On August 6th, 1945 the United States, with approval of president Truman, dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. On August 9th, 1945, a second atomic bomb dropped on another Japanese city, Nagasaki. Altogether, these bombs ended world war II, but killed nearly 200,000 japanese citizens along with years of radiation sickness and burns affecting the survivors. Today, the choice Truman made to drop the atomic bomb is still being debated whether it was necessary or not.
War before the bomb The United States entered World War II on December 7, 1941 when the japanese surprise attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 americans and wounded 1,178. The day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt authorized …show more content…
9, after Nagasaki was a-bombed, Truman made another public statement on why the atomic bombs were used:
"Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans."
("Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S Truman, 1945", pg. 212).
On August 14th, 1945, Japan Surrenders, ending world war II. The American response to bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were from one spectrum to the other. Many americans including Dwight E. Eisenhower, said the Japanese were close to being defeated and the bombings were unnecessary. Some claim it was a warning to the Soviet Union to tread lightly, as they entered the war with Japan which resulted in the end of world war II but the beginning of the Cold War. The American Government was accused of being racist in how they would never drop a bomb of mass destruction on white citizens. Truman did however have many supporters and historians on his side claiming this did swiftly end the war and saved thousands of both American and Japanese …show more content…
Some victims were vaporized instantly, many survivors were horribly disfigured, and death from radiation was uncertain—it might not claim its victims for days, weeks, months, or even years. The initial death count in Hiroshima, set at 42,000–93,000, was based solely on the disposal of bodies, and was thus much too low. Later surveys covered body counts, missing persons, and neighborhood surveys during the first months after the bombing, yielding a more reliable estimate of 130,000 dead as of November 1945. A similar survey by officials in Nagasaki set its death toll at 60,000–70,000. (Its plutonium bomb was more powerful, but its destructive range was limited by surrounding hills and mountains)(- Destructive Effects). Even the scientific community failed to foresee the awful effects of radiation sickness. Meantime, the national government in November 1945 adopted a “war disaster reconstruction plan” for rebuilding 119 war-devastated cities, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This enabled Hiroshima to plan for the restoration of its central area, covering 1.3 million square meters and accommodating an estimated 350,000 people. Nagasaki likewise projected a new city concept that would abandon its old war industries, focusing rather on revival of foreign trade, shipbuilding, and fishing industries. Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki have memorialized the events of August, 1945 with museums, sculpture, peace ceremonies, and parks.
War before the bomb The United States entered World War II on December 7, 1941 when the japanese surprise attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 americans and wounded 1,178. The day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt authorized …show more content…
9, after Nagasaki was a-bombed, Truman made another public statement on why the atomic bombs were used:
"Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans."
("Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S Truman, 1945", pg. 212).
On August 14th, 1945, Japan Surrenders, ending world war II. The American response to bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were from one spectrum to the other. Many americans including Dwight E. Eisenhower, said the Japanese were close to being defeated and the bombings were unnecessary. Some claim it was a warning to the Soviet Union to tread lightly, as they entered the war with Japan which resulted in the end of world war II but the beginning of the Cold War. The American Government was accused of being racist in how they would never drop a bomb of mass destruction on white citizens. Truman did however have many supporters and historians on his side claiming this did swiftly end the war and saved thousands of both American and Japanese …show more content…
Some victims were vaporized instantly, many survivors were horribly disfigured, and death from radiation was uncertain—it might not claim its victims for days, weeks, months, or even years. The initial death count in Hiroshima, set at 42,000–93,000, was based solely on the disposal of bodies, and was thus much too low. Later surveys covered body counts, missing persons, and neighborhood surveys during the first months after the bombing, yielding a more reliable estimate of 130,000 dead as of November 1945. A similar survey by officials in Nagasaki set its death toll at 60,000–70,000. (Its plutonium bomb was more powerful, but its destructive range was limited by surrounding hills and mountains)(- Destructive Effects). Even the scientific community failed to foresee the awful effects of radiation sickness. Meantime, the national government in November 1945 adopted a “war disaster reconstruction plan” for rebuilding 119 war-devastated cities, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This enabled Hiroshima to plan for the restoration of its central area, covering 1.3 million square meters and accommodating an estimated 350,000 people. Nagasaki likewise projected a new city concept that would abandon its old war industries, focusing rather on revival of foreign trade, shipbuilding, and fishing industries. Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki have memorialized the events of August, 1945 with museums, sculpture, peace ceremonies, and parks.