<t>The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold." <br/>
("Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S Truman, 1945", pg. 197). <br/>
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On Aug. 9, after Nagasaki was a-bombed, Truman made another public statement on why the atomic bombs were used: <br ...

<t>Is anyone here familiar with the recently released details of how the US had stockpiled thousands of tons of chemical agents around Japan for the obvious purpose of exterminating everything on the islands in lieu of an invasion ??<br/>
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Is this true ??? ( Saw it on the history channel )<br ...

<r>When you are fully engaged in the business of killing people.... whether by nuclear bomb or starvation by blockade, I find nothing unusual or improper about the decision to use it. Indeed it would have been unusual to <B><s>[b]</s>not<e>[/b]</e></B> use it.<br/>
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How many people did we kill ...

<t>The most important point being that It was not horrible or futile given the mindset of people at the time (all people not just the US).<br/>
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I believe Truman's sentiments might probably have been something along the lines of:<br/>
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"If it will save 1 American boys life I would gladly ...

<t>Factual debates are of course meaningless in this case..... The decision to use it was made by one man.<br/>
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Certainly the issue has been revised and cleaned up after the fact, but in reality it was the machinations in Truman's own conscious that determined the outcome.<br/>
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I ask ...

<t>I don't think it's possible for us to fully understand the mindset of those involved...<br/>
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It's very easy now to speculate that it was ugly revenge that motivated them.... and it probably was....<br/>
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My question would be that if we could possibly imagine what it was like to have ...

<t>Guess I forgot to say an American Ranger company... which has less men than a full mech company or rifle company. Also with the AI at 200. I agree with a full company they are quite capable of taking the hill. Also I agree that a smart (non AI) German commander could make things even more ...

I would imagine the best tactic would be to simply go around the thing....aim for the tracks until you get a rear shot..... or just drive right on by.... no worry about it catching you...

<t>Has anyone ever read any real tactical descriptions of this type of action ? I believe Larry is correct in using the total force to isolate each German unit in turn and neutralize it. was this the US tactical doctrine for this type of situation ??? Is infantry the way to take out enemy armor ?<br ...

<t>The 5 Shermans to 1 Panther ratio I believe was in a strict armor to armor battle.... I believe the American forces were more successful than that due to an ability to draw upon large reserves to combine armor, infantry and arty in the best way for a given situation. I used the examples of ...

<t>I have played this scenario many times in an effort to understand what it might have been like for a tactical level commander on the western front. I have often wondered why American losses weren't twice what they were. Is my artillery superiority fairly represented ? I don't believe air power ...

<t>I was wondering how most of you handle this typical problem:<br/>
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You are the American commander assaulting a German position with the following ...<br/>
a platoon of M4-76mm<br/>
a section of M10 TDs<br/>
a company of infantry on halftracks<br/>
2 batteries of 105mm arty<br/>
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The ...