Standing OVATION! TC, has temporarily quieted me but only for a couple of moments. The Cactus Air Force: Air War over Guadalcanal, Aug 7, 1942 – Feb 9, 1943, by Eric Hammel (deceased) and Thomas McKelvey Cleaver was the subject of TC's conversation with Leonard Lopate on At Large, WBAI New York. They covered more than the Guadalcanal Campaign. It was fascinating -- and too short. The bombshell comes at the end with TC telling us his opinion of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
TC, listening to Lopate unpack your brain as you took us through the decision making and the battles in the Pacific was a first for me. A great hour of learning and non-fiction storytelling. Thank you, Tom.
PS TC, please elaborate on your opinion of why it was not necessary to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which you did not have a chance to do on 'At Large'.
They didn't really end the war. If the Japanese were going to surrender because of bombing, they would have done so after the Tokyo firebombing. The bombs were dropped because the US knew they were not going to successfully invade Japan in November. Nimitz had already told the Joint Chiefs after Okinawa that the Navy could not stand up to another (and worse) kamikaze mass attack. It was "maybe this will work, and after all we've spent a fortune on the damn thing". And then the Japanese decided they'd rather surrender to us than Stalin, and they told us "Yassuh, boss, it was them A-bombs did it." Which let them play World's Victim for the past 77 years, and let us form an unenforceable foreign policy over threatening to use something that couldn't be used.
My book "Tidal Wave: From Leyte Gulf to Tokyo Bay" goes into the entire history of Hiroshima, the goatfuck that was the Hiroshima bombing mission, and the whole issue of how the war actually ended.
If there are any of you who are also interested in this as Fern is, contact WBAI and aski Leonard Lopato to interview me on the topic. I've suggested to him that August 15-September 2 (anniversary of end of the war and signing the surrender) would be good timing.
'Hello Leonard Lopate, I heard the program that you did yesterday with author Cleaver about the Guadalcanal Campaign as well as other aspects of decision making and battles in the pacific. At the very end of the program, Cleaver began to offer his opinion about US nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Any chance of Cleaver returning to elaborate on that subject. Your conversation with him was fascinating. Thank you.
Fern McBride
On the subject line: The Cactus Air Force
I didn't feel comfortable requesting dates for the return of Cleaver as it would ring 'set-up' - which of course it is.
TC, I will contact WBAI. What's more, I will not forget your quote, "Never predict the future." I said something similar to a dear friend/writer/journalist/professor of journalism yesterday, when he asked me a nasty question about Biden. Look at the president tonight! 'Never predict the future!'
Will call WBAI requesting that Lopate interview TC on the US nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Will indicate that 8/13 -9/2 - the end of war would be perfect scheduling for the interview. This subject came up at the very end of the program today.
You’ve got to be so proud of your latest publishing accomplishment, TC. It was wonderful listening to your interview. Just as I thought “out loud with TC” would be. Sincere congrats and appreciation of journalism today.
Standing OVATION! TC, has temporarily quieted me but only for a couple of moments. The Cactus Air Force: Air War over Guadalcanal, Aug 7, 1942 – Feb 9, 1943, by Eric Hammel (deceased) and Thomas McKelvey Cleaver was the subject of TC's conversation with Leonard Lopate on At Large, WBAI New York. They covered more than the Guadalcanal Campaign. It was fascinating -- and too short. The bombshell comes at the end with TC telling us his opinion of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
TC, listening to Lopate unpack your brain as you took us through the decision making and the battles in the Pacific was a first for me. A great hour of learning and non-fiction storytelling. Thank you, Tom.
PS TC, please elaborate on your opinion of why it was not necessary to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which you did not have a chance to do on 'At Large'.
They didn't really end the war. If the Japanese were going to surrender because of bombing, they would have done so after the Tokyo firebombing. The bombs were dropped because the US knew they were not going to successfully invade Japan in November. Nimitz had already told the Joint Chiefs after Okinawa that the Navy could not stand up to another (and worse) kamikaze mass attack. It was "maybe this will work, and after all we've spent a fortune on the damn thing". And then the Japanese decided they'd rather surrender to us than Stalin, and they told us "Yassuh, boss, it was them A-bombs did it." Which let them play World's Victim for the past 77 years, and let us form an unenforceable foreign policy over threatening to use something that couldn't be used.
TC, Have you written about this and or recommend reading to me on this subject? I need to learn more about it.
My book "Tidal Wave: From Leyte Gulf to Tokyo Bay" goes into the entire history of Hiroshima, the goatfuck that was the Hiroshima bombing mission, and the whole issue of how the war actually ended.
Just ordered book.
yup, I have just ordered it as well.
You’ve sold at least one more book. 👍🏻 Haven’t heard this perspective before.
Pick it up at amazon - they're all going for "best seller" prices.
You've also gone over this in your past blog posts. Great reading!
Thank you, TC.
If there are any of you who are also interested in this as Fern is, contact WBAI and aski Leonard Lopato to interview me on the topic. I've suggested to him that August 15-September 2 (anniversary of end of the war and signing the surrender) would be good timing.
TC, I emailed the following to Lopate:
'Hello Leonard Lopate, I heard the program that you did yesterday with author Cleaver about the Guadalcanal Campaign as well as other aspects of decision making and battles in the pacific. At the very end of the program, Cleaver began to offer his opinion about US nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Any chance of Cleaver returning to elaborate on that subject. Your conversation with him was fascinating. Thank you.
Fern McBride
On the subject line: The Cactus Air Force
I didn't feel comfortable requesting dates for the return of Cleaver as it would ring 'set-up' - which of course it is.
TC, I will contact WBAI. What's more, I will not forget your quote, "Never predict the future." I said something similar to a dear friend/writer/journalist/professor of journalism yesterday, when he asked me a nasty question about Biden. Look at the president tonight! 'Never predict the future!'
Will call WBAI requesting that Lopate interview TC on the US nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Will indicate that 8/13 -9/2 - the end of war would be perfect scheduling for the interview. This subject came up at the very end of the program today.
Thank you, TC.
You’ve got to be so proud of your latest publishing accomplishment, TC. It was wonderful listening to your interview. Just as I thought “out loud with TC” would be. Sincere congrats and appreciation of journalism today.
Cheers. 🥂
Thanks for the heads up! Terrific!
Way to go, TC!!!!
TOM, LOOK AT WHAT CAME IN MY MAIL!
Leonard Lopate leonardlopate@wbai.orgHide
To XXXXXX
Thanks.
We are discussing the possibility.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Aug 2, 2022, at 1:11 PM, webmaster@wbai.org wrote:
>
> Sender: Fern McBride
> Sender E-Mail: XXXXXXXXX
> Subject: The Cactus Air Force
> Sent: Tuesday, 08/02/2022 1:11 PM
>
> Message:
> Hello Leonard Lopate, I heard the program that you did yesterday with author
> Cleaver about the Guadalcanal Campaign as well as other aspects of decision
> making and battles in the Pacific. At the very end of the program, Cleaver
> began to offer his opinion about the US nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Any
> chance of Cleaver returning to elaborate on that subject. Your conversation with
> him was fascinating. Thank you.
>
> Fern McBride
You rock, TC!