Star Wars weapons systems

[AndyRM]

IMO, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was morally reprehensible and completely unnecessary.

The Soviets were instrumental in Japan's surrender, which has been forgotten about due to a mushroom-cloud sized bit of cock-waving by the Americans.

Back to the OP - that laser thing looks cool, but it won't work, thankfully.

 

[classic33]

Back to the OP - that laser thing looks cool, but it won't work, thankfully.

Why? Its already been used to knock a Satellite out of orbit!

 

[marknotgeorge]

Olympic, the planned invasion of the Japanese Home Islands, was projected to cause so many casualties that they're still using the Purple Hearts minted in preparation to this day!

 

[Blue]

While japan was looking for terms they wanted to maintain all the LANdthey gained during the early years of the war. It was never going to work. Japan was never going to surendr simply because the Emperor was never going to allow it until the last bit of land was taken from them.
The emerpor is god in japan, it didn't matter what the government wanted if it was not in line with his view, it was not going to happen.
The only solution was the invasion of the home land.
You also have to accept that Russia invading was a suprise for all. The japs nor the allies expected it. The combined factor of the invasion and the nukes won the war. Why? One reason, the emeperour saw they had no way to fight back.

Further more the US government couldn't justify the invasion where there was a solution of using two nukes to bring the war to a close without costing any further deaths on their side.
Other factors may have been In play but they took a back seat.

Bringing the question back too you. Your dad brother and other family all die in the invasion of japan to end the war. Your friends and next door neigbourghs. All dead to avoid using a new weapon which will and did end the war. Do you still avoid it?
Of course this must be acceptable to you. You would rather clearly go for the slow solution bought in the death of millions over years more fighting.
A few hundred thousands dead in a few days rather than 8million combined dead in a few years was a better soltuion.

At the end of it all it was war, people die and there is no right answer but using the nukes was by far not the worst choice that could have been made

What a load of utter BS spouted by someone who has taken to heart the lie of American propaganda.

Japan was defeated - to the point of teaching people to repel the feared invasion with sticks. The only things the Japs wanted to keep were honour and the Emperor. The ongoing sea blockade and conventional shelling to the point of surrender would have cost little more than time. Time was the issue because the Yanks couldn't let the Ruskies into the wider pacific area - which may have happened. The end result was that countless innocent lives were sacrificed at the altar of American political might. It was wrong then and it is still wrong now as the Yanks continue to cause trouble around the globe - which often bites them in the rear end because they are such an incompetent bunch of warmongers they don't know who to give weapons to half the time.

 

[Blue]

Nothing justifies such weapons. As the song says - don't ever f'ing forget


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8O2JvlO9UU&feature=player_detailpage

 

[byegad]

I suspect the laser turret is a CIWS (Close in Weapons System) rather like the Gatling gun turret fitted to HM Ships as well as US Ships. In tests lasers have had a deal of success in taking out missiles. Presumably the 'prototype turret' is to ensure the thing is ship-worthy.

 

[Beebo]

In the good old days of Empire we had big names like Dreadnought, Terrible, Invincible, Terror, or Aggressor.

HMS Dreadnought is may favourite, with the classic ships Motto "Fear God, but Dread Nought"

 

[Lance Jack]

I think there should be HMS Childcatcher. Sends a shiver down my spine, even now, to think of him dancing round the square in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Just to lighten the mood in what has turned into a history heavy discussion)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUnhfvGdmmw

 

[captain nemo1701]

Unfortunately they'll be all too eager to play with their new toy, just like in 1945... that was a real blast.

Yes, military types can't resist shiny new death tech. Still, how I larfed a few years back when it turned out that the super-secret stealth spy planes (the delta wing variety) normally invisible to radar suddenly become visible in..er...rain. Nice one mother nature

 

[Profpointy]

After huge investment, no have a real deathray

They'll now need to invest in countermeasures .... How about silver paint ?

Or even better, corner reflectors (look it up) - as used in pedal reflectors and the like - which will reflect the beam back to its source. "Hoist on their own petard" as the Bard puts it.