Atomic Bombs And Nuclear Weapons: Are They Justified?

Improved Essays
Atomic bombs and nuclear weapons generally are very disputable and controversial issue. Almost 64 years ago, on 6th and 9th of August, two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Ostensibly, this use can be justified as a direct means to the end of the World War II in Asia-Pacific region. Up to now, Americans consider this act defensible. Truman, who was president of the USA in years 1945-1953 has always relentlessly vendicated his radical and controversial step in August 1945. However, I contemplate this act followed primarily american interests, therefore can not be forgived, because the american aims were not as pure and straightforward as they may seem to be. many human, anti-american and pro-japanese reasons why this radical

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Prompt & Utter Destruction is a book by J. Samuel Walker that details the events leading up the decision for the United States to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Narrative-like descriptions of cabinet meetings, personal diary entries of important players, and first-hand accounts from soldiers in the war are all artfully pieced together to recreate the story of Truman’s decision, overturning many common misconceptions about the era and presenting new information. While Walker presents his own conclusions using the data he has compiled, he is careful to leave room for the reader to make his/her own inferences with the same data, and admits there are plenty of gaps in his information that could potentially…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Truman Hasty Decision Dbq

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages

    From order of President Truman, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus ending World War Two. President Truman’s hasty decision is not one to be honorable. This choice by the president was made with ignorance, lack of empathy, and lack of critical thinking. The bombing is unjustified due to Japan’s inevitable surrender, the amount of civilian casualties, and alternative opportunities to the bombing.…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pearl Harbor Dbq Essay

    • 1138 Words
    • 5 Pages

    President Truman was weary about using the atomic bomb and asked for advice from his top military advisors and even Winston Churchill if it should be used; to which they all agreed that it should (Doc 8). On August 6, 1945, the U.S had dropped the first atomic bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” on Hiroshima and three days later the atomic bomb “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki; destroying the land and the people that inhabited it. Truman knew that using the bomb would forever change the war game and that dropping the bomb as well as creating it, lead to potentially more deadly and harmful…

    • 1138 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One of the most controversial decisions in American history was Harry S. Truman’s decision to use atomic bombs on Japan during World War II. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and killed between 70,000 and 80,000 Japanese people. After three days, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and killed 70,000 people immediately. Radiation from the bombs led to extensive damage as well. The Japanese then chose to surrender on September 2 which marked the end of the great war.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On August 6, 1945, in response to World War II and Japan’s vicious attacks on the U.S., the United States launched the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. 80,000 people died, and sixty percent of the city was destroyed. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, in which killed 70,000 people instantaneously and many more in the following weeks. These atomic bombs resulted in pure destruction and chaos for Japan and its people. Although the atomic bombs destroyed part of Japan and took many lives with them, the dropping of the atomic bombs were justified because the U.S. aimed for the complete and utter destruction of Japan and Japan remained a major threat that needed to be eliminated.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atomic Bomb Dbq

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    On August 6 1945, a US plane named the Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima, a civilian city that had minimal military value and dropped the worlds first atomic bomb nicknamed little boy over Hiroshima, the initial blast instantly killed 80,000 people leaving Hiroshima a wasteland for months. This was a significant event of WW2 as it enlightened the world on why nuclear weapons shouldn’t be used in warfare. The use of an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945 has long remained one of the most controversial decisions of the second world war, whether US president Harry S Truman was right to authorise these nuclear attacks against japan. The US objective in these bombing was to minimise the number of American casualties and possibly put an ending to the long lasting war. This would then represent the orthodox interpretation of this event.…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Since the dropping of the Atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which brought about the conclusion of the Second World War in the Pacific in August, 1945, there has been much discourse on whether the bombs should or should not have been used. In Karl T Compton’s account ‘If the Atomic Bomb Had Not Been Used’1 published in 1946, he presents an argument based around facts,figures and American patriotism to present his argument. However, in Paul Ham’s book ‘Hiroshima Nagasaki’ published in 2011, the chapter entitled ‘Why’2, discusses the decisions made by the people behind the creation and use of the bomb, whilst contrasting the opinions of the people before and after the event. Both Compton and Ham use different methods of presenting their…

    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As Truman summarized; ‘we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war.’ Therefore, dropping the atomic bomb is justified when considering the USA’s traditional realist policy of total victory. Utilizing the bomb proved to be the best decision for an America striving for…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The topic of nuclear weapons has fizzled to the point of explosion and the general public is at the end of the barrell. From the most country hick to the president of the United States everyone has their own opinion and point of view. From a “terrible force” to “nuclear optimists” we have been labeled the victim and the perpetrator. Two articles that have sparked my interest are President Obama's recent speech in Hiroshima and Jonathan Tepperman’s “Why Obama Should Learn To Love the Bomb.” President Obama’s speech in Hiroshima, Japan, was about respecting the Atomic Bomb that was used at the historic World War ll site.…

    • 425 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atomic Bomb DBQ Essay

    • 1374 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The use of the Atomic Bomb was both necessary and justified as it immediately ended World War II, solidified the United States as a superpower, and contained the germinating powers of Japan and Russia. The use of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki immediately ended World War II and stopped the continuation of catastrophic and widespread violence in Japan. The Japanese had an audacious outlook on their offense throughout the duration of the war. It was suggested by Admiral William E. Leahy that, “The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender”(Source 2).…

    • 1374 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Orthodox Vs Revisionists

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The United States’ decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki remains controversial amongst the public. Traditionalists, also referred to as Orthodox historians, argue that the use of atomic bombs against Japan is justifiable on military grounds in order to prevent the costly invasion of the Japanese home islands. On the other hand, revisionists claim that the bombs were unnecessary in defeating Japan and were dropped in order to gain an advantage over the Soviet Union, their prolonged rival. Therefore, I support the revisionist claim which provides substantial evidence in the approved use for the atomic bombs, while the traditionalist claim fails to do so.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atomic Bomb Speech

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In World War II, an atomic bomb was released by the United States, striking and devastating parts of Japan. This action made by the U.S. government was immensely criticized by the public eye. In class, we read the three texts, “Robert Oppenheimer Speech”, “A Petition to the President of the United States”, and “The Decision to Drop the Bomb”. All of these pieces of writing discuss the topic of how and why United States decided to drop a nuclear bomb over to Japan. The three seem to have a the common topics of the fact that the U.S. should not have used their nuclear weapons and that having the ability to use atomic bombs is privilege that should have been discussed in more detail, however these texts also discuss different perspectives on dropping bombs into a country.…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The world today now views and controls the use of nuclear weapons differently due to the impact of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 6th, 1945 history was made when the “Little Boy”, an atomic bomb, was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Two days later on August 8, 1946 the “Fat Man” bomb successfully dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Those bombs completely left the…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Was the U.S justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War? Discuss the benefits and costs that it resulted.” 1. Introduction During World War Two, the U.S dropped two atomic bombs on the cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing high death rates upon the Japanese. Many people may argue that the bombings were devastating and have had a dreadful effect on people’s lives.…

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    From 1939 to 1945 World War Two (WW2) ravaged the world, causing horrendous amounts of death and destruction. During the tail-end of the war, after Germany’s surrender, war still raged on in the Pacific; more specifically on the islands of Japan, which eventually lead up to the United States (U.S.) dropping two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan caused inconceivable amounts of terror and suffering for years to come which potentially could have been avoided by alternative methods, the use of them was justified and may have saved hundred of thousands of lives. In 1939, information leaked through various sources that German scientists had discovered a method to…

    • 1430 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays