The Emperor was a figurehead anyway, so it really didn't matter. The Emperor didn't decide to invade China. The Emperor didn't decide to attack Pearl Harbor. BTW, Truman didn't decide to use the atomic bombs, either. Both sides were under military rule. Truman was furious.

No. Truman even talked to Eleanor Roosevelt about the bomb in June of '45. It was his decision.

thebulletin.org/2025/08/trum...

I mean…there two of them. He could have stopped the second.

japan didn't agree to surrender until the second bomb was dropped on nagasaki. truman didn't stop it for a reason...

neat article, but check the dates. hiroshima was bombed on august 6th, & nagasaki was bombed on august 9th. the letter in the piece is dated august 10th, 1945. do YOU see the problem, there? it also clearly states 'it is not to be released on japan without express authority of the president'. 🎯

Yes, check the dates. They were telling Truman about the plutonium bomb and didn't mention the uranium bomb dropped on Hiroshima. "It appears entirely possible that Truman did not understand that there would be two atomic bombs in early August, with a second plutonium bomb ready a few weeks later."

"it also clearly states 'it is not to be released on japan without express authority of the president'. 🎯" Yes, the third bomb. The first two were dropped without the express authority of the president, and Truman was taking that back, putting nuclear weapons under the authority of the president.

yes, the president, who had already authorized the dropping of little boy and fat man. your information is dubious & misleading. truman made the decision to drop the bombs on hiroshima & nagasaki. whatever you're pushing here is bunk. have a nice day. the US open's on, #andihavebetterthingstodo

So you're ignoring the point about how he did not know they were going to drop little boy on Hiroshima.

After spending a fortune on developing it, nobody else imagining its power and the potential casualties of attacking the home islands, I think it was always going to be used once proven to be a viable weapon.

I suppose you’re right about the emperor, although his god-like position meant that his rubber stamp would mean the country would blindly follow those decisions. Certainly it’s more nuanced than a tweet could do justice too. Interesting though

The Emperor's role made it possible to rearm Japanese police forces and keep order.

Indeed. Although perhaps a less ‘stained’ figure may have been a better option. Hirohito certainly got off Scott free

It's interesting that the royal families that survived the war came out stronger. The Japanese people had never even heard the Emperor's voice until his speech about surrender.

One of the conditions of surrender was the Emperor could no longer be referred to as a deity and Hirohito had to announce he was was not in fact divinely chosen.

“Hirohito had to announce he was not in fact divinely chosen.” And it would probably take two A-bombs to get Trump to make that announcement about himself.