70 years ago tonight the weather was fine, the wind was strong and blew at the right direction.
Just weeks after Dresden B-san came to Japan at low level and laid a carefully designed pattern of incendiary bombs across the city of Tokyo.
The houses were mainly paper and bamboo and half the city went up WOSH.
Edwin Palmer HOYT, author of "JAPANS WAR The Great Pacific Conflict" (my definitive text on the conflict, except for Australia's involvement) claims the loss of life was massive, even more than now claimed by the Japanese and American Authorities.
Hoyt also claims that the Emperor demanded to visit the ruins against the express instructions of the Military Government, to whom the Emperor was bound to acquiesce. He was shocked and horrified and that was the moment he, the God Emperor of Imperial Japan realised that surrender was inevitable if any of his people were to survive the fatalistic arrogance of the military.
Hoyt's book from that point recounts the intrigue and brinkmanship which would inevitably lead to the surrender, triggered by the BOMBS but planned in advance.
Today we are all shocked and horrified by the excesses which occurred when powerful nations were entwined in mortal combat, one may not forgive, one should not forget but one must become informed to understand.
