Was The Atomic Bomb Justified

Improved Essays
Show More
In the 1940 's, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan ending World War Two. The bombs speedily ended the war with Japan, but not without consequences. Since conquering Japan by land took a lot of resources and manpower, it resulted in many American lives unnecessarily lost. Eager to end the war, President Harry S. Truman decided that the atomic bombs must be dropped on Japan. While it was necessary to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, dropping another atomic bomb three days later on Nagasaki was unnecessary. Economically, dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was beneficial to the United States. However, dropping the atomic bomb on Nagasaki was a rather hasty decision. With the war in Germany coming to an end, Americans were …show more content…
As with war, many families are left biting their fingernails waiting and hoping that their family members make it home safe. Added that the war in Germany was coming to a close, Americans were eager to see the Pacific war come to an end as well. This added pressure from the American people to find a way to quickly and efficiently end the war with Japan was put on Truman. After Roosevelt died, the secretary of war, Henry Stimson informed Truman of the new weapon of mass destruction that had been created . The atomic bomb was more devastating than the fire-bombings the United States dropped on Japan even though the fire-bombings had a higher death toll. But, why did the United States believe that the atomic bomb would end the war? The simple reason would be that the atomic bombs did not end the war. Top military officials agreed that the atomic bombs played no decisive role in ending the war . It was more likely that the United States wanted to test out the new weapon they had made and its effects on a real city, which is why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were chosen as the real world testing grounds. A wall of mountains surrounds Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making them ideal places to test an atomic bomb. Just in case the blast goes farther than expected, the mountains would be in the way to stop the additional blast. However, even if the United States wanted to test the atomic bomb, why would they need to bomb Nagasaki as well? Revenge. After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was yearning for a chance to get back at the Japanese . The Japanese were also known for ruthlessly killing not only soldiers, but also civilians including men, women, and children who occupied conquered land. The American Coordinating Committee was one of the many

Related Documents

  • 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

    In the first week of August 1945, the world saw the first and only use of nuclear weapons in warfare. The United States use of the atomic bombs on Japan, One of the most controversial decisions in history, resulted in the death of over 130,000 people and caused un-predicted effects on physical health and economic relations upon the world. Historians contrast the effects brought upon the world and justifications for using the atomic bombs as a solution to ending the war. The atomic bombs changed the world and brought devastating effects on the inhabitants of Japan. When President Harry S. Truman, made the decision to drop the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in august 1945, left the world forever changed. President…

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

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

    Why The Truman Dropped The Atomic Bomb

    After the dropping of the atomic bombs , many people started questioning about President Truman’s resolution to drop the bombs. Many people believed that dropping the atomic bombs to destroy two cities of Japan helped America. They also believed that dropping the bombs helped President Truman accomplish several things. Dropping the atomic bombs on the two Japanese towns was a way of Americans to seek revenge on Japanese for Pearl Harbor. The atomic bombing of Japan would explain the costs of the Manhattan Project. President Truman would have accepted serious complications if this expense was not…

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

    Atomic Bombing Was Not Justifiable Essay
    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Atomic Bombing Was Not Justifiable Essay

    The nuclear attack of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not justifiable. Due to the fact that the Japanese government was already in the verge of surrendering to the American government.. Also the nuclear bombing was used for several causes, one of which was to cause fear to both the Japanese and Soviet governments. Finally, the bombing of both major cities in Japan caused many deaths, which were not strategic, nor useful towards the war.…

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Persuasive Essay On Dropping The Atomic Bomb
    • 798 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Persuasive Essay On Dropping The Atomic Bomb

    Eighty thousand citizens lost their lives immediately after the bomb hit Hiroshima. In the article, “Harry S Truman’s Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb”, an eyewitness described what it was like when the bomb struck. The witness described people with “raw skin hanging in flaps around their hips” and “women without jaws screamed incoherently for help”. Innocent women and children paid the ultimate price for the attack made by Japan. Not only did hundreds die immediately after the blast but another 60,000 died by the end of the year. The cost and harsh aftermath of bombs are the second reason why the bombs should not have been dropped. Even though the bombs were a great achievement for America, the result of the bombs was seen as a harsh punishment. A quote from the same article says, “but that experience, looking down and finding nothing left of Hiroshima. Hiroshima didn’t exist.” The result of the atomic killed on a massive scale destroyed the city along with its people. As if the first bomb was not bad enough, another bomb was dropped on another Japanese city. The development of the atomic bombs cost America billions of dollars. Many thought there were could have been different ways to get back at Japan other than spending…

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

    How Did Truman's Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Dbq
    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Did Truman's Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Dbq

    It was August 6, 1945 and little did the Japanese community of Hiroshima know that the first atomic bomb, known as Little Boy, would be dropped on their city that morning. The weapon of mass destruction devastatingly murdered about 130,000 people and left thousands more injured. A second bomb, known as Fat Man, followed suite only three days later on Nagasaki killing an upwards of 70,000 civilians. A few days later, the Japanese surrendered and World War Two ceased to continue. The one man accredited to the droppings of both bombs was United States President Harry Truman. He never regretted his decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki even though he could have chosen alternatives for winning the Second World War. President Truman was not justified in his decision to drop the atomic bomb and could have chosen better methods such as waiting for the Soviet Union’s aid, continuing conventional war tactics and modifying the terms of surrender for the Japanese.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Why Is Hiroshima Bombing Justified
    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Why Is Hiroshima Bombing Justified

    After several years of fighting , it was no surprise that each nation was feeling the toll of the conflict, which is why the U.S. wanted to put an end to it. As stated by Taketo Suzuki in ‘Why Was the A-Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima’ “One reason for the atomic bombings given by the United States was to hasten the end of the war.” When dealing with foreign conflict it’s safe to say that a government’s priority should be protecting the lives of their citizens. Continuing to send troops would have resulted in more casualties on the American side, which is why their choice to drop Hiroshima and Nagasaki is deemed admissible, given that the Japanese had already claimed thousands of American souls during WWII, and preventing any more was in the United States best interest. All of the bloodshed from the atomic missiles could have been avoided if Japan had agreed to the allies terms of surrender. These circumstances were found in the Potsdam Declarations, which was announced on July 26, 11 days before Hiroshima was bombed. Plenty of time was given in order to make an appropriate judgment, and the choice was ultimately up to them. However, if Japan failed to succumb to these conditions, utter destruction was unavoidable. Unfortunately, the Japanese government chose to neglect the declarations. As reported by Taketo Suzuki in ‘Why Was the A-Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima’ “On July 28th, two days after the Potsdam Declaration, Prime Minister Kantaro-Suzuki made a statement at a press conference to the effect, “We will ignore (mokusatsu) the Potsdam Declaration.” A government that simply “ignores” something as crucial as a set of conditions that can benefit thousands of your own people by eliminating the possibility of any more deaths is deeply deranged. The prime…

    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Hiroshima And Nagasaki Justified Essay
    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hiroshima And Nagasaki Justified Essay

    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. However, world war two was not a disagreement to cause destruction towards the countries. The U.S was justified in dropping atomic bombs as it was an alternative to end the war at an instance and to also prevent the death rate of civilians. This was also necessary as it was America’s desire to shorten the war if the Japanese surrendered. In addition, the USA were acting against the Japanese in…

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Essay On Dropping The Atomic Bomb
    • 1280 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Essay On Dropping The Atomic Bomb

    Desperate measures had to be taken to bring an end to World War II. The war promised to drag on, which would result in many more American deaths. By dropping the first two atomic bombs in history, America ensured that World War II came to a rapid conclusion. Although these bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki cost many Japanese their lives, doing so was compulsory to ensure an end to World War II. Dropping these atomic bombs was an extremely difficult but necessary decision that America had to make.…

    • 1280 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On The Atomic Bomb Decision
    • 1359 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Essay On The Atomic Bomb Decision

    Truman believed by dropping the bomb the war would end promptly. He was right in that after the second bomb was dropped Japan requested a break and then surrendered from the war shortly thereafter. Robert Newman wrote statistical charts containing data about the amount of lives lost in the Major Problems in the History of World War ll essays. The total amount lost across the world between 1931 and 1945 attributed to the Japanese was around 17 million (Newman, 419). To look at this number it is astonishing to believe that one ethnic group can cause so many casualties across the world. Truman saw that by ending this war, it would not only save American lives, but also Europeans, Indians, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Chinese lives. In fact, according to Newman’s essay Dropping the Bomb was Necessary and Justifiable “ Harry Truman ordered the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki primarily to end the war as soon as possible and save lives”(Newman,414). However, I believe it is important to understand that it was not just Truman’s decision to drop the bomb. In fact the Interim Committee was put together for the purpose of supporting Truman with making decisions regarding the atomic bomb. In a primary document of recommendation the Interim Committee suggests the combat use of the bomb against Japan. They discuss that “others emphasize the opportunity of saving American lives by immediate…

    • 1359 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Pros And Cons Of Dropping The Atomic Bomb
    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Pros And Cons Of Dropping The Atomic Bomb

    If the United States decided against using the atomic bomb, U.S. soldiers would have invaded Japanese islands. This operation was named Operation Downfall, and this invasion would have led to thousands of casualties. Japan was willing the literally fight to the death and President Truman knew that if we didn’t use the atomic bomb that the United States would continue to fight as long as Japan was still standing. An ironic justification for dropping the bomb is not only did it save American lives, but it also saved Japanese lives. It was predicted that if Operation Downfall took place that anywhere from 5 to 10 million Japanese casualties would have occurred. Japan’s economy was down and running out of resources, but by the U.S. dropping the bombs it ended the war and allowed Japan to rebuild its country. The atomic bomb did cause fatalities, but it saved more lives that if the war was to be…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Truman Hasty Decision Dbq
    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Truman Hasty Decision Dbq

    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
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Atomic Bomb Dbq Research Paper
    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Atomic Bomb Dbq Research Paper

    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. Many people wonder if the decision to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a military necessity. This decision was a military necessity for multiple reasons. Many lives needed to be spared, a land…

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

    Reasons For Harry S. Truman's Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb
    • 1751 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Reasons For Harry S. Truman's Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb

    One explanation that describes why Harry S. Truman declared the dropping of the atomic bomb was because it was necessary in order to minimum the amount of bloodshed. The bombing has saved the potential lives that would have been lost if not for bomb; saved more than estimate 75,000 lives. If the atomic bombs were not dropped then more of American lives would have gone. Not only did it stop this war, but it stopped war for a very long time. Emmett C. Stanton states from the article, Was It Right to Drop Atom Bombs on Japan?, “The horror of atomic weapons has prevented all-out warfare for over 70 years based on the concept of mutually assured…

    • 1751 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Who Dropped The Atomic Bomb Dbq
    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Who Dropped The Atomic Bomb Dbq

    On August 6th 1945 United States Harry S Truman made the 20th century’s most impactful decision; dropping the Atom bomb on Hiroshima and later Nagasaki. Truman considered the Japanese that would die, but he ultimately saved American lives. Truman also was thinking about American POW, and took their deaths into consideration before dropping the bombs. Lastly Truman dropped the atom bombs in order to protect the world from Russia’s widespread communist ways. the Dropping the atomic bomb was the only correct decision for the United States because of casualties being less than what they would have if America had invaded, the brutality of Japanese towards the American POW, and the importance of intimidating Stalin.…

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

    Atomic Bomb Significance
    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Atomic Bomb Significance

    After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, Americans desperately tried to get back at the Japanese for leaving their country in ruins. After several nuclear weapons tests, the United States was ready to get their revenge. In 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs, one at Hiroshima and one at Nagasaki. This was one of the underlying factors that contributed to the surrender of Japan. The dropping of the Atomic bomb in Japan was important to United States history because it was arguably the biggest turning point in modern war history. It eventually led the United States into an economic age of prosperity, and it proved the United States had a sense of authority worldwide.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2023 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings