With reference to ' Pearl Harbor a Hollywood stink bomb' (June 17), after Doolittle's attack in April 1942, Allied troops led by the Yankees had been marching ever closer towards Tokyo. First by winning the battles of Coral Sea and Midway in May and June 1942, and they never looked back ever since. Guadalcanal and Tarawa in 1943. Kwajelein, Saipan, Guam, and scores of others in 1944. Iwojima, Okinawa, in 1945.

By the time the second atomic bomb was dropped, Allied soldiers had driven the Japanese out of the Philippines and New Guinea. If that is not winning, I don't know what it is.

There is nothing wrong with the writer's anti-American stand; it's his right. What I disagree is his attempt to rewrite history. By any means of measurement, the US won the war in the Pacific hands down, with or without 'fat man' and 'little boy'. We may not like what the Americans did, but to mislead the readers in rebutting the American side is plainly wrong.

As for the dropping of both bombs, to me the decision was a good one. Had I been Truman, I would have ordered the same. Why would I subject my men to more pains of war if I could end it rapidly? Why should I subject their mothers, wives and children to additional misery?

Indirectly, the bombs might have saved countless of lives in the occupied region. Had the conventional war dragged on, thousands of Malayans would certainly have died unnecessarily when the Allied march reached this region.

It is with no nonsense that the US 'grew' to become, more than ever, a superpower today. You may say they are arrogant at times for their gloating, but indeed, they are a mighty power, militarily and economically.

The US today is the largest trading partner of most of the countries in the world. You may scream as much as you want, but the fact is this, Malaysian economy relies on the American market. Whenever Uncle Sam sneezes, Malaysia most likely will catch cold. Certain quarters of the society want to reduce the dependence; one option cited was to increase trade relationships with rich Arab nations. But let's be realistic, those guys need more potato chips than computer chips, and our beloved Proton just won't do the trick for those guys.

Lastly, I want to comment on the use of term 'bastard child' ( sic ). One should bear in mind that all children are born innocent. It is irresponsible for the society to brand them in certain ways because of their parents' perceived mistakes. There are many children born out of wedlock in the society. It is extremely sad to see them leading a stigmatised life. They are not bastards and should never be ill treated. I am disturbed to read leading figures of the society branding them in such a way instead of addressing their plight.