The Pros And Cons Of The Atomic Bombs

805 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of ww 2

The gravity of the atomic bombings was not taken lightly by the nations surrounding Japan, but the United States refused to lose any more men in a long-winded assault; the enemy 's resolve was unmatched by American standards. Majerus states, "This firm resolution of the Imperial Army to fight out an all-or-nothing battle until virtually the very last man ultimately did not go unnoticed by US government officials." (5). Further proofs of these arguments were demonstrated by the Japanese when they deployed the kamikaze (suicide pilots) to Pearl Harbor. The raising question is, however, did decisional certainty regard any ulterior motive at the time considered to prevent the death of American troops, or had there been any considered possibilities within a peaceful resolution? This has sparked another theory among the nation 's scholars. Did the U.S. drop the bombs to save American lives, or to intimidate their rivaling ally, the Soviet Union? It was later revealed that the USSR was willing to help the United States in the assault of Japan. History teacher Brent Dyck states, "At the Potsdam Conference held in July 1945, Stalin told Truman that the Soviet Union was ready to help the United States and invade Japan on August 15." …show more content…

Dyck continues, "At 8:16 am on 6 August 1945, a US Air Force B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. The ensuing explosion killed more than 80,000 men, women and children instantly." (26). After the devastating blow to the country, Truman ordered the destruction of Nagasaki nearly three days later. The Japanese were collapsing upon the impact of the first bomb, so why would Truman sacrifice the innocent lives of Japan to such a horrific fate twice? The invention of the atom bomb, conversely, seems more unjustified by the considered conditions, but even more distressing towards the innocent lives taken in

Show More
Related

  • Did Truman Made The Right Decision Essay

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first reason on why Truman made the right decision was because the atomic bomb ultimately helped to prevent the deaths of American troops. There would have been over 100,000 losses during the first stage of the attack against Japan, leading to over one million casualties of just Americans during the defeat of Japan(Tucker 1). Although there is no way to confirm the amount of predicted deaths, any amount of American deaths would have been avoided with the use of the atomic bomb. Comparing a million predicted deaths of Americans to the 140,000 (±10,000) that were actually killed in the Hiroshima bomb(Faragher 4), the decision implementing the bomb was executed in the correct way.

    Read More

  • Prompt and Utter Destruction

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Upon reading “Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan” by J. Samuel Walker, a reader will have a clear understanding of both sides of the controversy surrounding Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The controversy remains of whether or not atomic bombs should have been used during the war. After studying this text, it is clear that the first atomic bomb, which was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, was a necessary military tactic on ending the war. The second bomb, which was dropped on Nagasaki, however, was an unnecessary measure in ensuring a surrender from the Japanese, and was only used to seek revenge.

    Read More

  • Ronald Takakis Hiroshima

    2111 Words  | 5 Pages

    The United States entered WW II immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The U.S. entry was a major turning point in the war because it brought the strongest industrial strength to the Allied side. The Americans helped the Allies to win the war in Europe with the surrender of Germany on May 7, 1945. However, the war in the Pacific continued. The war with Japan at this point consisted primarily of strategic bombings. America had recently completed an atomic bomb and was considering using this weapon of mass destruction for the first time. The goal was to force the “unconditional surrender” of the Japanese. Roosevelt had used the term “unconditional surrender” in a press conference in 1943 and it had since become a central war aim. Truman and his staff (still feeling bound by FDR’s words) demanded unconditional surrender from the Japanese. Consequently on July 26, 1945 Truman issued an ultimatum to Japan. This ultimatum stated that Japan must accept “unconditional surrender” or suffer “utter devastation of the Japanese Homeland”. This surrender included abdication of the throne by their emperor. Japan was not willing to surrender their dynasty and ignored the ultimatum. On August 6th and August 9th, atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively.

    Read More

  • Why the Atomic Bomb Was the Wrong Choice

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    World War II played host to some of the most gruesome and largest mass killings in history. From the start of the war in 1939 until the end of the war in 1945 there were three mass killings, by three big countries on those who they thought were lesser peoples. The rape of Nanking, which was carried out by the Japanese, resulted in the deaths of 150,000 to 200,000 Chinese civilians and POW. A more well-known event was of the Germans and the Holocaust. Hitler and the Nazi regime persecuted and killed over 500,000 Jews. This last country may come as a surprise, but there is no way that someone could leave them out of the conversation. With the dropping of the Atomic bombs the United States killed over 200,000, not including deaths by radiation, in the towns of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and ultimately placed the United States in the same group as the Japanese and the Germans. What are the alternatives other than dropping the two A-bombs and was it right? The United States and President Truman should have weighed their opting a little bit more before deciding to drop both atomic bombs on the Islands of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. In the case of dropping the atomic bombs the United States did not make the right decision. This essay will explain through logic reasoning and give detailed reasons as to why the United States did not make the right choice.

    Read More

  • Harry Truman: The Atomic Bomb

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the direct cause for the end of World War II in the Pacific. The United States felt it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs on these two cities or it would suffer more casualties. Not only could the lives of many soldiers have been taken, but possibly the lives of many innocent Americans. The United States will always try to avoid the loss of American civilians at all costs, even if that means taking lives of another countries innocent civilians.

    Read More

  • America's Justification for the Use of the Atomic Bomb

    1896 Words  | 4 Pages

    On August 6th, 1945, the United States of America dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in Japan. Two days later, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These two bombs were the most devastating weapons ever seen, and their effects on human beings and property were plainly horrifying. Approximately 110,000 people were killed; most of them were innocent civilians who just happened to have lived in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although using this weapon was an atrocity to both the Japanese, and humanity in general, the world was at war. No matter what ulterior motives may have existed, the fact remains that the bomb was a justifiably necessary measure to bring an early end to aggressive war that was instigated by Japan. Japan would never have surrendered unconditionally, as decreed in the Potsdam Ultimatum. Invasion of the Japanese home islands were out of the question because of the ferocious defense that would have been staged, and the huge number of casualties that it would entail. The bomb shocked the Japanese militarists into surrender and gave the “peace-party” the added credibility they required to bring about a quick end to the war. The use of the bomb also kept Russia out of the war, preventing problems that had occurred in post-war Germany, and later on in Korea. When all factors are taken into consideration, the use of the atomic bomb actually saved more lives, both Japanese and American than it took.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Pearl Harbor

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    The attack at Pearl Harbor was the event that caused the U.S. to decide to be involved in the war. After this incident, the U.S. was trying to find a way to retaliate and counterattack against Japan. Some thought that the only way to do so was by using atomic bombs. People like, General Dwight Eisenhower, Harry S Truman, and a group of scientists believed that the use of the bomb would do good, and finally end everything. Eisenhower believed that because the use of the atomic bomb was successful in New Mexico, it would also be successful in Japan as well. Harry S Truman thought that even the atomic bomb was the most destructive weapon in the history of the world, it could be made the most useful. He stated that, “it was ...

    Read More

  • Atomic Bomb Morality

    1771 Words  | 4 Pages

    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 ...

    Read More

  • The Unjustified Use of Atomic Bombs on Japan

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    On December 7, 1941 Japan launched a surprise attack on a U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii with the possibility of forcing the U.S. to join World War II. About 2,400 Americans were dead, 21 ships had been sunk, and 188 aircrafts were destroyed. On August 6 and 9 of 1945, the U.S. retaliated and dropped two atomic bombs called Fat Man and Little Boy on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The U.S. was not justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Japan because of the locations that were bombed, the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, and the lack of previous bomb testing.

    Read More

  • Was The Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb Justified?

    2763 Words  | 6 Pages

    There are many people who oppose the use of the atomic bombs; though there are some that believe it was a necessity in ending the war. President Truman realized the tragic significance of the atomic bomb and made his decision to use it to shorten the agony of young Americans (“Was the Atomic Bombing”). The president knew of the way the Japanese fought. They fought to the death and they were brutal to prisoners of war. They used woman and children as soldiers to surprise bomb the enemy. They made lethal weapons and were taught to sacr...

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Dropping The Atomic Bomb On Japan

    316 Words  | 1 Pages

    I think we should drop the atomic bomb on Japan. If we did not drop the atomic bomb what would that would be stopping the Japanese to come back and bottom of the second time. We should have dropped the bomb on Japanese and that involve Germany's business sooner and save Jews. This is why I think US should I drop the atomic bomb on Japan.

    Read More

  • The Effects of the Atomic Bomb

    1597 Words  | 4 Pages

    They planned to invade Kyusha in the South on November 1st, and Tokyo and the Kanto area in Honshu in March of 1946. There was a long road ahead of them so the sooner the war ended, the better. But this was no excuse for the U.S. to kill millions of people.3 “In Japan, as might be expected, popular memory of the atomic bombs tend to begin where the American narratives leave off…Rubble everywhere. A silent, shattered cityscape. In this regard, the heroic narrative differs little from a Hollywood script”.4

    Read More

  • Negative Essay: The Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was directed towards peace, it was also used as a fear factor to fear the opponent side of what they can do. The action taken toward Japan was made to reduce or ended the war. In the article The Men Who Dropped the Bombs, they explained how their mission would impact and change the world. “ Were going to do something that I can’t tell you about right now, but if it works, it will end or significantly shorten the war.”2 (Theodore Van Kirk, 84). Kirk reminiscence about his colonel Paul description of how powerful their mission would be when they reach their target and successfully achieve their goal to stop or minimized the death tolls and safety of both Americans lives and its allies by stopping and putting an end to Japan role in the war. Every leader and president of a nation or country will do what are in the best interest of the country and it civilians especially during a national threat and president Truman and prime minster Churchill found that it was necessary for the use of the atomic bomb. In their memoirs Linethal (1996) notes that Truman and Churchill insisted that the use of the bomb prevented a huge causalities that would have resulted in ipso facto, from an invasion of Japan by more conventional forces. Although there are many resources and facts that support both sides, many historians, research and others lean more on the unjustified actions taken by The United

    Read More

  • Advantages And Disadvantages For Using The Atomic Bomb

    389 Words  | 1 Pages

    The American people would not be happy because they want Japan punished for Pearl Habor.

    Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of The Atomic Bombs

Open Document