Wednesday, July 30, 1945. Eisenhower questions the bomb.

The Battle of the Visayas in the Philippines, where in fact the war was still going on, ended in Allied victory.  Fighting had been reduced to mopping up by this time.

The Japanese government asked civilians to harvest acorns for food.  The entire Japanese population was living at the starvation level by this point in time.

The Japanese 18th Army made a last stand at the village of Numbogua, New Guinea. General Adachi, ordered his troops "to die in honorable defeat."

General Marshall ordered General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz to coordinate plans in readiness for an early surrender by Japan.

Secretary of War Stimson informed Gen. Eisenhower of the intent to use the atomic bomb. Eisenhower questioned the wisdom of the act.

Occasionally I'll see different dates listed for an event.  Here we have such an example:

Today in World War II History—July 30, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—July 30, 1945: Heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis is sunk by Japanese sub I-58 off Leyte; only 316 of 1199 men will survive the shark-infested waters.

July 30, 1945: The Fate of the USS Indianapolis

Most sources do list today, not yesterday, for the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.  Not all, however.  I used a source that listed July 29, as the "last edition" item below shows.

Why the difference?

Well, I don't know off hand, but the nature of the sinking, which saw the ship traveling under radio silence and in secret may have something to do with it.  More likely, however, is the fact that sources using today's date put the time at 00:15.   

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 29, 1945. The sinking of the USS Indianapolis. The 509th Composite Group receives orders for Operation Silverplate. The last Medal of Honor of World War Two.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, boats and ships, British Army, Disaster, Fish, Henry Ford, Heroes, Imperial Japanese Navy, Luzon, Operation Silverplate, Predictions, Sharks, Tinian, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Weapons