Ace has a link up to this article, discussing the US military's supply of Purple Heart medals. As you know the Purple Heart is awarded to servicemembers who were injured in combat. The US military was anticipating so many casualties from the planned invasion of Japan that when Japan surrendered after we dropped the second bomb on Nagasaki, the inventory of Purple Heart medals lasted us until the year 2000.
Half a million Purple Hearts. And that's after loss, pilferage, and waste. Over a million and a half Purple Heart medals were produced for the war effort.
FYI, today is the 67th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. So when people talk about how horrible that bombing was, just remember that the US military was preparing for millions of dead Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen. The bomb changed that. I'm rather glad my Grandfather came home alive, rather than leaving my father an orphan.
Bill Whittle has one of the best summations of why we had to drop the bomb. It's 15 minutes, but you need to watch it to understand why the decision was made.
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