Behind the Bastards Part Three: The Men Who Might Have Killed Us All
48 snips
Dec 9, 2025 
Margaret Killjoy, a writer, podcaster, and astute commentator, joins Robert to navigate the chilling landscape of nuclear history. They dissect the controversial use of atomic bombs in Japan and how postwar leaders minimized the horrors of radiation. Discussion flows to Curtis LeMay's aggressive military strategies and the concept of an always-ready nuclear force. Margaret and Robert explore the evolution of nuclear deterrence and the rapid stockpiling of thermonuclear weapons, all while highlighting the chilling reality of strategic bombing and its implications for global safety.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Debate Over Necessity Of The Bomb
- The necessity of the atomic bomb for Japan's surrender remains deeply contested and lacks a definitive answer.
- U.S. investigators and leaders like Dwight Eisenhower concluded Japan likely would have surrendered without the nuclear attacks.
Nukes Were Viewed As Inevitable Tools
- Military leaders treated the atomic bomb as a guaranteed option rather than a last resort.
- No serious effort was made to demonstrate the bomb to Japanese leaders instead of obliterating cities.
Groves' Callous Senate Testimony
- General Leslie Groves testified the radioactive casualty could die "without undue suffering" and called it a "very pleasant way to die."
- That statement was an obvious cover-up to minimize public horror about radiation.
