Readers React: The Japanese deserve an apology for the bomb, but not from the U.S.

To the editor: I agree that the Japanese people deserve an apology for the devastation wrought during World War II, and not just for the horrendous atomic bombings, but also for the many fire bombings that were also horrible. (“Japan doesn’t want the U.S. to apologize for bombing Hiroshima. Here’s why,” April 29)

But the apology should come from their own emperor and military leaders, whose predecessors instigated the horror by refusing to surrender when their cause was already hopeless.

Estimates of Allied casualties for an invasion were upward of 1 million, leaving little choice whether to drop the bomb. My oldest brother was an infantry first lieutenant who was in the first wave landing after Japan’s surrender and would almost certainly been one of those casualties. Instead, he and his comrades were greeted peaceably and welcomed by the people.

The atomic attacks provided Japanese leaders a face-saving excuse that they were defeated by a magical force and not by a superior military. Only when the Soviet Union belatedly declared war did Japan realize it was hopeless.

Larry Mason, Santa Barbara

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