Bombing two major cities may seem wrong but it was necessary in order to come out as a successful nation. During World War 2 on August 6th and 9th of 1945 the United States was the first country to use an atomic device against an enemy. This enemy was the country of Japan. After the Japanese killed thousands of U.S soldiers with their ruthless and unexpected attack on Pearl Harbour the United States released two atomic bombs on their two major cities. These cities were known as Nagasaki and Hiroshima. After the bombs were dropped the war was put to an end. The use of the atomic bombs is a widely debated topic on whether their use was necessary or not. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not only necessary to end the war but it was also necessary because many American lives were lost. The bombing of Hiroshima and …show more content…
Ralph A. Bard claims “...Japan should have some preliminary warning for say two or three days in advance of use” (Document 2). Japan did not deserve a warning prior to the descent of the atomic bombs. Japan did not warn the United States about the atrocious bombing of Pearl Harbour. Japan invaded America’s territory unexpectedly and caused nothing but destruction and loss. America bombing their territory unexpectedly is what they deserved. Since America did not give Japan a warning it is seen as un-humanitarian. Ralph A. Bard goes on to say that since the “...United States [is] a great humanitarian nation and the fair play attitude of our people..is responsible in the main for this feeling” (Document 2). According to Ralph A. Bard he feels as though since America looks out and cares for their people that the humane thing to do would be to have provided a warning. America did look our for their people and they looked out for America in the long haul. By not providing a warning, America ended the war and saved many
On July 26, U.S. President Harry S. Truman and Allies issued a final ultimatum to Japan, known as the Potsdam Declaration. The Potsdam Declaration is a statement that called for the surrender of all Japanese armed forces. The Proclamation Defining Terms of Japanese Surrender consisted of thirteen conditions that the Japanese had to abide by. Japan was warned numerous times from the United States about the potential threat of an invasion or the use of a new weapon. “Japan would be warned that the new weapon would be used against Japan unless surrender was forthcoming.” Premier Kantaro Suzuki had rejected Truman’s final warning by stating that it was unworthy of public notice. January of 1945, a reporter for Newsweek wrote, “This intense hatred was first aroused by the sneak attack on Pearl Harbour. I remember men who, when they came to the Pacific, had no particular hatred of or desire to kill Japanese. When treachery affects you, or somebody you know, you grow to hate violently.” President Truman was disturbed over the unwarranted attack of Pearl Harbour and the murder of their prisoners of war. Japan had, not only attacked Pearl Harbour, involvement of the Bataan Death March, and the bloody battles in the Pacific. Leaflets were also dropped over Japan to let the people acknowledge that if Japan would not surrender, the U.S. is willing
The bomb itself was already controversial, they knew the destructive force of it, so President Truman tried finding different ways of ending the war without using the bomb; they had options, and the use of the atomic bomb was the last of all of them. The United States had four different options they could take instead of the bomb. (www.nps.gov) Option one included the conventional Bombing of the Japanese Home Islands, option two: invade Japan, option three: demonstrate the bomb on an unpopulated island option four: drop the bomb on an inhabited Japanese City. However, even if the president did have these options, they were not used for a reason. For option one, the United States actually had been doing the conventional bombing,
During 1941 through 1945 a war had occurred in the Pacific between the Americans and the Japanese this war was called The Pacific Theater. This war was also being fought during the duration of another World War against Germany and Japan but on May 8, 1945 Germany surrendered to the allied powers leaving Japan to still be dealt with. However Japan would not surrender even after the major battles between the Americans and Japanese in Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Americans then came to conclusion to try and get to a new military weapon which then started the ManHattan Project. The Manhattan Project established a new powerful military weapon known as the Atomic Bomb. This new entirely militarized weapon was designed to force Japan into surrendering because Japan was still willing to fight even though they were on a brink of defeat and they were
The dropping of the Atomic Bomb changed not only warfare forever, but also all international relations. With that being said, the decision to do so was one of the biggest decisions made by any government in the history of time. Nuclear warfare was way more destructive and way faster than any other form of warfare preceding. With the United States seemingly always viewed to be “the good guys” it is puzzling that this country is the same one who killed hundreds of thousands of people all at once and essentially ruined not one but two entire cities within minutes of dropping two single bombs. This decision was not taken lightly, and with basically two schools of thought, liberalism vs. realism, insisting to do so or not to do so, and realism won out. Realism and the many counterparts that strengthen this school of thought is what drove the decision to go ahead and drop the atomic bomb.
On the 6th and 9th of August, 1945, the United States of America dropped the Atomic Bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The use of these bombs brought a quick end to World War 2, yet caused extensive damage to the two Japanese cities. There have often been disputes as to whether the USA was justified in the dropping of the atomic bombs because of the damage they caused, not only to the cities, but to the people of Japan as well. Many people believe that the USA should not have dropped the bombs because of the damage they caused, and they also claim that Japan was already defeated. However, Japan did not surrender, and prolonging the war was not an option for America, as it believed it would cause even more casualties, not only to American troops, but to Japan as well. Thus the USA was justified in dropping the bombs on Japan.
World War II was one of the defining moments of the 20th century. Numerous events during that period are viewed and interpreted with differing opinions; but none have been as fiercely debated as the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One of the more intriguing differing of opinions came from the people behind the bombs themselves: the key scientists who created the bombs and the politicians and military personnel who were active in dropping the bomb. The scientists involved through the various stages of the project (such as Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard) expressed remorse that they created such a weapon and did not believe the use of it was justified. However he people who dropped the bomb - President Harry Truman and
World War Two and the Atomic Bomb World War II is one of the most historic points in the history of the world. The war was by far the most devastating in the history of the world. There were many controversial actions during the war, but one of the biggest was the decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs. The atomic bomb should have been used to end the war because it saved more lives than continuing the war. The official bombing order was signed on July 25, 1945, by Thos.
On August 6, 1945 when President Truman decided to bomb Hiroshima with the bomb nicknamed “little boy” causing over 6 percent of the city to be leveled out and causing 70,000 civilians casualties. But the real question was if this act was necessary. The evidence points out that yes it was a necessity to stop another war from beginning. The united stated targeted two major military and industrial cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) to stop an invasion of Japan. Which Truman knew would cause “Okinawa from one end or japan to the other” and his assumptions were very legitimate. The Japanese took the initiative to try and start a new war with the united states with the bombing of the Pearl Harbor, to try and destroy the military and air forces, but while doing that in a short time five of eight battleships at Pearl Harbor were sunk or sinking,
Every American president makes decisions with enormous repercussions for the future. Some of these decisions prove successful; others turn out to be blunders. In virtually every case, presidents must act with contradictory advice and limited information. At 8:15 a.m., August 6, 1945, an American B-29 released an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Within minutes, Japan’s eighth largest city was destroyed. By the end of the year, 140,000 people had died from the bomb’s effects. After the bombing was completed, the United States announced that Japan faced a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which had never been seen on this earth." Background: In 1939, Albert Einstein, writing on behalf physicist Leo Szilard and other leading physicists,
August 6th 1945, the United States dropped the first of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima, Japan. World War Two was practically over, but Japan and the United States weren’t getting along due to Japan bombing Pearl Harbor. The President of the United States (Truman) and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill Issued the Potsdam Declaration which was the declaration that was put on the table for Japan after Germany had surrendered. Earlier in the war we had been putting together atomic weapons in case the war was getting out of hand. Since Japan wouldn’t surrender after the Potsdam we dropped the 1st bomb. Japan had still not surrendered so we dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. There was a combined total of casualties after the 1st bomb of 140,000. The second bomb totaled out to 120,000 casualties. Dropping these bombs helped the United States win the war. In my Opinion, the decision to drop both bombs on Japan was the best alternative the United States had to remain stable and to hold military lives.
The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and later Nagasaki is a much contested debate on its importance in ending WW2. While many argue that the use of the bombs prevented callous loss of life upon both sides of the war many counter historians question the need of the atom bomb to close the conflict.
There are moments of history that are memorialized again and again, moments that have impact on culture, politics, and humanity as a species. One such moment, was the United States of America dropping the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Effects of dropping the bomb can be found in modern politics and culture. Politically, it caused lots of legal controversy, which is still present today. What countries should be allowed to nuclear capabilities, and to what extent should other countries be prosecuted for having them? Superhero stories feature characters that are affected by radiation, and become monsters, or creatures, like the Hulk from Marvel comics and movies. There are also more serious movies that deal with the potential aftermath of a nuclear bomb dropped in the United States like The Sum of All fears which is about a World War III between the United States and
The atomic bomb is a very fascinating and essential subject. Have you ever wondered who, when, where, and why the very first atomic bombs were made and used? The creators of the bombs worked in many locations, and all had to be, creative, smart, and determined to complete these bombs. Wherever people worked all around the United States, they all worked very hard to complete these bombs to make our country much stronger. America created the very first atomic bomb in the entire world.
On the morning of August 6, 1945, the first Atomic Bomb in history was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Soon after, on August 14, 1945, the Japanese abruptly surrendered, abandoning their ancient customs regarding honor in war. The fact that only two bombs were able to bring an entire country to its knees is a true testament to the awesome power they held. There is nothing in modern warfare that can compete with the devastating effects of nuclear weapons.
"Houses, electric poles, trees started to burn everywhere. Adults and children with burns over their entire bodies were gasping and pleading, "Save me!" "Give me water!" Glasses, caps, and water bottles were scattered all over. The streets were filled with glass fragments. It was heartbreaking to see so many children crying and dying. They were saying, ‘I hate America!' Many adults were killed, too. And I saw dead horses, cats, dogs and other animals." - Torako Hironaka (Exposed approximately 1,300 meters from the hypocenter in Hiroshima, Japan), August 6, 1945.