The Consequences Of Dropping The Atomic Bomb

When President Truman authorized the use of two nuclear weapons in 1945 against the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, the nature of international security was changed irreversibly. At that time, the United States had what was said to have a monopoly of atomic bombs. Soon thereafter, the Soviet Union began working on atomic weaponry. In 1949, it had already detonated it first atomic bomb and tensions began to heat up between the two countries. With the information that the Soviets had tested their first bomb, the United States began work on more powerful weapons1, and a fight for nuclear superiority had begun.

1. Long after World War II and the use of the atomic bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a great debate remains. It seems that there are two main potential arguments as to why the bombs were detonated and whether or not they were even necessary to begin with. The first theory surrounds the notion of the national security interests of the United States. In this theory essentially, Truman’s actions had been defended and justified as necessary in order to quickly end the war with U.S. causalities kept to a minimum.

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.

The pressing question still lingers: Was the United States justified in using the Atomic Bomb against Japan during WWII? World War II stands as the bloodiest and deadliest war of all time. It involved more than thirty countries and resulted in over fifty million civilian and military deaths. It lasted six years, beginning with Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939. As the Allied Powers (mainly the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union) and the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) were in direct conflict with each other, many wonder if the cost of victory was too extreme. In late 1941, the process of creating the world’s first, most deadly weapon began. The production of the first atomic bomb was code named “the Manhattan Project.” After months of production, August 6, 1945, America dropped the “Little Boy” bomb on Hiroshima, wiping out ninety percent of the city. August 9, 1945, just three days after the devastation of the first bomb, America dropped the “Fat Man” bomb on Nagasaki. Dropping the atomic bomb on Japan was not necessary, nor justified in ending World War II. Due to the fact that America targeted heavily civilian populated cities (with limited military value), that Japan was in a position of surrender before the bomb was dropped, and the fact that the U.S. did not give enough time for Japan to process the devastation of the first bomb before the second in Nagasaki shows that America’s decision to drop the atomic bomb was entirely unjustified.

The United States government, led by President Harry S. Truman at the time, produced some of the most tactical and technological advances during World War II. The most devastating of these advances is proven to be the atomic bombs that were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forcing Japan to surrender. This bomb played a crucial part in the ending of World War II. The decision to drop the atomic bomb was used as a last resort in order to defend and protect the United States. Although many disagree, it is safe to say that dropping these atomic bombs was unjust; the decision is extremely controversial as it has caused many military, political, and ethical disagreements.

America’s use of the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities also opened the door to other countries challenging them through their own use of nuclear bombs. Many have criticized that the atomic bomb was an act of “muscle flexing” due to the sheer power and destruction caused by the decision to drop the two bombs. (Nicholls, 67). Not only were these bombs a demonstration of the power that these nuclear weapons had, but they were a testament of power that the United States now held. Never before had a country surrendered in war without first being invaded, so the decision to drop the bomb and Japan's subsequent surrender were extremely significant (Baldwin, 39). These bombings didn’t just impact the Japanese, but the whole world and gave way to

The months before the end of the war, presented America with an opportunity to employ a deadly nuclear weapon, unbeknown to the rest of humanity. And whilst it was evidently crucial for America to expose their military strength through utilising the atomic bomb, the affects were far more detrimental to the Japanese than ethically permissible.

President Harry Truman’s use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during the Second World War is the most controversial decision in history. While it was an undoubtedly difficult decision, it was indeed necessary in order to end this six-year war that had ravaged the world. While many critics argue that the bomb was used primarily as an act of vengeance toward Japan, simplifying such a crucial moment in human history downplays the very real risk invading Japan posed to the United States. While avoiding strained relations with the other Allied countries, Truman had to assess the possible danger of the Soviet Union in a post-war world. Furthermore, the possibility of an arms race, the moral implications of using this

“On August 6, 1945, the world was changed forever with the denotation of an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, followed three days later with the use of another bomb over Nagasaki”1. The United States use of atomic weapons on Japan in 1945 was an event that triggered the fear of many individuals because it was during the period of war. The use of atomic weapons by the United States however, was justified because they had to end the war quicker, they intended to do minimal damage, and they had no other alternative.

When President Roosevelt died he left Vice President Truman the enormous dilemma of whether or not to use the atomic bomb in the war against Japan. The scientists informed Truman of the bomb’s devastating force and expressed concerns about the future of such dangerous weapons (Document 2). However, the ends justified the risks because President Truman needed to seize America’s advantage, end the war, and save human lives.

Though people questioned why acts of war were committed, they found justification in rationalizing that it served the greater good. As time evolved, the world began to evolve in its thinking and view of the atomic bomb and war. In Hiroshima, John Hersey has a conversation with a survivor of the atomic bomb about the general nature of war. “She had firsthand knowledge of the cruelty of the atomic bomb, but she felt that more notice should be given to the causes than to the instruments of total war.” (Hersey, 122). In John Hersey’s book, many concepts are discussed. The most important concept for the reader to identify was how society viewed the use of the bomb. Many people, including survivors, have chosen to look past the bomb itself, into the deeper issues the bomb represents. The same should apply to us. Since WWII, we have set up many restrictions, protocols and preventions in the hope that we could spare our society from total nuclear war. The world has benefited in our perspective of the bomb because we learned, understand, and fear the use of atomic weapons.

​Japans assault on Pearl Harbor was what pushed the United Staes to end up in WWII. After numerous fights and losses against the Japanese, Truman knew the time had come to make a move to end this war. Variables that legitimize the dropping of the nuclear bombs are to anticipate any longer setbacks, reason impact on the soviet union, local legislative issues, and the come up short of the Potsdam Declaration. Contentions made against utilizing the bombs are the setbacks of guiltless lives, and Japans armed force at the purpose of falling. Truman 's choice to drop the bombs was a helpful decision. The utilizing of the nuclear bombs likewise had its post-war clashes; radiation in Japan, and struggle between United States and Soviet Union.

Dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a turning point in the world history, and it was a courageous step of the United States on the way to ending the war. On the one hand, there seem to be substantial reasons for dropping the bomb. On the other hand, such a radical step on the side of the United States might be perceived as a means of establishing the world power and promoting the supremacy of the United States.

In 1945, the United States with help from Canada, released a new force into unsuspecting Japan which shocked the world. It was the weapon the Manhattan project spent months working on while spending approximately $20 billion. It used up to 12% of America’s electricity during the war even though many people did not know what they were working on. It was a weapon so powerful that many heads of this project feared it would go terribly wrong. It would save many lives and end many others. It was the atomic bomb. This weapon of mass destruction was used on two Japanese cities during World War 2 though it was very controversial. However, with further review, it was completely necessary to drop

August 6, 1945; the very way of life in Hiroshima, Japan would change forever based on one order from U.S. president Harry S. Truman. The first and only atomic weapon ever used was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki only three days later to supposedly end the long and brutal war between Japan and the United States during WWII. Harry Truman’s logic was that Japan looked to not be surrendering anytime soon; and continued fighting would claim drastic numbers of American lives. One of the biggest debates to ever exist; were these atomic bombs just? To set the record straight; it was not in the least just to drop atomic weaponry with little warning on countless innocents; children, mothers, elderly, all killed in a small-time slot.