The Greater Peace: The Importance of Saving Lives in the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
This historical study will define importance of savings lives in the dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. American politicians and military leaders sought to use the atomic bomb as a way to stop the long-term effects of ground combat an aerial bombings in WWII, which would have prolonged the war and killed many more millions of soldiers. The atomic bomb was a “final solution” for total war on a global scale because it showed the world what the bombs could do in Japan, but more importantly, it revealed other major countries, such as the Soviet Union, an end to traditional ground-based warfare. American …show more content…
Of course, the Japanese government had no idea of the power of the atomic bomb, which made them less prone to surrender under a potential threat of a weapon of mass destruction. During this time, American war planners understood that they could not simply use a test of an atomic detonation to convince Japan to surrender, but that they had to actually use the weapon in order to save millions of lives in the ongoing ground-based military operations in Japan: “They were committed to using the bomb as soon as possible to end the war” (Bernstein 112). In this manner, the atomic bombs would provide a more rational sacrifice of human lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki; than the death of many more millions of people in the traditional focus of aerial bombardment and a ground war: “The bomb was used primarily to end the war promptly and to save American lives” (Bernstein 113). In this manner, the use of the atomic bomb provided a sacrificial component for the deaths of civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but it would, invariably, save the lives of many more soldiers and civilians if the war should have dragged on in …show more content…
In president Truman’s perspective, the adamant refusal of the Japanese Emperor to surrender was a major rational for using the bomb to end the war and the ongoing deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians: “The target will be a purely military one and will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives” (Truman 57). In this hope, President Truman was cynical about the reaction of the Emperor to accede this solution: “I’m sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance” (Truman 57). Politically, the American government was very concerned about the reluctance of the Japanese emperor to end the war, especially with the threat of the an atomic bomb being dropped on Japanese cities. In this context, Truman and military and scientific advisors were convinced that dropping the bomb would be a necessity given the adamant refusal to surrender by the Japanese government. Therefore, the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki would provide a physical example of the terrifying power of these weapons in order to achieve the goal of ending the wart and saving millions of casualties in the pacific combat
This historical study will define importance of savings lives in the dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. American politicians and military leaders sought to use the atomic bomb as a way to stop the long-term effects of ground combat an aerial bombings in WWII, which would have prolonged the war and killed many more millions of soldiers. The atomic bomb was a “final solution” for total war on a global scale because it showed the world what the bombs could do in Japan, but more importantly, it revealed other major countries, such as the Soviet Union, an end to traditional ground-based warfare. American …show more content…
Of course, the Japanese government had no idea of the power of the atomic bomb, which made them less prone to surrender under a potential threat of a weapon of mass destruction. During this time, American war planners understood that they could not simply use a test of an atomic detonation to convince Japan to surrender, but that they had to actually use the weapon in order to save millions of lives in the ongoing ground-based military operations in Japan: “They were committed to using the bomb as soon as possible to end the war” (Bernstein 112). In this manner, the atomic bombs would provide a more rational sacrifice of human lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki; than the death of many more millions of people in the traditional focus of aerial bombardment and a ground war: “The bomb was used primarily to end the war promptly and to save American lives” (Bernstein 113). In this manner, the use of the atomic bomb provided a sacrificial component for the deaths of civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but it would, invariably, save the lives of many more soldiers and civilians if the war should have dragged on in …show more content…
In president Truman’s perspective, the adamant refusal of the Japanese Emperor to surrender was a major rational for using the bomb to end the war and the ongoing deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians: “The target will be a purely military one and will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives” (Truman 57). In this hope, President Truman was cynical about the reaction of the Emperor to accede this solution: “I’m sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance” (Truman 57). Politically, the American government was very concerned about the reluctance of the Japanese emperor to end the war, especially with the threat of the an atomic bomb being dropped on Japanese cities. In this context, Truman and military and scientific advisors were convinced that dropping the bomb would be a necessity given the adamant refusal to surrender by the Japanese government. Therefore, the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki would provide a physical example of the terrifying power of these weapons in order to achieve the goal of ending the wart and saving millions of casualties in the pacific combat