Harry Truman Dbq

During World War II, President Harry S. Truman ordered for an atomic bomb to be dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6th ,1945. The second and last atomic bomb to ever be dropped was in the city of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945. Many Americans believed dropping the atomic bomb was necessary to end the war in a more timely manner, however, many others believed dropping the atomic bomb was too extreme of a measure to take against Japan. With the creation of the atomic bomb, the United States had a weapon of mass destruction that no one else yet had. Therefore, with the power the atomic bomb possessed, some people believed its use should only be used as a last resort. If Japan would not surrender during this war, then the United States would have a valid and necessary reason in using the power of an atomic bomb. For the other Americans that believed in the immediate drop of the atomic bomb, dropping it would end the war sooner, which would then decrease the amount American soldiers who would be killed during the war. Whether dropping the atomic bomb on Japan was the most ethical decision that President Truman could have ordered is still debated.

During World War II the war in Europe ended after the unconditional German surrender at General Eisenhower's Headquarters in Reims, France, May 7, 1945. "After the unconditional German surrender in Europe the war shifted to Asia and the Pacific. As the war continued against Japan the Allied forces captured islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinaawa close to Japan brought the Japanese homeland within range of naval and air attacks." (Dannen) On August 6, 1945, the city of Hiroshima was the target of the first atomic bomb used against civil population in history. On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb over the city of Nagasaki. In total,

Imagine yourself making the toughest decision in your life, whether sacrificing a million of our men and thousands of war ships and plans, verses several thousand of Japanese civilian populists. This decision was on the shoulder of Harry S. Truman, the United States President, who had to make this decision by deciding whether or not to drop a newly designed weapon. The atomic bomb was tested in the sands of New Mexico, where it proved to be very successful. Harry S. Truman made a very successful decision, because he wanted to end the war quickly, show others that the United States had power, and the retribution of Pearl Harbor.

Many debates have been provoked based on President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The debate is not solely based on the bomb being dropped, but more on the actual necessity and intention of the bomb being dropped.

Why President Truman Decided to Drop Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki At 02:45 August 6th 1945, the B-29 Superfortress the Enola Gay took off from the specially lengthened North Field on the Island of Tinian in the Marianas. The plane piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets was 7 tons. At 0815 hours the bomb doors of the B-29 opened and flying at approximately 32,000 ft the uranium based atom bomb code-named “Little Boy” was unleashed upon the city of Hiroshima. Over 70,000 men women and children were killed by blast alone.

    The decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the hardest decision for President Truman to make. He had the power right there in his hands to end the war but he would have to unleash the most powerful weapon known to man, at this time. Everyone was very tired of fighting but the Japanese would not give up so Truman decided to drop it. Even though we told Japan that if they did not surrender we would completely demolish some of their cities, they did not listen and they did not surrender. Maybe they did not think about what kind of weapons we would use because

“Truman stated that his decision to drop the bomb was purely military. Truman believed that the bombs saved Japanese lives as well. Prolonging the war was not an option for the President,” (ushistory.org 1). President Truman and the United States government made a fair decision by dropping the atomic bomb on the Japanese citizens in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during 1945. The bomb allowed the United States to appear more powerful and led to them influencing the rest of the world. The dropping of the atomic bomb was also a just response to the previous atrocities committed by Japan to other countries including the United States. In the long run, the bomb saved more lives that would have been lost in the war, since the bombs caused the

President Truman elected to use the atomic bomb against Japan to hasten the end of the World War II. President Truman saw no issues with using the atomic bomb against Japan if it would save American lives in doing so (Roark 856). Japan, with their numerous defeats, still had millions of reserves to use as a last-minute defense against the Allies. U.S. military advisers estimated that the last-minute defense would kill at least 250,000 Americans (Roark 856). President Truman issued an ultimate surrender completely or face ruin. The Japanese failed and the U.S. bombed Hiroshima on August 6. When Japan would still not surrender the U.S. used a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9. Japan surrendered on August 14, after receiving assurance

The decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the hardest decision for President Truman to make. He had the power right there in his hands to end the war but he would have to unleash the most powerful weapon known to man, at this time. Everyone was very tired of fighting but the Japanese would not give up so Truman decided to drop it. Even though we told Japan that if they did not surrender we would completely demolish some of their cities, they did not listen and they did not surrender. Maybe they did not think about what kind of weapons we would use because

The responsibility of dropping the bombs rests on the shoulders of a President Truman, an inequivalent President filling the void of the late Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman fresh into office heard the various arguments from the military officers, political advisors, scientist, and civilian experts lobbying for their input to be heard in the debate on the decision to use nuclear bombs against Japan in the summer of 1945. After the fall of Nazi Germany in May 1945 the Joint Chiefs of Staff, JCS, predicted that Japan would fall in an additional 18- months of war.

In 1939, scientists made the discovery of the potential military applications of nuclear energy (Kuhn 601). In 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. United States President,Harry S. Truman, made the ultimate decision to use the atomic bomb to bring an end to WWII. Most Americans, then and now, believe that Truman made the right decision for the right reasons. He used the bomb to end the brutal Pacific War and to avoid a bloody invasion that could cost millions of lives (Lefever). Toward the end of WWII, the atomic bomb was seen as a way to bring a swift end to the most devastating war in history (Blohn

Many people still ask whether it was necessary for the U.S. to drop the bomb on Japan. Also many say it was necessary because Japan threatened the U.S. first and Truman just wanted to put an end to the war. Harry Truman's choice if the weapon would be utilized with the objective to end the war. President Truman had four choices. Proceed customary bombings of Japanese urban areas, attack Japan, show the bomb on an uninhabited island, or drop the bomb on a possessed Japanese city. He realized that ending the war was in his grasp however it implied discharging the most exceedingly terrible weapon ever known.

After Truman replaced Roosevelt, he learned about the new secret weapon which was capable of ending the war. Very soon after being told this, Truman ordered the bombs to be dropped on Hiroshima, (and quickly after that, Nagasaki,) believing that it would bring a speedy end to the war. While much controversy has surrounded President Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb, it was a choice that had to be made. Either way, bombing Hiroshima, and Nagasaki was an effective way to end the war, as it prevented the deaths of countless others by avoiding dozens of bloody battles. Forcing Japan to surrender early in the war saved thousands of lives, and while there was a heavy death total for Japan, it is possible that more would have been lost, had the war continued. This event has provided us with the knowledge we need to prevent atomic, even nuclear

President Harry S. Truman approved the atomic bomb on July 30, 1945. In August 1945 the United States dropped two atomic bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Hiroshima atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy” , was the first ever atomic bomb deployed on another country and killed about eighty thousand people from the initial explosion. The second bomb was dropped in Nagasaki three days later and killed an estimated forty thousand people from the initial explosion. There is an ongoing battle of controversy on whether it was the right decision to make. It is estimated that the bombs killed 246,000 people over all. Most of these victims were civilians and militants mainly from Japan. Although, Japan suffered a profound impact from the bomb attacks the United States was rational when it came to the use of the atomic bomb in Japan because Japan refused multiple opportunities to surrender, the lives of civilians of both countries were taken in consideration, and it brought it end to the ongoing war.

President Truman knew that in order for the country to recover the war had to come to an immediate end. However, the only option the United States leaders saw to end the war was to drop the atomic bomb. Doing what he thought best for his country, Truman decided to bomb Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima instantly killed 70,000 people and the bomb on Nagasaki killed 80,000. Combined deaths from the aftermath of the bombs, including injuries and radiation, amounted to over 200,000. Due to the massive casualty amount and the lasting