The Motivation to Use Atomic Bombs on the Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Debates on the use of the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been active for decades and continue to this day. The timeline of events and available evidence is consistent with the notion that the most compelling reason Pres. Truman authorized the use of atomic weapons was for diplomatic and political reasons, with an eye towards the Soviet Union, rather than bringing an early end to the war with the immediate surrender of Japan. The development of the atomic bomb was the largest program of covert scientific research ever undertaken. There are several reasons cited to justify the use of the bomb. There are, however, a number of evidence supported factors that challenge this perspective. An aggressive Soviet Union in Eastern Europe and Asia made it clear that they would become a threat to Britain and the US. Pres.Truman, who was advised of alternatives, chose to use the bomb recognizing that it would be an important diplomatic instrument in dealing with the Soviets.
The world was at war. Germany, controlled by Adolf Hitler, dominated much of Europe. It had been mainly Britain’s war, until June 1941, when the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. In the Far East, Japan continued its imperialistic expansion having already occupied Korea, Manchuria and major cities in China.
In 1940, Japan aligned itself with the Axis Powers of Nazi Germany and Italy, led by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. France’s fall to the Germans in 1940 enabled Japan to control previously held territories in Southeast Asia including Vietnam. In response to Japanese aggression, the US imposed embargoes on vital resources needed for Japan’s war efforts.
On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked American military bases in Hawaii devastating...

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