Pros And Cons Of Truman And The Use Of Atomic Bombs

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. 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. More people died during the bombings than they would have if America invaded Japan. In Hiroshima and Nagasaki almost two-hundred thousand people were injured or killed. There are still people suffering the effects of the atomic bombs today. Many people that lived near the impact sites and survived have been entered into a radiation study.

Japan was probably even considering drawing up a treaty to end the war. According to many articles online, Japanese diplomats tried to talk to United States diplomats to try to negotiate end-of-war terms. All Japan wanted was to keep their emperor on the throne. The attacks on Japan by atomic weapons was a mass murder of innocent civilians. At least Japan attacked military personnel with only a little over two thousand casualties. Many people believe that Truman decided to send the bombs just to punish Japan for even trying to attack the United States on American