hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 200: History Repeats with Liam Carballal and guest Rich Acritelli P1 on hmTv
Episode 200 – The Endgame in the Pacific: Truman’s Decision and Japan’s Surrender
In this milestone episode of History Repeats, host Liam Carballal welcomes historian Richard Acritelli for a deep dive into the final chapter of World War II in the Pacific. With the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the backdrop, the conversation explores President Truman’s momentous decision to use the atomic bomb, the staggering casualty estimates for a planned invasion, and the fierce Japanese resistance that persisted even after catastrophic losses.
From the behind-the-scenes political maneuvering at Potsdam to Stalin’s ambitions in the Far East, from the bushido code’s influence on Japan’s military leadership to the near-deployment of a third bomb, this episode examines the moral, military, and geopolitical stakes of ending the war. Along the way, Rich and Liam unpack the human cost, the shadow of the Cold War, and the enduring lessons of one of history’s most consequential decisions.
If you think WWII ended neatly after VE Day, think again. This is the story of how it really concluded — and the razor’s edge on which peace was decided.