Atomic Bomb Dbq Research Paper

During WWII there were many deaths and terrible battles but the worst of all of them was America dropping the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This tactic of bombing a city was the wrong decision by America, it was completely barbaric and was an act of total war something no country should ever use. The main issues with this decision was that it wasn’t an attack on a military base like Pearl Harbor but it was an attack on a populated city and Japan was prepared to surrender because they knew America and the Allied Powers would win the war. The main argument others have is that the Atomic bomb saved lives by creating a fast end to the war so it wouldn’t be strung out resulting in more deaths on both sides but Japan was prepared to surrender

The issue I see with the dropping of the A-Bombs was that there were much better strategic options for America but it seems like they were done being in the war and just wanted to get it over with even if it costed many Japanese lives. In Document 6 Admiral William E. Leahy, President Truman’s Chief of Staff states “The use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender”. This proves the fact even more that Japan was ready to surrender and knew they had no chance at winning. It shows that America’s use of the Atomic Bombs was “of no material assistance in our war against Japan” and that the choice to drop these bombs was a barbaric decision and has had a long lasting effect on all people around the world. People still to this day are afraid of nuclear warfare just like how recently there has been a lot of tension between USA and North Korea and speculation that North Korea is going to use nuclear warfare on

This was reality for most people in Japan, in Document 4 Takeharu Terao one of the few Atomic Bomb Survivors in Hiroshima says “Just before eight, an air raid siren sounded. We took cover while complaining, because we were already accustomed to the siren.” These students weren’t even prepared for an attack, they didn’t expect anyone to bomb a populated city no matter how bad the war had gotten but America did. There were many bombing during WWII but the reason why they aren’t talked about as much as the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima is because they were bombings on military bases and soldiers, most soldiers were prepared to die for their country and would do anything to keep their country safe but citizens aren’t required to feel the same. They were innocent people, families were torn apart, children were killed and hospitals, a place where you were supposed to recover were destroyed (Document 7). These attacks were acts of total war on citizens and were completely immoral and America could’ve made a much better