Response to LaForge's column about censorship

Regarding John LaForge’s column regarding censorship of the use of American atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, he got it tactically correct, but strategically wrong. The atomic bombs were used strictly for strategic reasons.

Let me explain. At the Tehran Conference in November 1943, the Allies agreed that the Soviet Union (i.e., Stalin) would attack Japanese forces in Manchuria on Aug. 9, 1945 — which it did. However, by then, we did not need the Soviet’s help against Japan, but an agreement was made and kept.

So, we wanted to drop the first bomb before the Soviet conventional attack in an effort...