Evening star., 1945-08-21
Who Won the War
Debate Only Begun
Atomic Bomb Claims to Reach
Congress, Observer Believes
By David Laurence

BY David Laurence
The war may be over but the debate
over who and what won the war has
only just begun
1t would appear that our military
leaders, for instance, are in rather a
dilemma trying to assess the part
played by the atomic bomb.
The Japanese military men, of course,
have good alibi now and will teach
In the schools hereafter that they were
never invaded, that their armies In
China were never beaten, that the home
islands might have prolonged the war
except for the atomic bomb.
The American military men cannot
very well accept the theory that the
atomic bomb won the war without SEEM
Ing to regard the efforts of the Army,
Navy and Air Forces as secondary, and,
OF course, If too much stress is placed
on the power of the atomic bomb. there
Is Congress to be thought about and
its attitude toward future appropriations
for the Army, Navy and Air Forces.
Naturally the Navy will contend that
because its aircraft carriers spearheaded
the attack across the Pacific and then
the surface ships and the Marines fol-
lowed it up, they must be credited with
a decisive role in capturing such bases
In the Marianas as were needed from
which to fly the atomic bomb But the
Air Forces probably would counter by
saying, as Gen. Arnold did the other
day, that the atomic bombs of the future
can be flown from the continental
United States over vast distances.
What of Army's Role?
If the atomic bomb is accepted as de-
cisive, Is the Army's role reduced here
after to that Of an occupying force to be
used only for police purposes?
Then there is Russia. She was count
ing on the building up of enormous
prestige in America for coming in three
months after We day and delivering
the solar plexus blow against the Japa-
nese Empire. Now If the atomic bomb
is accepted as the real factor, it will be
action was superfluous.
The truth of the matter is that Japan
had decided to surrender before she
knew anything about the atomic bomb
Her request to Russia to mediate was
made just before the Potsdam Confer
ence and there is every reason to believe
that as early as last January the leaders
in Japan has decided that with Ger
many beaten they could not continue to
tight. Russia's decision to enter the
war was, indeed a decisive influence be-
cause the Japanese suspected it ever
since Russia denounced the Japanese
Russian pact last April.
The truth also is that the American
Nays achievement was unparalleled
in sailing across the Pacific, landing
armies here and there on strategic is
lands and furnishing air cover from
carriers until fields could be built for the
land-based bombers. The Navy is still
the Nations first line of defense but
also now its first line of of1ense.
Conquered Distance.
The American Air Forces are in
dispensable. They have conquered dis.
tance. Their munitions, repair parts,
personnel and supplies, however, had to
be transported by ship in this war and
every bit Of ground they used for flying
had to be taken by infantry and artillery
Of the Army and Marine Corps. Maybe
In the next war no overseas bases will
be needed and operations can be carried
on by air from this country, but one
has not heard any suggestions around
here yet that America now can relin-
quish her claims to the overseas bases
in the Pacific won in the war against
Japan.
AS for the atomic bomb, it is necessary
sooner or later to attain some perspec-
tive about its use. II the japanese or
Germans had used it first, we would
have called them beasts and savages
for destroying with one bomb 100000
men, women and children - most Of
them noncombatants. The Japanese
youth Of the next decade or more will
be taught that notwithstanding our out
cries about the cruelty of the Japanese
in the March From Bataan," the
Americans outdid the world in cruelty
to noncombatants
Winston Churchill says 1000 900
American lives were saved by its use.
This is sheer exaggeration. The Army
Air Forces were going to demolish
Japanese military installations and CON-
munications completely SO our invading
troops could 60 in standing up" At
least the air folks boasted so only few
weeks ago.
While the atomic bomb did save some
lives. the American precedent in using
it may cost the world some day many
times the number of lives now saved.
For perhaps no nation will feel again
that the atomic bomb is a barbarous
weapon, because Britain and America
sanctioned its use not just for defense
as last desperate measure but as 4
weapon of offense when the victory was
practically won anyhow
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