The Atomic Bomb Of The United States

The end of the war was drawing near, and the Pacific was now the United States’ main focus because a quick defeat of the Japanese was needed. Now, new president, Harry S. Truman, was faced with a huge decision. Should we drop the atomic bomb on Japan? Yes, there were other options, but none would end the war as quickly. So, on August 3, 1945 the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, and on August 9, 1945 another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. I think it was not only a military necessity, but entirely justifiable, because the Japanese were determined not to surrender, it saved lives, both American and Japanese, in led to a fast end of the war, and was the right thing to do.

President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the direct cause for the end of World War II in the Pacific. The United States felt it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs on these two cities or it would suffer more casualties. Not only could the lives of many soldiers have been taken, but possibly the lives of many innocent Americans. The United States will always try to avoid the loss of American civilians at all costs, even if that means taking lives of another countries innocent civilians.

The beginnings of the Nuclear Age started when Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him of a dangerous weapon the Nazis had begun researching, known as the atomic bomb. (1) Though, when President Roosevelt first read this letter, he was too preoccupied with events in Europe to be bothered with such ideas. He at the time did not take the creation of such weapon to seriously, nor did he believe America had the resources for such a task. (2) Finally, on October 19, 1939 President Roosevelt wrote back to Einstein stating that the United States had begun to research the power of uranium. (2) With the help of the British, whom reluctantly gave the United States leadership on this project, in June of 1942 the Manhattan Project had begun, though most of the world had no idea that this was even happening, not even Vice President Truman. (2)

The dropping of the atomic bomb was the first of many nuclear projects. The first project was called the Manhattan project. Three bombs were created, one was a test, and the two others were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities in Japan. These bombs created mass destruction for the two cities; buildings were obliterated, fires erupted, and radiation spread for miles. After foreign countries saw what the United States was capable of, countries all around the world started to develop their own nuclear weapons, creating a surplus of weapons of mass destruction. “Today, eight countries in the world have nuclear arsenals (weapon supplies). The United States and Russia (formerly part of the Soviet Union) have most of the world’s nuclear weapons. Other countries with nuclear arms include China, France, India, Israel, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom” (Kroenig). Following World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States were leaders of nuclear weapons. This period was called the Cold War. Forty-five years of potential nuclear destruction loomed over the Soviets and Americans. It wasn’t until after the Cold War that diplomats created the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, or NPT for short, recognizes the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom as nuclear weapon states. Nearly every country in the world is a member of the treaty, even if they do not possess nuclear weapons, by law they state that they are a nonnuclear

With the start of World War II the race for the first atomic bomb started. With Germany under Hitler’s reign, the Nazis began separating uranium to form the first atomic bomb to control the world. The push for the United States build the first atomic bomb began with this knowledge. With the help of several scientists the United States succeeded in building the atomic bomb first. Two atomic bombs were used; a uranium bomb on Hiroshima and a plutonium bomb on Nagasaki. Along with the many deaths were six stages of A-bomb illness which includes acute stages, atomic bomb trauma, A-bomb radiation illness, radiation blood injury at lethal dosage, blood injuries, and secondary radiation illness. Seven unhealed scars were also an effect of the atomic bombs that includes keloids, A-bomb cataracts, leukemia, cancers, chromosome changes, exposure in utero and microcephaly, and genetic surveys. Regulations and guidance were set in place soon after the bombings to protect the people of the world based on the information that was gathered and it has changed over the years based on the new information that was learned. With the use of the atomic bombs in World War II, a lot of pain and suffering was caused, but a great deal of information was learned to help protect future generations from radiation.

“ The atom bomb was no ‘great decision.’ It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness.” This quote was said by Harry S. Truman the first President who used an atomic bomb. The program that was able to create this monstrous power was known as the Manhattan Project. Creating this weapon was their main priority. The United States was in the midst of World War 2. The atomic bomb is considered to be the main factor that ended that war. It was a race against the multiple enemies of the United States, to be the first to acquire this power and use it when necessary. The Manhattan Project was kept strictly confidential and, created the foundation of the future and more powerful nuclear weapons to come.

From the perspective of the traditionalists, Truman was more strongly influenced by a desire to end the war immediately, and the desire of the American people to extract some measure of revenge on Japan. The Unites States, before the dropping of the bomb, had suffered an unprovoked attack from Japan at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Japanese destroyed most of the American pacific

World War II was considered as one of the deadliest war in the history. Many innocent civilians died due to the aggressiveness of the Axis powers because of this actions the Allies wanted to overthrow the Axis powers in response to its aggression and to establish a peaceful post-war. The United States decided to join the war along with the Allies after Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, which destroyed a lot of United States battleships. President Truman should have dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki because of Japan’s bombing attack of United States naval base on Pearl Harbor which resulted in the United States to declare war on Japan, to end the inhumane actions of the Japanese soldiers to its

In 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and in the act of “revenge”, we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, devastating the Japanese people. Harry Truman was not justified in his decision to use the atomic bombs against the Japanese and caused them to be victims. For, the Japanese already accepted that they were defeated and ready to surrender, Truman's goal of ending the war did not happen and instead started another war while horror swept the entire world, and it was very inhumane, many innocent Japanese lives were taken.

Although Truman realized that “an atomic bomb explosion would inflict damage and casualties beyond imagination,” he believed it would be the most effective approach in destroying the heartless nation of Japan (doc 1). Harry Truman also concluded that an invasion of Japan could cost as many as 1,000,000 American casualties. Therefore, if the US used atomic bombs against Japan, Japan would hopefully surrender, thus decreasing the number of American casualties. In agreement with Truman, Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, explained that the destruction of HIroshima and Nagasaki “stopped the fire raids, and the strangling blockade; it ended the ghastly specter of a clash of great land armies” (doc 3). An end to the massive number of bombs dropped, the blockade (?), and the horrific menace between Allied and Axis powers, caused the death toll in the Pacific to adequately decrease. In addition to saving thousands of American lives, it was in the United State’s best interest to force the Japanese to surrender, and to put an end to the immense fighting that occurred in the Pacific.

Thesis: The dropping of the atomic bomb during World War II by the United States on Japan was a justified act. Not only was the dropping of the atomic bomb used to save American lives, but it prevented the war from lingering on, taking the lives of more civilians. The bomb did not just make sense, but it saved lives, despite taking some, therefore making the atomic bomb a reasonable action. It is not war mentality to think of preserving the lives of innocent people when the safety of the world is at stake. World War II, taking place in Japan, was likely to continue to linger on which would produce more deaths in the long run. In a book entitled, Thank God for the Atomic Bomb, by WWII soldier, Paul Fussell, he noted that "The people who preferred an invasion to a bombing seemed to have no intention of proceeding to the Japanese front themselves. I have already noted what a few more days would mean to the luckless troops and sailors on the spot....on Okinawa, only a few weeks before Hiroshima, 123,000 Japanese and Americans killed each other. War is immoral. War is cruel". By saying this it proves that although dropping the atomic bomb had some consequences, not dropping it, and letting the war carry on had far worse outcomes, and those who did want an invasion were not willing to go fight for it, again proving the high demand for the wars end. Then, in a speech made by President Truman he explains, "My chief

During the 20th century, specifically the year 1945, the United States of America had two atomic bombs that the commander and chief, and president at the time, Harry Truman, knew about. President Truman plan was to drop the bombs on two of Japans cities, Hiroshima first and then Nagasaki. Truman’s plans went accordingly, which to this day leads to a very controversial topic on whether or not dropping the atomic bombs was a good or bad thing. There is evidence and reasoning to back up both claims, in which everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, in my opinion, I believe the choice of Harry Truman to drop the two atomic bombs was the right choice because it saved lives, helped end the war faster, and it was merely the only choice for the sake of the American soldiers.

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,

In December of 1941, Japanese forces bombed the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor. This attack killed over 2,000 and injured a small amount under that. This was the last reason to convince the United States to enter the war, and they did so just the next day. From this day, a day that will live in infamy, the United States, and Japanese were at a war with each other in the Pacific Theater. Japan kept prisoners of war and starved and beat them. Japan, with their culture of determination and dedication to their country, were refusing to give up. Harry S. Truman assumed the role as President after the death of FDR. Truman was presented with a hard situation. After learning the United States was capable of producing an atomic

On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb that the world had ever seen was dropped onto Hiroshima on orders of President Harry S. Truman. Three days later, a second bomb fell onto Nagasaki. While not all may find the bombs necessary to end the war with Japan, Truman had his own reasons for causing such devastation. He wanted the fastest possible end to the war to save soldiers’ lives, many Americans, as well as his key advisor, Byrnes, wanted the “unconditional surrender” (Walker 46) of Japan, and there was hatred still harbored against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.