Comment by hydrogen18
10 years ago
I always figured the Japanese assumed the plane in the case of Hiroshima was a reconnaissance plane gathered ground photographs and checking on the weather. As you correctly noted, they didn't have many resources. I'd figure a lone reconnaissance plane would rank pretty low on the list of targets they were trying to intercept.
Even a lone bomber plane would not have been that much of a threat at this point. Bomb the weapon factories, the war is over. If they had known what was coming they would have deployed a lot more and evacuated the civilians.
We all know what happened instead.
That's a common interpretation of the Japanese reaction. I admit to a limited amount of knowledge on this subject but I have never seen anything that contradicts that view.