Hiroshima Bombing Research Paper

883 Words2 Pages

Patrick Cooksey

Armstrong 4A

June 10, 2016

Question: How did the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki affect Japan socially, economically, and alter the country’s relationship with America?

On August 6th, 1945, a terrifying attack, unlike anything known to mankind in the past, struck Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These attacks were devastating, destroying everything and leaving the country in ruin, hence throwing the country millions of dollars behind in repairs and restoration. Not only was the land physically destroyed, but after the attacks, Japan lost its sense of unity. The explosion was seen through the eyes of Staff Sergeant George Caron: "The mushroom cloud itself was a spectacular sight, a bubbling mass of purple-gray smoke …show more content…

However, Americans did aid Japan in their reconstruction, and as time progressed, the two countries became close allies. American General Douglas Macarthur began rebuilding Japan shortly after the bombing, in order to have a stronger base during the occupation of Japan. “President Harry S. Truman tapped MacArthur to oversee the occupation, rebuilding and democratization of Japan [...] By late 1945, 430,000 of MacArthur’s troops were garrisoned across Japan, two-thirds of them flooding the Tokyo-Yokohama area. At the general’s directive, signs and street names in the area were rendered in English as well as Japanese, while in the Americanized city center English alone prevailed. Display of the Rising Sun flag was drastically limited. Buildings that had survived the war were largely requisitioned as offices and barracks for Americans” (Weintraub). While Japan was under the occupation of America, it had its benefits on both sides. America had military and naval bases in Japan, and America helped Japan throughout its restoration period. Today, relations between Japan and America are more stable. President Obama recently visited Hiroshima, making him the first United States president to visit post-bomb. During the speech, Obama said, “It’s a job of historians to ask questions and examine them, but I know as somebody who has now sat in this position for the last seven and a half years, that every leader makes very difficult decisions, particularly during wartime” (New York Times). Here, Obama implies that he does not agree with what had happened at Hiroshima, and nuclear bombs in general, but it may have been the only choice that the government could have made. Obama addressing the bombing implies that he acknowledges the tragedy Japan faced. Obama didn’t stop with his speech however. According to

Open Document