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Title: Last surviving Hiroshima bomb crew member dies
Source:
BBC
URL Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28548475
Published: Jul 29, 2014
Author: BBC
Post Date: 2014-07-30 01:54:29 by X-15
Keywords: None
Views: 521
Comments: 20
The last surviving member of the US air crew that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima has died in Georgia aged 93. Theodore Van Kirk, also known as "Dutch", was 24 when he became the navigator of the Enola Gay, the aircraft which dropped the bomb. The attack on Japan on 6 August 1945 killed an estimated 140,000 people. Van Kirk said he had "no regrets" about the mission and defended its morality, saying it helped to end the Second World War. His son, Tom Van Kirk, paid tribute to his father, who he said remained active until the end of his life. "I know he was recognized as a war hero, but we just knew him as a great father", he told AP. Mr Van Kirk died of natural causes at the retirement home where he lived, his son said. He had been the last surviving member of the Enola Gay crew since 2010 when Morris Jeppson, the assistant weaponeer, died. His funeral is expected to take place next week in Pennsylvania. The bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy", was the first nuclear weapon used in warfare. The only other instance came three days later when the crew of the Bockscar dropped the "Fat Man" bomb on another Japanese city, Nagasaki, killing an estimated 80,000. 
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#1. To: All (#0)
Wars are to be won, not lost. Of all the countries of the world, involved in WWII, the people of Japan came out of it as winners. Thanks to the US and MacArthur in particular, Japan was remoulded into a better people. It took the A-bombs and MacArthur in particular to do it. In Korea, MacArthur wanted to use A-bombs to stop the Korean war. American hand wringers said no. The result, 35,000 young Americans died in a war we LOST. Many of them were my friends. Who instigated the Korean war...THE DAMNED RUSSIANS DID... When it looked as if the UN was winning, Russia threw in the hapless Chinese, a million of them died. Twenty five thousand of them froze to death. When it was over, who stood aside with no losses? Mother Russia. The Russian jews won again.
No, the SOVIETS did. It's like blaming the United States for the French and Indian war where it was Britain who controlled the 13 colonies at the time. You need to let go of your Cold War era mentality Cyni, it's clouding your vision of the present and future.
Since the 1800's, zio-bankers (and their witting or un-witting tools) have started all wars. End of story.
The armistice of WWI was signed in Nov. 1918. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919, the war to end wars. Between the two signings, ending a war, the following took place. The German general staff drew up plans for the next invasion of France and the Low Countries. The Japanese started fortifying their new islands in the Pacific for a move South for oil. The US activated Plan Orange by fortifying the Philippines in anticipation of a Japanese invasion. France laid plans for building the Maginot line, in anticipating the next German invasion. Stalin did not come in until later, however he had plans for vacationing on the English Channel. War never stops. Just a lull in fighting.
Yep. Countries need a bit o'time to rearm, resupply, rebreed to start it all over again. When will we ever learn? when will we ever learn?
#11. To: Lod (#10)
Never. I have been trying to get across to some people that in world dynamics, geo/politics, two plus two is NOT always four. Sometimes it equals five. There is sometimes an unseen number that makes it add up.
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#2. To: X-15, Russophiles (#1)
#6. To: Cynicom (#2)
Who instigated the Korean war...THE DAMNED RUSSIANS DID...
#8. To: FormerLurker, Cynicom, 4 (#6)
#9. To: Lod, FormerLurker (#8)
Since the 1800's, zio-bankers (and their witting or un-witting tools) have started all wars.
#10. To: Cynicom (#9)
War never stops. Just a lull in fighting.
Replies to Comment # 10. When will we ever learn? when will we ever learn?
End Trace Mode for Comment # 10.