ipl-logo

How Is Truman's Use Of The Atomic Bomb Justified

575 Words3 Pages

President Harry S. Truman's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II continues to be a topic of heated debate to this day. Many have questioned whether the bombings were justified and whether they truly helped bring the war to an end. However, when examining the historical context, key figures involved, and considering various perspectives, it becomes clear that President Truman was indeed right in his decision to use the atomic bomb. In his essay "The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb," published in Harper's Magazine in February 1947, Secretary of War Henry Lewis Stimson provides valuable insights into the rationale behind dropping the bombs. Stimson argued that using the atomic bomb was necessary to bring …show more content…

The cartoon showed a desperate Uncle Sam surrounded by the horrors of war, with the caption reading, "The Japs Ask for It – They Got It!" This illustrates the sentiment prevailing among Americans during that period, where the brutalities of war had hardened public opinion and made the use of the atomic bomb seem justified as a means to end the conflict swiftly. Furthermore, President Truman's radio report to the American people on August 9, 1945, conveyed the gravity of the decision to drop the bombs. Truman explained that the bombings were necessary to ensure Japan's unconditional surrender and prevent further bloodshed on both sides. His address underscored the moral dilemma faced by Allied leaders in deciding to use the atomic bomb, highlighting the difficult choices made in the pursuit of ending the war and securing peace. Despite the controversies surrounding the bombings, it is crucial to consider the broader context in which they occurred. The wartime atrocities committed by the Japanese military, such as the brutal treatment of prisoners of war and civilians in occupied territories, cannot be

Show More
Related

Pros And Cons Of Truman And The Use Of Atomic Bombs

642 Words | 3 Pages

Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan is a book by J. Samuel Walker. He writes about the decision that Truman had to make during World War Two. The Decision that Truman had to make was whether or not the United States should use atomic bombs against Japan. The argument was that if the atomic bombs were used, then Japan would be forced to surrender. “Truman could have decided against it.

Read More

Prompt And Utter Destruction Summary

1394 Words | 6 Pages

Name: Course Instructor: Class: Date: Critical Book Review: Prompt and Utter Destruction Introduction Within weeks, word on the US dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki began to spread that the main reason behind the bombs was to save the lives of Americans (Bernard). It was put that hundreds of thousands of American military causalities were saved through the bombings.

Read More

How Did Truman Use The Atomic Bomb Dbq

301 Words | 2 Pages

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).

Read More

How Did Truman's Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Dbq

719 Words | 3 Pages

The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Harry S. Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb is one of the biggest and deadliest controversial turning points in history. America’s president, Truman, decided that on August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb would be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II. President Truman’s choice to drop the bomb on Japan was considered one of the most debatable turning points. The settlement to drop this bomb was a wrong decision because this bomb killed more than 70,000 innocent people with 10,000’s dying later. Also, bombing a country that was going to surrender in a few months would not be necessary, and last but not least, the atomic bomb could give ideas for the world to start nuclear warfare.

Read More

How Did Harry Truman Have Dropped The Atomic Bomb Persuasive Essay

312 Words | 2 Pages

Consistently, Japan tortured and beat American prisoners of war, and blatantly ignored the international laws of warfare. Not only were the bombs used to punish Japan, they were also used to save American lives. The bombs “shorten[ed] the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans” (Truman).

Read More

Wilson D. Miscamble's The Most Controversial Decision Making

689 Words | 3 Pages

The choice to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States remains one of the most controversial decisions made in history. In Wilson D. Miscamble’s book, The Most Controversial Decision, he writes about the history of the atomic bomb and attempts to answer some of the most contentious questions surrounding the event. In an attempt to understand what happened and to find the truth, Miscamble leads the reader through a documented history of the bombing. In this essay, I will analyze the structure, thesis, and the contents of the book while assessing its strengths and weaknesses. Further, I will share my own views on the book and other views on the questions addressed.

Read More

How To Support The Us Use Of The Atomic Bomb Dbq

1271 Words | 6 Pages

Otherwise, the Japanese would have kept fighting and many more American lives would have been lost. Through the radio address President Harry S Truman gave to the nation regarding the United States’s use of the atomic bomb against Japan (Document G). Truman’s point of view, as the person who is in charge of the decision making of the United States, and whose goal is to protect American lives, is that in order to save the lives of Americans, the deployment of the atomic bomb was something that needed to occur. If it wasn’t for the atomic bomb, the Japanese would have kept wiping off thousands of lives. Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest battles during WWII.

Read More

Truman Choice To Drop The Nuclear Bomb Essay

1861 Words | 8 Pages

During the end of World War II, few analyzed Truman 's choice to drop the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most Americans saw the unmistakable considering: the atomic bombings went on the war to an all the more important end. They didn 't have an issue with more than one hundred thousand of the adversary being executed. Taking everything in a record, the Japanese got America, and not the substitute way. In later years, regardless, particular have started to look at the good perspective of "Truman was sparing lives," driving hypotheses of their own.

Read More

How Is Hiroshima Bombing Justified

1232 Words | 5 Pages

It also had long lasting effects that still impact Japanese lives. In the newspaper by Jack Doherty headlined ¨Atomic Bomb Fury Hits Japan¨ after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the president said, ¨It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction.¨ Yet, look where it has gone and how much damage it had cost Japan. I encourage you to not listen to these statements as if they were true, and right the wrongs the atomic bombs have done to Japan by unjustifying the act and telling others to do so as

Read More

Truman's Role In Dropping The Atomic Bomb

886 Words | 4 Pages

The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using to bombard them.” Truman wanted these Japanese atrocities to end, for the war to end, and for eventual world peace. He made the decision to drop the bomb in order to save as many of his own as he could, which any good leader would

Read More

Was The Detonation Of The Nuclear Bomb Justified?

1630 Words | 7 Pages

Some believe that the bomb was the most efficient and ‘least abhorrent’ way to end WWII, while others believe the nuclear bomb was a tool used to influence the post-war world order and was completely unjustifiable. Central to the discourse surrounding the Nuclear Bombings are the contrasting viewpoints of traditionalists and revisionists, each offering distinct interpretations of the bomb's necessity and justifiability. The detonation of the nuclear bomb is a historical topic of debate. The traditionalist position is that the bomb was necessary to end the war. This is epitomised by President Harry Truman and his quote that “The atom bomb was no “great decision.”

Read More

When Was The Use Of The Atomic Bomb Justified

713 Words | 3 Pages

The decision to drop atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II is one of the most controversial and morally complex events in human history. On the 6 & 9 of August, 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on these two cities, resulting in the deaths of over 200,000 people that left many lasting scars on the collective morality of humanity. In this essay, I want to find out and examine the various factors and perspectives surrounding the decision, to see if the United States was justified in its use of the atomic weapons against Japan. To understand the decision to drop the atomic bombs, it is important to understand the events leading up to it. By mid-1945, World War II had been going on for over six years, resulting in millions of casualties, destruction and deaths.

Read More

Why Are Atomic Bombs Being Dropped On Hiroshima And Nagasaki

589 Words | 3 Pages

A debatable topic that is still controversial to this day in human history, is the atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII. During the end of WWII, a massacre began between Japan and the United States on August 6 and 9, 1945. Despite the moral complexities involved, the use of this violence by the United States to bring war to an end was arguably the right decision to make. This essay focuses on the compelling reasons for the need and the rationale behind using such extreme tactics to end this conflict.

Read More

Was The Atomic Bombing Justified Or Unjustified

725 Words | 3 Pages

Introduction The atomic bomb left a huge impact on both the world of 1945 and the world today. It has left its legacy, both good and bad, on the citizens of Japan and America. Citizens from both countries can argue that the bombing was justified or unjustified, but an overwhelming amount of facts show that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified and necessary to end World War II. Thesis Statement: The atomic bomb dropped in 1945 by the United States instilled a fear of American retaliation in foreign countries, prevented another world war, and saved millions of Allied soldiers’ lives.

Read More

Atomic Bomb Persuasive Essay

1066 Words | 5 Pages

The author emphasizes that “The Japanese military has done terrible things throughout Asia. They raped women, forced others to become sexual slaves, murdered civilians, and tortured and executed prisoners” (“Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb” 1). Japan has committed horrible atrocities throughout Asia. These horrible things acted as a motive for the United States to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. The author elaborates, “American prisoners were treated inhumanely, They were force-marched back up the peninsula toward trains and a POW camp beyond.

Read More

More about How Is Truman's Use Of The Atomic Bomb Justified

Open Document