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The Atomic Bomb Human Beings and Nature Essay

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The Atomic Bomb Human Beings and Nature With the surrender of Germany on May 1, 1945, the United States and its allies were well on their way to winning World War II and resuming peace in Europe. Japan was the only country still in their path. American forces soon began capturing islands off the coast of Japan including Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Since the Japanese refused to surrender, the United States began planning a ground attack on Japan's mainland. Many casualties for both sides were predicted; therefore, the United States constructed an alternate plan to end the war. Enricho Fermi and Leo Szilard worked on creating an atomic bomb for the United States in the 1930s. This manipulation of nature changed the relationship …show more content…

The utilization of atomic warfare had not only military, but also political benefits for the country. American soldiers were fighting against Japanese Kamikaze pilots who volunteered to sacrifice their lives for their country. How could the United States fight against this insane warfare? The only solution at the time was to use the newly invented atomic bomb. After being tested only once, the atomic bomb was put into use, creating massive and unforeseen damage. One of the pilots of Engola Gay, the plane that dropped the bomb, described the effects: "It looked like it had landed on a forest. I didn't see any sign of the city.î(4) Many people believe that this damage is strict evidence that the bomb should not have been dropped. The bomb demolished anything less than one mile away from the target area. Only 12% of the citiesí residences remained undamaged.(5) The explosion affected over 42.9 square miles of Nagasaki including trees, concrete buildings, homes, and electricity.(6) Besides these material damages, 200,000 lives were directly affected while countless were indirectly influenced by the atomic bomb. Flash burns, fires, mechanical injuries, blast pressure, and radiation injured and killed the Japanese citizens. Physical effects of the bomb were not the only damages done to the victims; pure

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