Beccy: I sense that you are young, and your knowledge of history does not speak well for our educational system in the U. S.. At the time President Truman made the decision to drop those two Atomic bombs Japan gave no indication whatsoever that they were near surrendering. The terms of surrender as set by Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin were unconditional. Sensible folks agree that the dropping of those two bombs eleminated the need to invade Japan which could have caused a million deaths ...allied and Japanese. That figure is my recollection at least.

I agree with your assessment of Mandela however. Disappointing.

DougR