Victor Davis Hanson argues atomic bombings were a strategic choice, not a moral evil
In a video commentary, Victor Davis Hanson contends that the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were justified by military considerations rather than being an act of satanic evil.
Victor Davis Hanson, speaking for one outlet, revisits the August 1945 atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, emphasizing that they occurred after a year of intense combat in the Pacific and a costly Okinawa invasion. He maintains that an Allied invasion of Japan's main islands would likely have resulted in casualties far exceeding those from the bombings. Hanson disputes the view that the United States used the weapons to intimidate the Soviet Union, noting that Stalin obtained his own bomb within a few years.
He also counters accusations that the bombings were racially motivated, reminding listeners that the original plan targeted Germany before its defeat. Throughout, Hanson frames the bombings as a grim but necessary decision to end the war and spare further civilian suffering. He concludes that labeling the attacks as demonic misrepresents the complex strategic calculations of the time.
Why it matters
Understanding the rationale behind the atomic bombings informs ongoing debates about wartime ethics and nuclear policy.
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