges to refine uranium back in the 1930s. The Germans got into that technology about 1942. The benefit was the lack of heavy water needed. Decrypts of messages point to Germany/Japan transfering this technology and material in 1943-44. When Italy capitulated in 1943 a sub with uranium oxide bound for Japan was surrendered in South Africa.
Also on board the U-234 was lots of cargo. Cargo containers were built to fit in the original mine shafts forward, midships and astern. Four cargo containers were carried topside. 240 tons of cargo were loaded for departure March 25,1945. Cargo included three crated Messershmitt Me-262 jet fighters and an ME-163 rocket-propelled fighter, Henschel HS-293 glider-bomb, extra Junkers jet engines, 10 canisters of uranium oxide, a ton of diplomatic mail, and over 3 tons of technical drawings, plus other technology (torpedo, fuses, armor piercing shells, etc.) Passengers were 9 high technical officers (one general) and civilian scientists.
U-219 and U-195 had delivered 12 V-2s to Japan in 1944. U-859 sunk in 1944 was carrying uranium. The U-219 was turned over to the Imperial Navy to become the I.505. The U-195 became the I.506. There were something like 98 known attempts or successful voyages to Japan so we can only imaging what goodies were sent. Certainly the uranium oxide was not the 1st shipment.
The US had produced only enough material for the 3 bombs- Trinity test, Fat Man and Little Boy. It would have been about 6 months needed to build another so a 10 city nuke tour was just a lot of American propaganda.
We must acknowledge that as the victor, the Allies, a purposeful campaign was, and still is waged to downplay Axis success. There are still documents classified from WW 2 that have nothing to do with nuclear secrets. Other things have been declassified over the years. Some material declassified only in 2001 regarding the nuclear, bio, chemical weapons and other technology pursued by the Axis. There is new information still coming forth about WW 2.
It is so easy to poo-poo things and make ridiculous statements such as "they could have never done this or that." It was Allied business to counter Axis propaganda with Allied BS and to downplay Axis successes. Everyone has this picture of Werner Heisenberg and a handful of nerds in a little lab as he passively sabotaged the whole German nuclear war effort. There were many other people dedicated to the nuclear puzzle and alternatives to a nuclear bomb but using nuclear material offensively. In short, all most people know is what has been popularized. When obscure references are made to seemingly improbable Axis weaponry people are conditioned to reject them. It is implied that the Germans, Italians and Japanese were too inferior to outshine the Anglo-Saxon juggernaut of intelligence.
There were over 200,000 people working on various rocket programs in Germany yet we have been led to believe that one science geek was alone bearing the weight of the Reich's success or failure to develop the only warhead that would even justify the rocket program's huge expenditures. A 2-stage manned rocket that had sufficient range to attack the eastern US was being tested at the war's end too.
As you can see I have researched this topic for a long, long time and this is but a simple synopsis of affairs on a very deep story. Both Japan and Germany had nuclear programs begun in the 1930s- before the US- and whether they were successful to any degree is only influenced by people's prejudice after weighing all possible material studied.
Both countries could have deployed radiation bombs at any time after 1942. Deal with it.
I simply can't imagine multi-millions of Japanese corpses at the end of a "successful" invasion of all the islands lasting until 1947 with a 10-year aftermath of hold out mop ups.
One source of the Japanese a-bomb program was the very credible newspaper article. After all why would any journalist write a story that could be proven untrue? How did anyone know in 1946 that nuclear research facilities in North Korea would STILL be unvisited today? No one knew the Soviet influence would last any longer than a couple years of occupation in postwar era.
Snell, David
Japan Developed Atom Bomb; Russia Grabbed Scientists
Atlanta Constitution Oct 2, 1946
American intel documents actually discussed the probability that the Japanese nuclear facility was moved to northern Korea to evade B-29 raids. They knew they were working on a bomb just as were the Germans. War Department documents exist that discuss the possibility of nuclear missile attacks from Germany. We knew!!
Books that has delved deeeply into Axis programs-
Wilcox, Robert K.
Japan's Secret War: Japan's Race Against Time to Build Its Own Atomic Bomb Morrow Publishing, NY 1985
Shapley, Deborah
Nuclear Weapons History: Japan's Wartime Bomb Projects Revealed 1978, Science magazine
Jackson, Robert;
Unexplained Mysteries of World War II- The Mystery of Germany´s A-bomb
Grange Books; 1991
560 kilos of uranium oxide was shipped to Japan in the surrendered U-234 that. That amount of uranium oxide contained about 3.5 kilos of U-235. That is about 1/5th-1/3rd the amount needed to make a nuclear bomb. The material certainly found its way to Oakridge but there is no way of knowing specifically what device it was used in.
The Japanese had a substantial amount already gleaned from scouring China for their nuclear research facility in North Korea. They had developed gas centrifuges to refine uranium back in the 1930s. The Germans got into that technology about 1942. The benefit was the lack of heavy water needed. Decrypts of messages point to Germany/Japan transfering this technology and material in 1943-44. When Italy capitulated in 1943 a sub with uranium oxide bound for Japan was surrendered in South Africa.
Also on board the U-234 was lots of cargo. Cargo containers were built to fit in the original mine shafts forward, midships and astern. Four cargo containers were carried topside. 240 tons of cargo were loaded for departure March 25,1945. Cargo included three crated Messershmitt Me-262 jet fighters and an ME-163 rocket-propelled fighter, Henschel HS-293 glider-bomb, extra Junkers jet engines, 10 canisters of uranium oxide, a ton of diplomatic mail, and over 3 tons of technical drawings, plus other technology (torpedo, fuses, armor piercing shells, etc.) Passengers were 9 high technical officers (one general) and civilian scientists.
U-219 and U-195 had delivered 12 V-2s to Japan in 1944. U-859 sunk in 1944 was carrying uranium. The U-219 was turned over to the Imperial Navy to become the I.505. The U-195 became the I.506. There were something like 98 known attempts or successful voyages to Japan so we can only imaging what goodies were sent. Certainly the uranium oxide was not the 1st shipment.
The US had produced only enough material for the 3 bombs- Trinity test, Fat Man and Little Boy. It would have been about 6 months needed to build another so a 10 city nuke tour was just a lot of American propaganda.
We must acknowledge that as the victor, the Allies, a purposeful campaign was, and still is waged to downplay Axis success. There are still documents classified from WW 2 that have nothing to do with nuclear secrets. Other things have been declassified over the years. Some material declassified only in 2001 regarding the nuclear, bio, chemical weapons and other technology pursued by the Axis. There is new information still coming forth about WW 2.
It is so easy to poo-poo things and make ridiculous statements such as "they could have never done this or that." It was Allied business to counter Axis propaganda with Allied BS and to downplay Axis successes. Everyone has this picture of Werner Heisenberg and a handful of nerds in a little lab as he passively sabotaged the whole German nuclear war effort. There were many other people dedicated to the nuclear puzzle and alternatives to a nuclear bomb but using nuclear material offensively. In short, all most people know is what has been popularized. When obscure references are made to seemingly improbable Axis weaponry people are conditioned to reject them. It is implied that the Germans, Italians and Japanese were too inferior to outshine the Anglo-Saxon juggernaut of intelligence.
There were over 200,000 people working on various rocket programs in Germany yet we have been led to believe that one science geek was alone bearing the weight of the Reich's success or failure to develop the only warhead that would even justify the rocket program's huge expenditures. A 2-stage manned rocket that had sufficient range to attack the eastern US was being tested at the war's end too.
As you can see I have researched this topic for a long, long time and this is but a simple synopsis of affairs on a very deep story. Both Japan and Germany had nuclear programs begun in the 1930s- before the US- and whether they were successful to any degree is only influenced by people's prejudice after weighing all possible material studied.
Both countries could have deployed radiation bombs at any time after 1942. Deal with it.
