Dehumanization Of Hiroshima Bombing

Barack Obama was the first president to visit Hiroshima, the first site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack in 2016. The threat of nuclear warfare is imminent. The devastation left by the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima should serve as a reminder of the damage that it can do. The Manhattan Project allowed America to develop and research nuclear weapons. The World’s first successful nuclear chain reaction was achieved in 1942. This would lead to the United States deploying Nuclear weapons on Nagasaki and Hiroshima which would force Japan to surrender to the allies on August 15, 1945, unwillingly.

It is difficult to determine America’s rationale behind the use of nuclear weapons. Did racism and the dehumanization of Japan justify

Since I am interested in examining America’s collective attitudes and reactions to the atomic bombings, this would be excellent place to start. One newspaper article published in the Dallas Morning News by Wick Fowler on September 18th, 1945 details an American journalist visit to Hiroshima. The author states, “Only a few Americans have traveled to this devastated Japanese Metropolis…and the 550-mile ride was something I shall always associate with low forms of travel and existence.” Was this a critique of Japan? The article also highlights the power of the bomb and states, “Except that it took only one bomb for this job.” And “Hiroshima, proving ground for man’s mightiest weapon is a ghostly shambles.” It is apparent that Americans believed the bomb was necessary. The article goes on to state, “It gave the Japanese an excuse to surrender, and that made the cost almost negligible compared with what it would have been had the war continued.” I found this to be powerful and by analyzing more newspaper articles from the period would provide me with an overview of America’s collective attitude towards the bombings. However, one difficulty with working with these sources is that more than often the perspectives of Japanese citizens is omitted and articles from this period seem to focus much more on the destruction of the atomic bomb. However, this does not mean that American journalists did

A source that I found from this database was the Statement by the President Announcing the Use of the A-Bomb at Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. In this statement, President Truman begins by justifying the bombing with “The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold. And the end is not yet.” He also threatens Japan and states, “It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.” It remains that the atomic bomb was used as a retaliation to Japan bombing Pearl Harbor and rejecting the ultimatum. How does President Truman’s attitude align with the American public at the time? Was it similar or different? Did this influence or represent America’s collective attitude towards Hiroshima? This source is useful in examining America’s justification for Hiroshima. I found it interesting that President Truman continues to threaten Japan despite the destruction that it caused. The challenges working with this source is to determine the overall influence of this statement on American mass