Regretting the Bomb On August 6th and August 9th, 1945, the United States showcased a power that had previously never been witnessed: the atomic bomb. Dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, the nuclear explosions (and their subsequent effects) caused the deaths of over 140,000 people. More Japanese citizens died in the bombings than the combined deaths of United States soldiers in the entirety of World War II in the Pacific. Thus, creating a museum exhibit in memory of one of the main contributors to the invention of the bomb that caused that much destruction may seem like an unworthy cause, much like the Enola Gay exhibit faced when it was proposed at the Smithsonian, but that is exactly what should happen. J. Robert Oppenheimer was a scientific director for the Manhattan Project (the group of scientists and researchers that created the atomic bomb), and he should be memorialized for his contributions to both scientific and political ideology.
This proceeds with the question; what advancements are moral? I believe that any science, innovation, study, or sort of exploration must be morally just, intended to better our understanding of the world, and be created with intention to improve any part of society. For example, the formation of the first rocket ship was monumental in bringing exploration to the new frontier and impacted our society for the better. Therefore this invention would be considered moral and for positive advancement. On the contrary, the scientific creation of something such as the nuclear bomb could be considered scientific expansion for the worse as it can provide horrible outcomes and is lethal if put in the wrong hands; thus classified as
Was America justified in dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945? The world’s first atom bomb (code named Little Boy) was dropped on August 6th, 1945 by an American B-29 bomber on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It is one of the most destructive and damaging weapon known to mankind. This not only caused instant deaths but had negative long-term effects to the people. In history there were only two occasions which the atomic bomb was used and unluckily Hiroshima was the first of the only two, causing thousands of deaths to Japanese civilians.
The Japanese planned a secret attack on the United States. It all culminated on Sunday, December 7, 1941 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The attack was so cruel in the fact that it was a Sunday, a "Holy" day, and there were no true warning signs. The United States then reacted by joining the Allied effort against the Axis powers. After Germany and Italy were defeated, only Japan stood standing.
As part of human instinct it is only natural that one would thrive to surge beyond previous limits and access the secrets of life. Though can too much knowledge on one individual lead to a dangerous outcome, especially whilst attempting to play god. In Blade runner and Frankenstein this seek for greater means is evident and one can truly understand the impacts it can have. Victor plays the role of god in Frankenstein by creating what he had believed the ultimate human. Though naïve as he is, this only leads to suffering.
After isolating himself from everybody for two months while creating his monster, his health started to deteriorate, and in the end died alone. Nikola Tesla, also a great inventor who shared the same fate. Spider describes Tesla’s fate“ He died broke in 1943eight months before the Supreme Court proclaimed him the true inventor of the radio”(67). Both just being reduced to a nobody who should have been credited for their scientific discoveries. Their ambition has caused much destruction to the one responsible but it does not just end there.The effects of one person’s ambition has the ability to affect people around them.
Without a warning hundreds of thousands of Hiroshima residents were instantly killed by an atomic bomb the size of a small home, devouring the entire city. Being the first nuclear weapon in history, President Truman claimed the results were not intended to be so powerful and destructive as they proved to be. Truman believed that by dropping the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the war would end. Although it did just that, there were many other peaceful ways of resolving this war. Both countries wanted the
The people who are questioning Truman’s motives are known as Revisionists, because they attempt to revise common perceptions of history, coming up with alternate theories and motives. These people believe that Truman had ulterior motives for dropping the bombs. Most people that were alive at the time of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings believe that Truman decided to drop the atomic bombs solely for military reasons. Dropping the bombs saved many American lives considered there would be no need for a land invasion of
Instead 1000’s of innocent Japanese people did. This was a major down fall of the atomic bomb, as the Americans couldn’t specifically choose who they were going to kill. The people that really deserved to die didn’t, and their country had to pay for that. Whilst getting revenge, and reasserting their self-pride, the Americans also planned on spreading fear over every country in the world. They knew that if they dropped this never seen before weapon it would shock the world and make themselves respected and feared.
Despite the ridiculous cover-ups provided by people, who support the dropping of the atomic bomb, there are an equal number of reasons why other people believe it should never have happened. The destruction caused by the bomb is one major justification for why it should not have been used. The US did not know the amount of damage the bomb was going to create, or the effects it would have on the people affected by the radiation. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was an inhumane act of cruelty and murder to over a hundred thousand Japanese, and the twenty-three American prisoners of war that were being held in Hiroshima at the time the bomb was dropped. The US should have held back from dropping the bomb until knowledge of the bombs full power was known.