Japan under MacArthur

In 1945, two atomic bombs were dropped over Japan on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and a detrimental impact on the environment.

The fatal atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the end of World War II are written down in history books today. This is because they had a drastic story behind them that changed the world and the lives of many civilians. The United States decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II had both positive and negative results.

How has the results of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing affect the lives of the survivors?

The two atomics bombings dropping on Japan are forever remembered today as a changing moment in history. The US dropped the atomic bomb called “Little Boy” on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Only three days later on August 9th, 1945, the second atomic bomb called “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki. This has been the only time that nuclear weapons have been used in war. These bombs have been questioned through history if it was moral or immoral correct. However, the bombs were definitely a moral decision, which helped the country immeasurably. The atomic bombing of Japan was a military success, and a moral decision because it was less harmful than the fire bombings and it helped the country immeasurably.

The research question of this essay is “To what extent was the atomic bombing of Japan at the end of the Second World War Justified? In 1945, the United States authorized the dropping of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The first bomb, dropped on August 6th 1945, had a total casualty rate of 135,000, including non-combatant civilians, and as this, the atomic bombing of Japan at the end of the Second World War has indeed been a hugely discussed topic within academic and social circles until today. There have been historians, academics, and other influential individuals throughout the world who have argued on both sides of the spectrum regarding the effects of the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and whether they were necessary and justified towards the ending of the conflict. According to the Center For Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), by 1944, it had become clear to both the United States and the Empire of Japan that Japan was indeed losing the war, and as this, there are many arguments and counterarguments regarding the effectiveness of the atomic bombing of Japan, as well as suggestions regarding alternatives due to the enormous human toll the bomb caused.

The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945 was a definite turning point in the Pacific War of World War II. Earlier that year, Germany had been defeated and the world then turned its attention to the Pacific war. Most history books state the argument that the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan was necessary to stop the war in order to save thousands of lives of American troops that were planning to invade Japan. "Had the bombs not been employed (so the "wisdom" goes), an enormous number of American troops would have perished in an inevitable amphibious operation against the Japanese mainland."(McManus 1) This paper will demonstrate that Japan was willing to

Hiroshima and Nagasaki altered the course of world events by starting the Cold War, ushering advancements in technology, and by influencing cultures worldwide. Occurring on August 6 and August 9 in 1945, the bombing of the cities set of a series of events that would forever change history. The United States and the Soviet Union emerged from the war as superpowers with seemingly limitless power. Their ideologies, however, contrasted greatly, and the once allied nations would turn against each other, setting the entire world into a period of uncertainty. The atomic bomb, alone, would influence countless decisions, technologies, and policies in the following years and strike fear and awe into many around the world.

The causes and effects of Harry Truman’s controversial decision still affect the people of Japan today. Einstein sent a letter to Truman suggesting the use of atomic bombs in WWII. The bombs caused about 135,000 deaths combined in both cities. Many buildings were flattened in Hiroshima but Nagasaki was semi-protected by the hilly landscape. Just remember, Harry Truman’s would scar the world

Hiroshima is an outstanding recreation of the complete annihilation and devastation of during the aftermath and the year following the United States’ dropping of the atomic bomb. As the war in the east carried on, many thought this desolated war might last a lifetime, all the while hoping for an end and praying it not mean their own end. To end the war, Americans had to pick a target that would leave the Japanese government with nowhere to retreat, allowing for a crippling effect that would essentially cause their collapse and surrender. In his writings, John Hersey proclaims that Hiroshima was a “… inviting target - mainly because it had been one of the most important military command and communications centres in Japan …” (HERSEY, P. 107). In the minds of American strategists, this must have seemed a flawless method to force the Japanese military into a corner, not allowing withdrawal without laying down of arms. There was surely no doubt that dropping this bomb of god-like destructive power would, at a minimum, tear into the souls of Japanese, causing catastrophic devastation.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the US decided to march towards Japan. The pivotal battles of Midway, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa exhibited Japan’s unrelentless nationalism through the use of kamikazes and their bushido philosophy . Furthermore, this manifestation of imposed pride caused great fear for the Allies. President Truman felt that invading Japan would be a huge struggle, for Japan would do anything to protect their homeland. Truman decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan, which were originally intended to be dropped on Germany if they did not surrender. On August 6, 1945, the atomic bombs, Fat Man and Little Boy were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the obliteration of the two cities,

The Japanese’s foundation of strength and character relied on an ever present honor system. This character not only went into their everyday lives but also their military. The Empire of Japan‘s militarization benefitted the people by embodying the best characteristics and highest morals of the Japanese people, thereby encouraging people to keep faith in their

The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki helped bring the war in the Pacific to an end. Soon after the United States retaliated, the civilian population of Japan was left apprehensive and ready to surrender. They had very little will to continue the war after the United States made this advancement. It showed Japan that the United States would fight for themselves when truly necessary. The

This document, a written version of the Japanese Emperor’s radio address to announce his intention to surrender to the Allies in 1945, is valuable source when analyzing the necessity of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki because it gives a more in-depth look at the Japanese perspective. Hearing Showa’s side of the war shows how the Japanese felt about the bombs and how necessary they were in the war as far as bringing about Japanese surrender.

Gluck, Carol. Japan’s Modern Myths: Ideology in the Late Meiji Period. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1985), 73.>> The emperor, “as an embodiment of Japan’s sense of national identity, as a bridge linking traditional sources of legitimacy to the new state authority, as the father figure which justified his subjects’ self-discipline and sarifice [became] both a rallying point for his people and a means of concentrating authority behind the emerging national leadership; the emperor came to symbolize all the forces of self-control and enforced stability which combined to channel the prime energies of the Japanese toward meeting the foreign challenge and toward adopting essential social and economic reforms.” <<5

If the bombings accomplished one goal of the United States, it was the level of destruction rampant throughout the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. A constant variable present in both incidents was the harm inflicted upon the people, buildings, and government forces, which were all in the center of the cities. While the United States caused irreplaceable damage, it failed to aid other goals that were needed to crippling the enemy’s power. Although industries and people were eliminated, the political effect of crushing Japan failed, because the nation had more determination than Truman first thought when it came to survival and reconstruction. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were devastating military tragedies to Japan with high physical damage, but their impact did not help the United States achieve its desired