As a physician and former government regulator who had to make difficult and sometimes momentous decisions, I've often pondered the moral and historical implications of those events, which, despite the horrific loss of life, arguably prevented an even greater catastrophe by averting a drawn-out invasion of Japan. Lars and I agreed that, grim as was, the decision to use the bombs -- the only nuclear weapons ever used in war -- was a strategic one. The planned invasion of Japan, code-named Operation Downfall, would have been a bloodbath for both Japan and the U.S.
The harsh truth is that the atomic bombs saved American and Japanese lives, a point often overlooked by those who focus solely on its destructive power.
Lars mentioned a friend who had witnessed the aftermath and the remarkable, though not widely known, reality that the long-term health impacts on survivors were less severe than initially feared.
You can find our entire conversation here.
If you are looking for a little more:
A ‘Celebration’ of the Anniversary of the U.S. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
‘Oppenheimer,’ The Manhattan Project, and Me
Decision to Drop Atomic Bombs on Japan in 1945 Was a Strategic and Moral Imperative
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD, is the Glenn Swogger Distinguished Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. His research focuses on public policy toward science, technology, and medicine, encompassing a number of areas, including pharmaceutical development, genetic engineering, models for regulatory reform, precision medicine, and the emergence of new viral diseases. Dr. Miller served for fifteen years at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a number of posts, including as the founding director of the Office of Biotechnology.
