Reject alternative A-bomb history | Letters

Steve Niforatos’ recent letter, “Bombs were dropped for a reason,” was spot on in its criticism of a ridiculous Chicago Tribune opinion article that asks Americans to take a new look at our use of atomic bombs in Japan in World War II.
Niforatos, however, left out one other item: Operation Downfall.
While virtually unknown to most Americans, Operation Downfall was the name of a plan to invade the Japanese home islands with our troops, beginning in 1945 and possibly extending years.
Even at the end of the war, Japan had a home army of around 2 million soldiers. Everybody, including the Japanese, knew exactly where the first invasion would be, and Japan prepared a devastating “welcome” committee including hundreds of two-man suicide mini-submarines.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s first estimate of casualties, had Operation Downfall gone forward, was almost 300,000 U.S. troops killed and another 600,000 wounded. Many historians think the actual numbers would have been in the millions. These estimates, of course, did not include Japanese casualties in a country where everyone was inculcated to die in the war, if need be. One Japanese politician said there were “40 million souls for the Emperor.”
Operation Downfall was canceled because of the Japanese surrender following our use of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While the results of dropping these bombs were, of course, regrettable, do the authors of the Chicago Tribune piece really think the perhaps 200,000 Japanese who died outweigh an almost-certain 1 million or more U.S. casualties?
It’s time to forestall this World War II version of the “1619 Project” before it even gets started.
Kenneth Newman, Sarasota, Fla.
The writer is a former Pompton Plains resident.
Launching for dollars
I am conflicted by Elon Musk. As a creator of unique electric cars and batteries, his contributions to America’s and the world’s efforts to transition off of fossil fuels has been amazing. You see Tesla cars everywhere now.
But, now, President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Musk and his uber-wealthy “tech-bro” Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an advisory “Department of Government Efficiency.”
Barring questions about the oxymoronic need for two individuals to lead an efficiency organization, I think Musk and Ramaswamy will need to take a significantly close look at why U.S. taxpayers are funding Musk’s massive Starship rocket with NASA contracts, through his SpaceX company.
It seems like a fundamental question an efficiency group should be asking: What are we getting when we pay to stroke Musk’s ego in building a giant rocket that’s going to take humans to Mars?
As Elton John sang in “Rocket Man” so many years ago, “Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids/In fact it’s cold as hell.”
James V. Gruber, Washington
Trump didn’t win a mandate
Ken Frank’s recent letter, “Dems’ recent ‘woke’ history haunts them,” asserted that the Democratic Party is too tied to political correctness, stating that the party built a house on sand that was blown off its moorings by a “wave of (contrary) voters.”
Poppycock!
Yes, Donald Trump won the presidency, and Republicans have control of the House and Senate. However, at this writing, Trump won 49.9% of the popular vote to Kamala Harris’ 48.3%. That’s hardly a thrashing.
Trump didn’t win a mandate or in a landslide. Barack Obama won the popular vote by 7% and 4%, respectively, for his two terms, and had more Electoral College votes both times than Trump received this year. Hardly anyone called it a mandate.
After Obama’s first 2008 victory, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to make Obama a one-term president and oppose his initiatives. At that time, Republicans didn’t consider Obama’s victory large enough to surrender, and I don’t expect Democrats to bow down this time.
As a Democrat, I’m aware that the far left has, at times, gone off the rails. I supported Harris’ campaign and worked hard for her, but I acknowledge that her statement about supporting taxpayer-paid transgender surgery for prisoners was damaging. Its repeated use in Trump commercials was effective. But, compared to some wackadoodle Trump statements, Harris’ transgender statement was tame. It’s not a policy that she could’ve implemented in a widespread way, since most prisoners are state, not federal, inmates.
The far left sometimes goes overboard, but we should protect all people, treat everyone fairly and ensure that our fellow Americans are not discriminated against.
Jennifer L. Keyes-Maloney, Ewing
Raise a glass to not wanting one
Concerning “Reservoir that supplies drinking water to 1.2M people drops below half empty:”
In view of the fact that New Jersey is in a “severe drought,” and that even our drinking water could eventually be at risk, why do so many restaurants continue to serve water to customers who have not requested it?
At several excellent area restaurants that my wife and I frequent, glasses of water are brought to the table even before we have a chance to say we don’t need or want them. In addition to the obvious fact that this wastes drinking water, even when we are not in a drought, the glasses take up additional space on tables; can easily be spilled, especially if children are present; make more work for servers; and use even more water when they add to glassware wash loads.
Right now would be a great opportunity for restaurants to do their customers, our state and themselves a favor by simply asking first whether their guests would like water.
Phil Kirsch, Milburn
Hegseth hardly emulates a Christ-like life
Columnist Paul Mulshine (”Cheap shots on religious symbols are Pete Hegseth’s cross to bear”) thinks criticism of the defense secretary nominee’s “Christian themed” tattoos is a cheap shot because, after all, Hegseth is just demonstrating strong support of his faith by marking up his body with mottos and symbols from his Christian upbringing.
Except, this guy must have been asleep or absent when Christian morals were taught. Why else would he have been divorced twice, before marrying his third wife, with at least one breakup resulting from an affair? He was also accused of sexual assault by another woman. While he denies the allegation, he paid an “undisclosed financial settlement” to the accuser.
Like President-elect Donald Trump, who nominated Hegseth, he doesn’t seem to be a real sterling example of someone who emulated a Christ-like life.
As for the motto, “Deus Vult,” (God wills it), which is one tattoo Hegseth has, Mulshine quoted a priest who traces the slogan to the Crusades and pronounced them to be “a good thing.” How about if you go back to the 1200s and tell that to Muslims who were attacked in their homelands by Christian military expeditions.
As for Trump’s pick of a Fox News anchor to lead the Defense Department, here’s another Latin phrase: Non compos mentis.
Look it up.
Rochelle Clerkin, Hamilton
Sherrill’s not for us
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., is running for New Jersey governor next year.
At her recent video announcement, she said it’s time to make life more affordable for hard-working citizens of this state.
Where has she been since she was elected to Congress six years ago (and re-elected earlier this month)? She has done noting but vote the Democrats’ party line, while New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.
Sherrill is just another party hack in lockstep with the other Democrats from New Jersey in Washington. If you’re considering voting for her as governor, you haven’t learned your lesson from eight years of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
Only a Republican will work for the working-class citizens of New Jersey.
Walter Goldeski, East Brunswick
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