Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb On Japan Research Paper

2, 3, 5, and 150,000+, these are each important numbers surrounding the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan. Two stands for the number of bombs dropped, and three was the number of days in between each of the bombs dropped. Five stands for the number of days it took the emperor of Japan to agree to surrender, and 150,000+ is the number of people who instantaneously died at the dropping of the bombs. Each of these numbers must be carefully considered while deciding if the United States was justified in dropping the bombs or not. Once these numbers have been analyzed it is clear that the United States was perfectly wareted in dropping each of the bombs, because of the time that it took Japan to consider surrender, while they knew that the States …show more content…
The Allies wrote Japan the Potsdam Declaration, which stated that the Japanese government would be dismantled, and that the territory of Japan would be reduced to pre-war size. The declaration also stated that the Japanese soldiers would be able to return home to live peaceful lives, but that there would be war crime trials after the war. The Allies made it clear that they did not wish to enslave, or destroy the Japanese people. This declaration also made it clear that if the Japanese government did not surrender they would face mass destruction. It did not specify in what form, but it was clear that the Allies had plans for if the Japanese did not surrender. The document ended with this, ¨We call upon the Government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese armed forces…the alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.¨, an ultimatum for Japan, either surrender, or be eliminated. The United States also dropped an estimated 63,000,000 leaflets on thirty five of the main cities of Japan that were being considered as a target for the atomic bomb. These leaflets were dropped months in advance, allowing the people and the government, and the people more than enough time to evacuate or surrender. These flyers did not, however, give the recipients a place to go, and the government made them illegal to maintain, the United States …show more content…
While it may be true that Truman was not completely prepared for what would come, he had a panel of specialist regarding the atomic bomb to assist him. The President did his best when it came to making decisions like where the bomb would be dropped, or the amount of warning that would be given. The panel consisted of some of the top scientists, and military officials that had been working on the atomic bomb from the beginning. It would be easy to give into the pressure that they would give a person that could stand in their way of doing what they wanted, how they wanted it. Truman did not crumble under the immense pressure that he must have been feeling. The panel wanted to drop the bomb in a rural place, without any warning, but Truman held out, he ordered the Air Force to drop warning leaflets in the streets, and made his first target a military base. The panel made their intentions extremely clear, by stating that ¨the present view of the Committee was that the bomb should be used against Japan as soon as possible; that it be used on a war plant surrounded by workers’ homes; and that it be used without prior warning.¨ While Truman may not have been completely prepared for the decisions that lied ahead, he made the best of his situation, and saved countless lives in the