Bombs That Changed History! December 7th, 1941, the WWII was still raging in Europe between the Axis Powers Block led by Germany on one side and the Allies consisting of the United Kingdom, France, and Poland on the other side. At the same time, in another part of the world, the United States of America was still in its era of Isolationism. This era ended on Sunday morning at 7:55 am when Japan decided to viciously attack the American pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The sudden heinous attack invoked a vast nationalism sentiment in the American people, which was reason enough for the US to join World War II. The war was tremendously heating up between the Imperial Japanese and the US naval fleets until Truman, the US president at the time, made a radical decision that changed the course of history. He decided to use the first ever seen unconventional …show more content…
To this day, many scholars still argue the morality and justification of using such destructive force. However, President Truman’s decision was a wise and calculated one because of many reasons: it avenged the attack on American soil, it saved many more American and Japanese lives that would have been killed if the war was to continue, and it ranked the USA’s military as number one of the world’s most powerful while stopping Japan’s ambition to control the Indian and Pacific oceans. Japan’s decision to attack Pearl Harbor was by far mal advised and poorly thought through. This decision eventually brought the Japanese Empire to its own demise. In the years prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan harbored anger and resentment towards the Allies, mainly America, due to the economic and military sanctions imposed on it. Moreover, there was the defiance and stubbornness of the Japanese state of mind at the time. This sentiment
By the time Truman had to make his decision Japan’s military resources were eliminated (Blum 2). Not only were there naval ships and planes destroyed, but also, there “lifeline to oil was severed” (Blum 2). Additionally, the amount of firebombing taking place left Japan defenseless (Blum 2). The man in charge of air attacks, General Curtis Lemay even went as far to say that “there was nothing left of japanese cities but “garbage can targets”(Blum 2). All of these circumstances lead up to what would have been the surrendering of Japan before the bombs were dropped.
The dropping of the Atomic bomb on Japan during World War II should be seen as the most significant turning point in modern American history because of the monumental changes that resulted. It was created to destroy and kill
On August 6 and August 9 of 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This decision fell on the former vice president, newly inaugurated president, Harry Truman. It has remained one of the most controversial decisions in U.S. history. His decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan shook the world.
The development led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Americans use of the atomic bomb was absolutely necessary during World War II because it prevented the spread of communism, the Japanese did not surrender unconditionally, and it helped end the war in a matter of days. On December 7, 1941, the American Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Had American not dropped the bomb, then who knows what the world would be like today. America might not be allies with Japan. Japan is one of America’s closest allies. While there were alternatives, America was right to drop the atomic bomb because the bomb was dropped to end the war, the bomb saved thousands of lives, both Japanese and American, and the bomb was the only logical option. President Truman had only been president for twelve days when he
This was the height of their nationalism. The Japanese would never surrender and America knew this. They had two options, going in with a land invasion, or dropping two of the first atomic bombs ever used in combat. America hedged its bets and decided that the bombs would have less of a death toll. During
“The Battle of Midway is considered the turning point for the Japanese-American conflict in World War II. It was an important win for America and resulted in numerous Japanese loses” (“Battle of Midway”). On January 14, 1942, the Japanese decided to destroy the American naval fleet, a feat which had not been achieved during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Midway was recommended by the Japanese generals. This battle, if won, could open the opportunity of invading Hawaii and forcing America to surrender.
The United States decided to drop the atomic bomb because Japan murdered innocent lives, therefore to save the lives of the American people and troopers, Truman gave the call to put forth the action of dropping the atomic bomb. Considering the fact that Japan killed many of our guiltless people in our own country, it was justified for the United States to afflict damage back. Truman was even dubious to the fact of dropping the bomb, but because the Japanese kept on killing the innocent lives, it was a needed cause to stop the Japanese and to petrify them. The Japanese even dropped bombs in the past at Pearl Harbor, which was detrimental to America. For the reason being, I believe the United States was justified to drop an atomic bomb on Japan
President Truman and his associates believed that if they dropped the bomb they would receive surrender from Japan. Thus, saving millions of American lives, and ending the war. Nevertheless, by saving American lives they would sacrifice thousands of Japanese civilians. They had other idea to have Japan to surrender, but were willing to take the one that would have the most consequences. They were thinking too much about the US instead of creating actually peace within the nations.
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. Although the Allies had poured their resources into defeating Japan after the defeat of Germany and Italy in Europe, the road to victory appeared long and costly. President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan after consulting with his advisors and determining that it would save American lives. President Truman along with other Allied leaders issued a warning to Japan to surrender or face “complete destruction” and “utter devastation,” which the Japanese had ignored causing the United States to take action. (Ellis & Esler, 2009)
Com stated that “The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades.” Even if the attack was a surprise it was still gonna at one point or another because of a few reasons one of them being that the United States was not very happy with Japan’s hostile behavior towards China and
The American people were at war in the Pacific ever since the attack on Pearl Harbor. President Truman could make one of two choices: make a risky land invasion of Japan or drop atomic bombs on key cities. President Truman effectively brought an abrupt end to World War II as the Japanese then surrendered (). Had Truman not dropped the bombs on Nagasaki many American lives would have needlessly been lost.
The attacks, with atomic bombs, to Japan to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still a controversial topic among historians. Some argue that use of such weapons can never be justified, even in times of war, because it clearly goes against the human life. However, others believe that using the atomic weapons was the best way the end the war because this made it as quick as possible. In this essay I will explain what were the psychological effects, in the Japanese people, that came with the use of this weapons.
The Dropping of the Atomic Bomb. On the 6th August 1945 at approximately 8:15am, a US bomber plane dropped the first atomic bomb on the city of Hirsoshima in Japan which instantly killed 80 000 people. The bomb was named ‘Little Boy’ and was a uranium gun-type atomic bomb which weighed 5 tons. Three days later another bomb was dropped, on the city of Nagosaki, which was a plutonium implosion-type bomb named ‘Fat Man’ and it killed 40 000 people instantly.
On December 7th, 1941 the Japanese attacked the US navy based at Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt went before Congress and asked Congress to declare war on Japan. Congress did. The US wanted to stay out of the war to repair internal issues stemming from the Great Depression. Our economic structure was just getting back on its feet and our military had been down-sized due to funding and a popular (voter) distaste for war after the horrors of WWI.