But he had no compelling reason to do so. The bomb provided a promising way to bring about a prompt Japanese surrender without the disadvantages of other alternatives, and in Truman’s mind, its use did not require a lengthy consideration” (Walker pg. 96). After the bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, people decided that the bombs were actually required. The people thought that if the bombs weren’t dropped, thousands of American lives would have died while America invaded Japan. The problem with this logic is that many people died in those bombings.
As stated in document A, President Truman believed that it was his duty as president to use every weapon available to save American lives. By making the decision to employ atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it successfully brought an end to World War II. Now, while these bombs did ultimately spare thousands of American lives, it did also put an end to about 200,000 lives as shown in document E. Document A stated that Admiral William Leahy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opposed using the bomb because it killed civilians indiscriminately. He believed that an economic blockade and conventional bombing would convince Japan to surrender. As an opposite end of the spectrum though Truman’s advisor, James Byrnes thought that the use of “the A-bombs would not only cause Japan to surrender, but also impress the Soviet Union, and hopefully stop its expansion” (Doc C).
The U.S. viewed bombings as a necessity because Truman gave the Japanese a chance to surrender when he issued the Potsdam Declaration. In his message, Truman warned the Japanese that if they would not unconditionally surrender that they would be struck with “prompt and utter destruction.” Similarly, by bombing the Japanese it would spare up to 1 million American lives along with 250,000 British casualties because U.S and allied soldiers didn’t have to attempt to invade the heavily guarded Japanese territories. Another reason the United States needed to bomb Japan was dominance. The secretary of state thought it would put the U.S. in a dominant position in the postwar and have power over the Germans.
In the United States, it is often taught that the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the deciding factor for the Japanese to surrender during World War II. However, upon closer inspection that may not be the reason why. For example, by the time both cities were destroyed Japan had already lost dozens of cities to American fire bombs and conventional raids. As a result, the only difference between the cities that were previously burned and Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the type of weapon used. Therefore,the Japanese government was aware and accustomed to loosing cities and large number of civilian lives.
President Harry Truman was justified in dropping the atomic bomb since it saved millions of American lives by ending the war as soon as possible, and established the United States as the greatest country in the world. With the bomb, America could “attack those that have hurt [America]” and save many American lives (Truman, Doc A). As part as revenge for Pearl Harbor, America was able to redeem itself against Japan with this bomb. It would make a statement to the world and force an unconditional surrender from Japan, as fast as possible. That would end the war and potentially save millions of young American soldiers.
This article, written by Tom Nichols begins by expressing an explanation to why Truman dropped the bomb on Japan. Nichols starts off by questioning if the dropping of the “special bombs” was actually necessary. He then goes on to explain that back in 1945 this decision was the right one and that Truman thought that by dropping the bombs it would bring the war to a close. As the article goes on Nichols continues to question the use of the bomb, whether it was a racist act, done for political means, and if Truman would have used the nuclear weapon on the Germans. This article is a great resource for my research paper, because it provides the possible reasoning to why Truman made the official decision to drop the bomb.
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the first and only time an atomic bomb was used. The bomb killed thousands of innocent Japanese civilians, and left few survivors. The Allies thought of using the bomb because it would instantly end the war, and it did, but at the cost of many innocent lives. The bomb was also used as a factor to demonstrate the power of the US, and was supposed to help push other countries out of several countries. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was unnecessary because it gave little benefit to the Allies and led to thousands of innocent lives lost.
Harry S. Truman, President of the United States, dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 6, 1945. This decision has caused a great deal of controversy and debate among historians, political leaders, and the public at large. This essay will analyze President Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan, examine its historical background, key players involved in the decision, and the effects of the decision on the world. It will also explore various perspectives on this issue, offering a well-argued analysis of the pros and cons of this decision. First, let’s look at the historical context surrounding President Truman’s decision to launch the first atomic bomb.
When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima no one really knew what the overall outcome would be as this was the first attack of this sort ever used. The eventual reported outcome of loss of life was in excess of 135,000. There were tens of thousands more wounded and a portion of Japan left uninhabitable. Ultimately, the US use of nuclear weapons against Japan was revered to be more as a showing of the US advancements in the Arms Race than it was to bring about a cessation to the war and save US troops from having to continue ground assaults in the Pacific Theatre. This was the justification Truman used to justify his decision to himself, congress and the American people.
The use of the atomic bomb when strategically compared to a land invasion, in fact prevented the loss of any U.S. soldiers lives, as well as the death of many Japanese citizens. Excerpts from “Three Narratives of our Humanity” by John W, debates whether or not the nuclear bombing was necessary to shock the Japanese into surrender and describes how the Japanese recall the war through a lens of their own victimization. An excerpt claims, “it is argued that the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima was necessary to shock the Japanese to surrender”. This presents a compelling argument supporting the ethicality of the bombings through its logical and strategic worth.
As stated by Admiral William Leahy, Chief of Staff to President Truman, "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…" (Document #2). The Japanese forces were surrounded, suffering significant losses, and the United States troops were already at the border of the mainland. Therefore, the use of the atomic bomb was an unjustified flex by the United States, disregarding the human lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan was destined to fall, nevertheless, the US saw it necessary to drop an A-bomb.
The deployment of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by President Truman during WWII is a contentious issue still debated today. With an aim to achieve victory over Japan without any further loss of life or military resources, some say that his decision was logical and ultimately successful in accomplishing national goals. However, others regard this act as immoral claiming that such violence could never be justifiable under any circumstance. In support of dropping the atomic bomb, proponents asserted that it was crucial to quickly end the war and avoid further loss of American lives. According to Document 3, Secretary Stimson believed that deploying the bomb was crucial to quickly end the conflict and avoid a land invasion of Japan, which would have caused more American lives to be lost.
During the final stages of World War Two, the United States turned their attention to the Pacific, with the country that had brought them into this deadly battle. In an effort to end a ruthless war with Japan, the United States found itself stuck in a position that would alter the course of the world for years to come. A decision was to be made about using the atomic bomb or invading Japan. By dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the United States prevented the loss of many American and Japanese lives, and showed the rest of the world the true power of America. After the surrender of Germany, the Allied Powers celebrated their victory, although there was another battle to fight in the Pacific.
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.
The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were the first and currently last time atomic energy had been used for military purposes. However, the usage of the bombs has sparked controversy over whether the usage of atomic bombs was Truman’s way of expediting the war or the United States’ way of taking the credit for ending the war and stirring up conflict with the Soviet Union. Regardless of opinions on the matter, the bombing is considered one of the most brutal yet bold military actions by the United States in world history because of its impact and
