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Wait… what? How is Japan attacking the US in WW2 relevant here? 🤔🤨 Ok, I’m going to assume from this comparison that you aren’t aware of the very recent history of Libya and how it might be the exact reason things are playing out as they are. So after I get my son down for his nap I’ll come back and give my best TL;DR for you. 👍🏻

The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, though horrific and resulting in an estimated 150,000 to 246,000 deaths, leading to Japan’s surrender within a week, ending World War II. Before that, the U.S. had already suffered about 365,000 military casualties in the Pacific campaign. An invasion of Japan’s mainland, codenamed Operation Downfall, was projected to cause 5 to 10 million Japanese deaths and similar losses for the Allies, due largely to the Japanese military’s adherence to the Bushido code, which discouraged surrender and encouraged suicidal tactics like Banzai charges and Kamikaze attacks. The bombings, while devastating, may have ultimately saved more lives by preventing a prolonged and bloodier conflict. Japanese POW camps were incredibly brutal, making a swift end to the war more urgent. The conflict began for the U.S. after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which led to the declaration of war by the US the next day. The Japanese also invaded Alaska six months later, in June of 1942. A recommended resource for understanding the US Pacific war island-hopping campaign is Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O’Reilly.