hiroshima and nagasaki -why did the u.s. use the atomic bomb?

Why did the U.S. use the atomic bomb?

The years leading up to World War II and the dropping of the atomic bombs were hectic and disordered, from the rise of Hitler in 1933, U.S. isolationism in 1934, to the death of U.S. President Roosevelt. The war showed no signs of ending and the security and freedom of nations around the world were in danger. Order was nowhere to be found, and the decision to even consider using the atomic bomb was unpreventable. The U.S. used the atomic bomb because it was the only way Japan would surrender, the world wanted to end the war as soon as possible with as little casualties as possible, and because of resentful feelings toward Japan.

Japan often fought until the last man standing… the atomic bomb was the only thing that would force them to surrender. “Japanese were scornful of men who surrendered, and killed many of the sick or wounded along the way” (Collier, 69). This makes one ask themselves how the emperor could surrender if their troops were trained to kill off weaklings. Japanese leaders appeared determined to fight to their deaths.

In the spring of 1945 as the bomb neared completion, Leo Szilard, the main creator of the bomb, was becoming a worried man. Although America felt no pressure from Germany because we knew they were not far enough along in their research to build an atomic bomb before the war ended, “Szilard now began of think about the effect that the use of the bomb might have on international relations” (Isserman, 168). He tried to set up a meeting with Roosevelt to discuss his concern, but the President died before Szilard had a chance to go meet with him. Now, with a new President, Harry Truman, the pressure to use the bomb was too great to be denied.

On August 6th, 1945 an American bomber, the Enola Gay, dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. More than 80,000 people died on impact, and tens and thousands later on. Two days later Russia entered the war against Japan and invaded Manchuria, but still Japan did not ask for peace. That is why three days after the first bomb was dropped; another was aimed at Nagasaki killing thousands more. The very next day Japan offered to surrender with one condition, that their “sacred” emperor remained unharmed and on the throne. Normally the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender but were willing to make an exception to save hundred of thousands of lives (Colli...

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The decision to produce the atomic weapon was made during a tumultuous and bloody time. Military aggression was coming from all over the world, from Germany, to Japan, to Italy. The war showed no signs of ending any time soon, so the United States decided to take the security and freedom of nations around the world into their own hands. The United States used the atomic bomb for a quick end to World War II, knowing the power of the weapon would bring the Japanese to their knees resulting in their surrender, as well as heated feelings toward the Japanese, whom many believed got what they deserved.

BIBLIOGRAPHY o Collier, Christopher, and James Lincoln, Collier. The United States in World War II (1941-1945). New York: Benchmark Books, 2002. o Sherrow, Victoria. The Making of the Atomic Bomb. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. o Isserman, Maurice. America at War World War II. New York: Facts on File Inc, 1991. o Byets, Nina. Physicists and the 1945 Decision to Drop the Bomb. 12 March 2005. http://arxiv.org/html/physics/0210058