What Happened to the Atomic Bomb Survivors?
Japan’s discrimination against hopeless victims
Warning: the article contains disturbing material
The U.S. military, expecting the resistance of a “fanatically hostile population,” we’re making preparations for between 1.7 and 4 million casualties.
In 1945, Truman ordered a meeting with his War Department’s Joint Chiefs. Together, they thought of an insane plan, Operation Downfall. The operation would have the Allies directly invading Japan:
It was estimated the Allies would have suffered 1.7 to four million casualties. Moreover, the operation would’ve been the largest amphibious assault in history.
But the invasion never happened.
Instead, the Americans dropped two atomic bombs — killing around 250,000 Japanese civilians — and bringing the war to a decisive end.
Though Japan surrendered, the war didn’t end for Japan’s atomic bomb survivors.
