Hoover and the Bomb
By Marcus Epstein
[Herbert] Hoover had many flaws and was by no means a great president. However, like most people, he was much better man out of power, and became a vocal opponent of American entry into World War II. Although like many Old Right conservatives he occasionally fell for the folly of an "Asia First" foreign policy, he was a pretty reliable opponent to of the Cold War as well.
During World War II, President Hoover was a vociferous opponent of Roosevelt and Truman administration’s demand for the unconditional surrender of Japan. He met with many military and political leaders urging them to negotiate a peace with the Emperor. Describing a meeting with Douglas MacAuthur, he wrote in his diary, "I told MacArthur of my memorandum of mid-May 1945 to Truman, that peace could be had with Japan by which our major objectives would be accomplished. MacArthur said that was correct and that we would have avoided all of the losses, the Atomic bomb, and the entry of Russia into Manchuria."
Two days after the dropping of the bomb, Hoover wrote, "The use of the atomic bomb, with its indiscriminate killing of women and children, revolts my soul." He testified to Congress later that year that the act was "barbaric." ... Hoover believed that only by recognizing the errors of the past, could we prevent making them in the future. [Thomas] Sowell and [Victor Davis] Hanson instead decide to celebrate our mistakes, and unsurprisingly, they are both vociferous supporters of the war in Iraq.
By Marcus Epstein
[Herbert] Hoover had many flaws and was by no means a great president. However, like most people, he was much better man out of power, and became a vocal opponent of American entry into World War II. Although like many Old Right conservatives he occasionally fell for the folly of an "Asia First" foreign policy, he was a pretty reliable opponent to of the Cold War as well.
During World War II, President Hoover was a vociferous opponent of Roosevelt and Truman administration’s demand for the unconditional surrender of Japan. He met with many military and political leaders urging them to negotiate a peace with the Emperor. Describing a meeting with Douglas MacAuthur, he wrote in his diary, "I told MacArthur of my memorandum of mid-May 1945 to Truman, that peace could be had with Japan by which our major objectives would be accomplished. MacArthur said that was correct and that we would have avoided all of the losses, the Atomic bomb, and the entry of Russia into Manchuria."
Two days after the dropping of the bomb, Hoover wrote, "The use of the atomic bomb, with its indiscriminate killing of women and children, revolts my soul." He testified to Congress later that year that the act was "barbaric." ... Hoover believed that only by recognizing the errors of the past, could we prevent making them in the future. [Thomas] Sowell and [Victor Davis] Hanson instead decide to celebrate our mistakes, and unsurprisingly, they are both vociferous supporters of the war in Iraq.
