• Home Page
  • Atomic Tragedy By Sean L. Stimson Analysis

Atomic Tragedy By Sean L. Stimson Analysis

Improved Essays
Show More
The use of the atomic bomb is one of the most controversial topics discussed in United States history. One key figure involved in the decision-making process to use the bomb against Japan is Henry L. Stimson. Stimson served as the Secretary of War under President William Howard Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. Furthermore, he performed as the Secretary of State for President Herbert Hoover. In the book, Atomic Tragedy: Henry L. Stimson and the Decision to Use the Bomb against Japan, Sean L. Malloy provides an extremely credible study of Stimson’s relationship with the atomic bomb. He concludes that Stimson’s final decision to bomb Japan was one of his greatest mistakes, comprising his principled beliefs. Because of his various use of facts and narratives of Stimson, Malloy’s analysis is very creditable and well-founded. However, the application of the atomic bomb led to the end of the very long and drawn-out World War II. I disagree with Malloy’s analysis because the use of the atomic bomb was most definitely not Stimson’s biggest mistake, but perhaps his greatest achievement. …show more content…
Malloy’s motives were successful in the fact that I, as a reader, gained a better understanding of the complicated relationship between Stimson and the atomic bomb. His study broadened my view on this moment in history and made me realize that many more events were involved with this crisis than most people are aware of. However, I personally think it fails in teaching a lesson from Stimson’s “mistakes” to keep people refrained from using atomic bombs. A prime example of this is the Cold War. Although neither side actually used nuclear weapons, a consistent threatening to use them by both sides were present throughout the entire war. So did the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki really teach anyone a lesson? I believe the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis is what set people on the right mindsight, not the “atomic

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Prompt And Utter Destruction Summary
    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Prompt And Utter Destruction Summary

    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
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Truman Petition
    • 723 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Truman Petition

    This paper will show to the reader why Physicist Leo Szilard’s “Petition to the President of the United States” was unsuccessful in persuading President Truman to not use the atomic bomb in Japan during the second world war. The petition drafted by Mr. Szilard and his colleagues lacked empathy, showed no sympathy and failed to convey the evidence needed to persuade Truman. If the petition would have been written in a way to emotionally connect with the President’s difficult decision to use a weapon of mass destruction and internalize the emotions of grief with plausible evidence, then Mr. Szilard would have had a better chance of persuading Truman. First, without being able to empathize with Truman, Mr. Szilard was unable to show the President…

    • 723 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Prompt And Utter Destruction Truman Analysis
    • 59 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Prompt And Utter Destruction Truman Analysis

    In Prompt & Utter Destruction Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs against Japan, author J. Samuel Walker uses new evidence to explain why President Truman used the atomic bomb on Japan. Also, Walker explores whether or not the bombing was necessary. He then argues that there were other options available for ending the war within a reasonable…

    • 59 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Did Pearl Harbor Changed America
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Did Pearl Harbor Changed America

    During World War II, the United States had a secret program to make the atomic bomb called “Manhattan project”. This projected took almost 4 year to completed development of the atomic bomb. These atomic bombs had dropped two times on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Also, these bombings killed at least 120,000 Japanese innocents. President Harry S. Truman explain why be decided to use the atomic bomb on Japan” Having found the bomb we have used it.…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Why Did President Truman's Decision To Use The Atomic Bomb
    • 2113 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Why Did President Truman's Decision To Use The Atomic Bomb

    As the Japanese already established their willingness to fight tooth and nail for Japan and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa suggesting a substantial amount of loss of life and property for an invasion of Japan homeland. The atomic bombs were possibly the only alterative to what an invasion would hold, as author Bernstein defines with America’s potential Invasion of Japan on the horizon, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, details an estimation of over 250,000 American casualties and up to a million men for an invasion of Japan (Bernstein, 550). With America’s estimations and the expected outcomes of invasion of Japan, suggesting a bloodbath “an all-out fight to the death” between the Japanese population and American soldiers, The atomic bombs had to be dropped, as not dropping the atomic bombs the invasion of Japan would have most likely preceded instead, thus prolonging the war, causing substantial amounts of casualties and costing a great amount of funds and resources to overtsee the operation. The atomic bombs provided an alternative to risking anymore American lives. Similarly, by July 1945, the Japanese military continued refuse surrender.…

    • 2113 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis: The Plague Of War
    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis: The Plague Of War

    In his poignant editorial, James Agee urges the public to consider the implications of the atomic bomb, and cautions the public about the force they have unleashed. Agee argues that the detonation of the bomb has polarized man’s legacy, splitting history into commitment and consequence. He describes the weapon as “a merely pregnant threat, a merely infinitesimal promise,” giving the impression that the bomb’s scar upon Japan marked the awakening of a darker force. His diction of pregnancy and promise directs the reader into the future while remaining vague, leaving the nature of the turning point subjective.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Szilard's Petition Analysis
    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Szilard's Petition Analysis

    Critical Evaluation of Szilard’s Petition The use of nuclear weapons on Japan in 1945 was not a popular decision amongst experienced scientists. A Petition to the President of the United States by Leo Szilard and Cosigners in 1945 was a plea to the president from experienced scientists who not only assisted in developing the atomic bomb but they wished for other options instead of using it. The approach of this appeal to the president deemed it unsuccessful and the bombs were utilized without the blink of an eye.…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On The Atomic Bomb Dbq
    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Essay On The Atomic Bomb Dbq

    During WWII there was one major discovery that not only changed history then, but also continues to change how wars are fought to this day. Yes, this discovery was the atomic bomb. Harry Truemen is credited with saying, “It’s (referring to the atomic bomb) production and its use were not lightly undertaken by this government.” To the general public this might seem like a typical wartime statement. He goes on (in document H) to say that since we had the technology we used it to decimate Japan and stop them from attacking the U.S, but is that all the bomb was used for?…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Why The Truman Dropped The Atomic Bomb
    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Why The Truman Dropped The Atomic Bomb

    The dropping of “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” have remained still to this day the only time atomic bombs were used in “war”. The controversial thought to drop the “atomic bombs” has become one of the major topics for debate. “The three major arguments among historians are; the atomic bomb was dropped to end the war with Japan, the atomic bomb was dropped on…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Importance Of The Atomic Bomb On Japan
    • 1525 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Importance Of The Atomic Bomb On Japan

    It was July sixteenth, at 5:29 a.m. A luminous explosion was resounding over the black scorched sand in Los Alamos, Mexico. The dirt screamed death and destruction, warning the world never to take the path of nuclear weapons. This was the testing of an atomic bomb, a model for a bomb that may demolish the innocent souls of those living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The building of the bomb to detonate on Japan is a point of much controversy.…

    • 1525 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Argumentative Essay: The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb
    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Argumentative Essay: The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb

    The Decision to Drop the Bomb During the summer of 1945, things were looking pretty grim for Imperial Japan, as they were the last axis power left and had been under constant firebombing for the United States, President Truman chose to drop two atomic bombs, one on Hiroshima on August 6th and one on Nagasaki on August 9th. Since before either of the two bombs had been dropped, it has been debated whether or not it was the right decision. Truman stated that the bombs were dropped to save American lives, but many argue over the government’s other motives at the time. Many bring up valid points over why the bomb should not have been dropped and that the government public justification for dropping the bomb was based off of false information, but ultimately the motivation behind dropping the bomb, hidden by the government or not, outweighs the reasons for not dropping the bomb.…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hiroshima And Nagasaki Justified Essay
    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hiroshima And Nagasaki Justified Essay

    “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
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Atomic Bomb Necessary Essay
    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Atomic Bomb Necessary Essay

    “Was it Necessary to Drop the Atomic Bomb to End World War II?” The United States of America was and still is one of the biggest countries in the world when it comes to power and demand. Developing such a weapon as the Atomic bomb that can scare and destroy anyone and anything, was in United States favor. But was it really necessary to use a weapon this powerful and dangerous? Yes, I think so. This essay is about my and the two professors Robert James Maddox and Tsuyoshi Hasegawa point of view; if it was necessary to drop the Atomic bombs to end the war.…

    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Argumentative Essay
    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Argumentative Essay

    The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Abhorrent but Necessary On August 6, 1945, the city of Hiroshima, Japan went up in smoke when “Little Boy,” an atomic bomb developed in the secretive Manhattan Project, was dropped. Three days later, the atomic bomb dubbed “Fat Man” obliterated another Japanese city, Nagasaki. The bombing itself and its effect on survivors’ health was devastating, and President Truman’s decision to drop the bombs remains highly controversial 71 years later. In fact, Naji Dahi, Ph.D., insists that the bombings were unnecessary, unjustified, and ineffective.…

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Essay
    • 1322 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Essay

    Roughly seventy years ago marked the explosion of the nuclear bombs dropped over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The merciless bombs were dropped on August 6, 1945, by an American officer in the U.S Air Force by the name of Charles W. Sweeney, on a Booing B-29 Superfortress bomber plane during the final stages of World War II (1939-1945). The mid nineteen forty 's was without a doubt a staggering time for the Japanese nation; this was a period loaded with resentment and anger as they glimpsed a massive nuclear bomb headed straight to them as a B-29 bomber fled the scene after destroying almost their entire city. According to an online historical article provided by the history channel titled “Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”, the impact wiped out nearly 90 percent of the city and killed over 80,000 people instantly before the bomb had even hit the ground; a few thousand later then died because of the immense amount of radiation after affect the bomb…

    • 1322 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings