Why did Japan ultimately surrender during World War 2? For the last seventy years, Japanese and American public have hung onto the idea that the atomic bombs ended the war. For the Japanese, these bombings helped symbolize their nation as a victim, obscuring their role as the aggressors, while for Americans they have always been a means justifiable by the end. On the surface it’s easy to believe that the bombs paved way for the end, but there is a problem with the timing that shows otherwise.
On August 6, 1945, the United States selected the city of Hiroshima, a manufacturing center to upwards of 400,000 people located roughly 500 miles southwest of the capital city of Tokyo, as the first target (“Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”). The bomb, dubbed as “Little Boy”, compiled of 9,000 pounds of uranium, and was loaded on a B-29 bomber, the “Enola Gay”. The bomb was dropped over head at 8am and exploded 2,000 feet above Hiroshima, destroying roughly five square miles of the city and killing nearly 80,000 (“Japan surrenders”). The obliteration and desolation to the city however failed to produce instant Japanese surrender.
Three days later on August 9, 1945, the second bomb known as “Fat Man”, a …show more content…
So what could have made them finally sit down and discuss after fourteen years of war the idea of surrender? Due to timing it could not have been the bombing of Nagasaki, since the Council had already begun meeting hours prior. Hiroshima? It is very unlikely. The bombing on Hiroshima happened over three days prior to this meeting. On August 13th, General Anami, of the Japanese Imperial Army, stated that the atomic bombings were no more menacing then the fire-bombing that Japan had endured for months (Wilson). So with that being said if Japan did not consider them any worse, how could Hiroshima and Nagasaki have pressured them into
On August 6, 1945, the United States selected the city of Hiroshima, a manufacturing center to upwards of 400,000 people located roughly 500 miles southwest of the capital city of Tokyo, as the first target (“Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”). The bomb, dubbed as “Little Boy”, compiled of 9,000 pounds of uranium, and was loaded on a B-29 bomber, the “Enola Gay”. The bomb was dropped over head at 8am and exploded 2,000 feet above Hiroshima, destroying roughly five square miles of the city and killing nearly 80,000 (“Japan surrenders”). The obliteration and desolation to the city however failed to produce instant Japanese surrender.
Three days later on August 9, 1945, the second bomb known as “Fat Man”, a …show more content…
So what could have made them finally sit down and discuss after fourteen years of war the idea of surrender? Due to timing it could not have been the bombing of Nagasaki, since the Council had already begun meeting hours prior. Hiroshima? It is very unlikely. The bombing on Hiroshima happened over three days prior to this meeting. On August 13th, General Anami, of the Japanese Imperial Army, stated that the atomic bombings were no more menacing then the fire-bombing that Japan had endured for months (Wilson). So with that being said if Japan did not consider them any worse, how could Hiroshima and Nagasaki have pressured them into