On August 6th President Truman and the United States government made the history-altering move dropping an Atomic Bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, only to follow it up 3 days later with a second bomb in Nagasaki. The dropping of these bombs continues to be a controversial and debated action made by United States President Harry Truman. When the bombs were dropped, it was because the United States claimed they believed this was the only way to save lives and end the war swiftly. This is not a very accurate assessment of the situation at hand. Not only did the United States have other possible options, but they had other motives behind why they wanted to drop the bombs. The war that the United States was trying to bring to an end quickly was World War Two, a deadly costly war that the US had initially tried to stay out of. The US joined the war on the side of Allied powers …show more content…
At the time of this decision, many prominent US Military commanders including General Dwight Eisenhower and Admiral Chester Nimitz pushed for the use of a naval blockade. This was because the ongoing war had severely diminished Japan's military. The blockade would stop Japan from being able to get the resources it vitally needed for its country's survival. They believed that this attack would greatly harm Japan and cause them to surrender quickly to the US. This attack could have possibly caused Japan to surrender without a major loss of lives on either side. It would have allowed the US to not have to deploy a nuclear weapon. The only downside to this plan is that the surrender might not have come as quickly as it did with the bombs. The Navel block was a very plausible option that the US overlooked because they wanted things to move faster and because they wanted to drop the bombs for other reasons that they did not want to cite at the
Truman had thought through the possibilities and had decided that using the bomb would be the most effective and quickest tactic. As a president Truman had a responsibility to protect his country, citizens, and foreign affairs, so deciding on the best method to establish everybody’s needs was difficult. There were many things to worry about: fighting on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, bombing Japan, and building the bomb. His decision was mainly based on how the US citizens felt and the following actions of japan. Japan refused to accept an unconditional surrender, which was demanded by the allied powers in order to stop the war against them. On August 6, 1945 Truman allowed Enola Gay to drop the atomic bomb on top of Hiroshima and later Nagasaki to end the war.
The United States of America’s use of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has spurred much debate concerning the necessity, effectiveness, and morality of the decision since August 1945. After assessing a range of arguments about the importance of the atomic bomb in the termination of the Second World War, it can be concluded that the use of the atomic bomb served as the predominant factor in the end of the Second World War, as its use lowered the morale, industrial resources, and military strength of Japan. The Allied decision to use the atomic bomb not only caused irreparable physical damage on two major Japanese cities, but its use also minimized the Japanese will to continue fighting. These two factors along
While many thought that the decision to drop the bomb was an inhumane choice by President Truman, it is, by far, the most practical of the decisions made by the American side. The main alternative that would have been used, if the United States had not of dropped the atomic bomb, would have been a full on invasion of Japan by the American forces. An example of this can be seen in the article “Atomic Bombing of Japan,” when the author states “Furthermore, proponents note, the main alternative to use of the atomic bomb being considered at the time was a mass invasion of the Japanese home islands. They contend that such an invasion would have been very costly in terms of U.S.
One of the most controversial decisions that have been made, in the history of the United States, was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The ever so controversial topic of the dropping of the atomic bombs has successfully driven people insane. People feel strongly that this decision was atrocious and unnecessary, while others believe the polar opposite, that it was completely necessary. Some historians argue that the human cost to the Japanese population can never justify the use of such weapons. Other historians see it from an optimistic perspective, that it would not have been moral if atomic weapons had not been used to end the war as quickly as possible. President Harry S.
Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration the atomic bomb was being developed. After Roosevelt died, his vice president Harry Truman was appointed President of the United States. Truman was never informed about the bombs development until an emergency cabinet meeting (Kuznick 9). Truman had to make the fatal decision on whether the bomb was to be dropped on Japan. With the idea of going to war, Truman had to think about the lives of the thousand American soldiers. The American soldiers had begun using the method of island hopping, because the bomb was not available. The idea of dropping a bomb was that the war itself could possibly end in its earliest points. The dropping of the atomic bomb could also justify the money spent on the Manhattan Project (Donohue 1). With a quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt “This will be a day that will live in infamy”, Pearl Harbor was a tragic day for Americans. The United States had lost many soldiers, which they had claimed that they will eventually get revenge. The alternates of dropping the bomb was also discussed at the Interim Committee. The American government was trying to get an invitation response from the Japanese government. If the United States did not drop the bomb and ‘Operation Downfall’ ha...
A huge proponent to the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and August 9 of 1945 was President Harry Truman. Although they value the ideas and contributions out in by the committee they choose, the president ultimately has the last say on war time decisions. It just so happens that President Truman wanted to drop the bomb. President Truman believed that Japan's leaders would not surrender to the terms outlined in Potsdam meeting. He saw it fit to drop the bombs and end all doubt.
On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 15th, the Japan announced unconditional surrender in World War II. To this day historians still discuss why the U.S. decided to use the atomic bombs. Orthodox historians argue that the decision to drop the bombs was a military one designed purely to defeat the Japanese.
President Truman was the president that was possibly faced with the most important war decision of the modern war. After his decision, he lead America in inventing a warfare that can possibly destroy our world and cause many dangerous situations in the future. The bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and the other bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The atomic bomb killed 70,000 people instantly and 100,000 over a certain amount of time(Crucible). The
The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan were ethical decisions made by President Harry Truman and the United States government. By the time of the atom bomb was ready, the U.S. had been engaged in military conflict for over four years and lost over 400,000 soldiers. Truman claimed, "We would have the opportunity to bring the world into a pattern in which the peace of the world and our civilization can be saved" (Winkler 18). The bomb was aimed at ending the war immediately and avoiding prolonged battle in the Pacific Theater and the inevitable invasion of Japan. President Truman hoped that by showing the Japanese the devastating weapon the U.S. possessed, that the war could be brought ...
In 1945, Germany had surrendered, but the war in the Pacific raged on. The allies were becoming desperate to end the war before it was necessary to carry out a full scale invasion. New developments in science had made it possible for the United States to weaponize the atom, and the consequent bomb created was dropped on Hiroshima and later Nagasaki at the approval of President Harry S. Truman and his advisors. In years to come, Truman would have to face questions over the merit of his actions. Although some may believe the atomic bomb was needed because it ended WWII, it was unnecessary to drop the nuclear bomb because of the alternatives that existed, the effect it had on the Japanese people, and because of the unethical reasons for dropping it.
When looking at the aftermath of the atomic bomb in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima the devastation it caused is evident. The majority of the population in Japan could have never imagined such a catastrophic event. On August 6, 1945 and August 9, 1945 massive amounts of lives were changed forever when an atomic bomb fell from the sky and created an explosion as bright as the sun. These two bombs were the first and only accounts of nuclear warfare. (“Atomic Bomb is…”) The impact that the two bombs left on the cities of Japan was tremendous. The bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima devastated the country through structural damage, long term medical effects, expenses, and the massive loss of life.
On August 6, 1945, the first bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9, the second bomb hit Nagasaki. Whether the United States made a moral and ethical decision is still an ongoing debate. President Truman was faced with a difficult choice. The U.S. chose to adopt a stance that seemed to limit the amount of casualties in the war, by significantly shortening it with the use of atomic weapons.
Emily Ferreira The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb When faced with the decision to drop a bomb that would kill hundreds of thousands of people but end a war, what would you do? On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped the first-ever atomic bomb, Little Boy, on Hiroshima. The morality of this decision has been debated for years and will continue to be discussed for many years to come. So, was the decision that Harry S. Truman made genuinely justifiable?
If one aim was met with the Hiroshima bombing, it was the physical effects, which were able to devastate an entire city. Dropping the atomic bomb was a decision that no man would want to take on. Truman went with all the facts and his gut feeling. There was great loss for Japan, but even some of the Japanese soldiers were happy that the United States dropped the bomb.
The Assembled States' legitimate choice to drop the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a military measure ascertained to speed the finish of the war. The bombings were atomic assaults amid World War II against the Realm of Japan by the Assembled States. A definitive choice made by President Harry Truman was a standout amongst the most troublesome and disputable issues of the twentieth century, since he needed to ask himself whether it was on the whole correct to utilize a weapon of unspeakable dangerous power. Albeit many may contend that the bombarding was exploitative and unethical, from a traditionalists' perspective, many firmly trust that it was more helpful since it abbreviated the Pacific War. President Truman was searching for