The Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombs

Saving Thousands Only To Kill Thousands, Was The Atomic Bomb Necessary?
On August 6, 1945 an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb had an unprecedented explosion that wiped out over 90 percent of the city killing over 80,000 people; and thousands more would die later due to radiation. Three days later, as the Japanese were mourning for the dead; a second B-29 dropped another bomb killing over 40,000 people. Soon after the devastating blow, the Emperor of Japan announced the country’s unconditional surrender. Prior to August 6th, the power of Nuclear weapons were yet unknown as well as the consequences which came along with it. When the bomb was used, the prompt and utter destruction

This could still be an understatement as the Japanese would have rather committed suicide rather than surrender which was shown in Okinawa alone. Before the dropping of the atomic bomb, there were two, operation Olympic and operation Coronet, which were code named Operation Downfall. The two D-day style land invasion would send troops on the main island of the Japanese Homeland. As the American military commander planned the invasion, they faced one serious problem. They knew for sure the Japanese would defend their country with zeal and the American casualties would be extremely high. For one, Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi had ordered that all allied prisoners of war be executed if the Americans ever invaded. Moreover, the Kamikaze would certainly be encountered as the U.S. invaded Japan's mainland. The joint chiefs of staff estimated that operation olympic alone would cost 450,000 men, including 100,00 deaths. Furthermore, operation coronet would cost 1.2 million men, including 260,000 killed. President Truman and Secretary of War Stimson received conservative estimates of 500,000 to 1,000,000 fatalities had the Americans gone with operation downfall. In addition to the American Casualties, the bomb saved Japanese Lives. Although it is ironic, it is true the Japanese military had planned to used every citizen to

Often the American-Japanese would be called snakes, cockroaches, and rats, and their culture was mocked, including the language, customs, and religious beliefs. The hatred began with Pearl Harbor and increased as the war continued. Killing the Japanese soon became a game and some American soldiers sent home to their girlfriends skulls of Japanese soldiers as a sort of trophy/gift. In 1944, A US Congressman, Francis E. Walter had presented President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a letter opener made from the forearm of a Japanese soldier. This racism led to the failure to understand the difference between the Japanese government and the civilians who were caught up in the government's war. Furthermore, in February 1942, President Roosevelt signed an executive order to relocate all Americans of Japanese ancestry to concentration camps in the United States. Despite the lack of evidence, Americans feared that the increasing number of Japanese-Americans were loyal to their ancestral homeland and their lives were risked if the Japanese ever invaded the United States. Although it is difficult to say President Truman was influenced by such racism, it is plausible that had the Americans faced dropping the bomb in Europe he would have been more reluctant killing thousands of “innocent” German and Italian