Countdown to the Atomic Attacks, 1945: A Daily Report

Starting today, and related to publication of my new book Atomic Cover-up, I will be offering a daily record of what transpired leading up the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Tomorrow we will re-visit the Potsdam Declaration, Truman's demand for "unconditional surrender." UPDATE:  Read that and follow daily at The Nation.

Here is what Truman wrote in his diary on this day 66 years ago. It followed by about a week the testing of the first atomic device at Trinity.  Note that he twice insists (or fools himself) that the bombs will only be used on "military" targets and not against "women and children." In fact, the two bombs were deliberately dropped directly over two cities to cause maximum damage. Only a few hundred Japanese military personnel were killed in Nagasaki, and 90% of the deaths in Hiroshima were civilian. Then, as my book shows, the U.S. suppressed for decades key film footage revealing the true civilian toll.

We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesied in the Euphrates Valley Era, after Noah and his fabulous Ark.

Anyway we "think" we have found the way to cause a disintegration of the atom. An experiment in the New Mexico desert was startling - to put it mildly. Thirteen pounds of the explosive caused the complete disintegration of a steel tower 60 feet high, created a crater 6 feet deep and 1,200 feet in diameter, knocked over a steel tower 1/2 mile away and knocked men down 10,000 yards away. The explosion was visible for more than 200 miles and audible for 40 miles and more.

This weapon is to be used against Japan between now and August 10th. I have told the Sec. of War, Mr. Stimson, to use it so that military objectives and soldiers and sailors are the target and not women and children. Even if the Japs are savages, ruthless, merciless and fanatic, we as the leader of the world for the common welfare cannot drop that terrible bomb on the old capital or the new.

He and I are in accord. The target will be a purely military one and we will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives. I'm sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance. It is certainly a good thing for the world that Hitler's crowd or Stalin's did not discover this atomic bomb. It seems to be the most terrible thing ever discovered, but it can be made the most useful.

Details on Atomic Cover-Up.