Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Day Harry Truman Ruled the World

I can not say that I would like to be the sole reason that over three hundred thousand people died due to one of my actions. The pain and suffering that I would carry the rest of my life would exacerbate any ailment I might ever develop and would surely do me in much earlier than if I had led a more stress-free existence. But there is one thing that I would proudly carry around with me for all of my remaining years: the fact that I ended the last World War.

The Japanese had endured six months of intense fire-bombing at the hands of the Allies. Sixty-seven cities had been targeted and had suffered the wrath of vengeance from the USAF. The war in Europe had ended in May 1945 and the Japanese were given an ultimatum in August: surrender or die. Never ones to feel the mortality of human existence, the Japanese command wrongly chose the latter.

Even after the Hiroshima bombing, Truman left the door open for yet another chance at surrender, announcing: "If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the likes of which has never been seen on this earth."

Enough was enough, and the US was going to end this war, a war that they neither started nor were involved in before Pearl Harbor. The world will always remember why you do. not. fuck. with the United States. Harry Truman ended the most devastating loss of human life period in the history of the world. Buy that man a beer.

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