Argumentative Essay: Japan's First Atomic Bomb

On December 7, 1941 Japan began a chain reaction that would eventually lead to the bombing of two Japanese cities and the murder of thousands. The plan of the atomic bomb actually began, though, as an attack on Nazi Germany. Albert Einstein alerted the American government that the Germans were developing atomic weapons and soon the Manhattan Project began. Robert Oppenheimer was in charge of the project to build an atomic bomb to counter Germany. Enrico Fermi designed the first successful nuclear reactor in 1939 and created it in 1942 at the University of Chicago as part of the project. On July 16, 1945 they detonated the world’s first atomic bomb in New Mexico. A month later, on August 6, the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima by the plane Enola …show more content…
The first thing they could have done was modify the unconditional surrender. Secretary of State Cordell Hull suggested negotiating with the Japan. The Department of State’s Far Eastern specialists were certain that the Japanese would surrender if the US assured them that they could keep their Emperor and Imperial Dynasty. Japan viewed the Emperor as a God and by promising the safety of him the Japanese were likely to surrender. Another alternative was to delay the bombings until August 8, the last day Stalin could live up to his promise to join the US in the fight against Japan. This option was valid due to the US government breaking the Japanese diplomatic code and while eavesdropping they had heard that the Japanese were extremely worried about Russia joining the US. On August 8, the Soviet Union did declare war on Japan. The third option was created by William D. Leathy and it was to, “defeat Japan by isolation, blockade, and bombardment by sea and air forces.” People hoped that a …show more content…
Yet, not much later the US attacked the Japanese creating the same feelings of distress, loneliness, and terror. Norman Rockwell’s four freedoms includes freedom from fear, but by creating and dropping the atom bomb, the rest of the world lives in fear of the United States. The hypocrisy is evident. Not only that, but the bombing was illegal. Under the “Protection of Civilian Populations Against Bombing From the Air in Case of War” created on September 30, 1938, “The intentional bombing of civilian populations is illegal” and “Objectives aimed at from the air must be legitimate military objectives and must be identifiable.” The decision was immoral, the results were uncertain, the alternatives were substantial, and it wasn’t even legal. The unnecessary pain and suffering the Japanese went through because of what the US did cannot be defended. Although, the decision was difficult and many options had their downfalls, the mass murder of innocent citizens is never