Isabella Esposito Doctor Young H6SX 4/16/12 The Atomic Bomb: A True Necessity In 1945, President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan in an attempt to end World War II. It brought an almost immediate end to the war and hypothetically saved thousands of lives. Without the atomic bombs, the Japanese leaders might have dragged the war out, refusing to surrender. Moreover, the bombings could be seen as falling in line with the concept of “total war.” The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on Japan was justifiable based on three factors: the desire to save American and Japanese lives, to end World War II quickly, and to demonstrate the power of the US military. Harry Truman,
The bombing of Hiroshima, and later, Nagasaki were not justifiable military acts but war crimes. One of the major arguments about the bombing of Hiroshima had been whether the Japanese would have surrendered without the atomic bomb or not. President Truman said the atomic bomb was necessary to make Japan surrender quickly and prevent both more American and Japanese casualties. Others believed that there was no need for the use of the atomic bomb. The United States Strategic Bombing Survey issued in July 1946 declared “Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Survey's opinion that certainly prior to 31 December 1945 and in all probability prior
This immeasurable release of energy would be the cause of the destruction of two Japanese cities, and perhaps America’s worst offensive move in the history of war. The building of the Atomic Bomb was a highly kept government secret. Many of the workers who took part in the manufacturing of parts and assembling of the final project were oblivious to the type of power that the bomb contained. Only the handful of scientists- led by Oppenheimer- and the President himself were totally aware of what was going on. Not even
In World War two there were many battles fought. One of the most controversial issues for the United States was not even a battle though. It was the use of the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities. I believe that the US was right in using the atomic bombs on Japan. The Japanese planned a secret attack on the United States.
The United States didn’t want that to happen so they could end the war fast. That’s when we had no other options to end war except using the Atomic
To begin with, on why the United States were not justified in dropping the atomic bomb.Here is a question that can leave the reader thinking to why the attack was not thought through in a well mannered process.Which is that it was not military necessary because the United States Navy were firmly against it because it contradicted the naval blockade which was very encouraging to get Japan to end the war. Also the air force were not encouraging the bombing simply because General Carl Spaatz argued vigorously that Japan
A strategy was already devised to defeat Japan "without reliance upon the atomic bomb, which had not yet been tested in New Mexico." (Document A) From a report of a Scientific Panel, a moderate consensus was stated that "the opportunity of saving American lives by immediate military use, and believe that such use will improve the international prospects, in that they are more concerned with the prevention of war than with the elimination of this special weapon," helped bring support for the cause to use the bomb to end the war quickly. (Document G) But the United States seemed not to be concerned so much with the defeat of the Japanese which as General H. H. Arnold, Commander of the American Army Air Force stated: "atomic bomb or no atomic bomb, the Japanese were already on the verge of collapse," (Document B), but instead with Soviet involvement in the war. The United States and Britain felt threatened by Russia. They knew that Russia was bitter from their loss of territory and dignity after Japan defeated them in 1904.
Evaluate the view that the United States had no option but to use the atomic bomb in 1945. The United States clearly had no option but to use the atomic bomb in 1945 since it was the only way they could end the war. Due to the failure of conventional warfare, the US needed to resort to the use of the atomic bomb since it was the only viable means of ending the war. There was also a need to avoid a land invasion which would come at the cost of thousands of lives, particularly due to the existing military strength of Japan. Furthermore, Japan’s rejection of the Potsdam declaration meant there was the possibility of a conditional surrender and Soviet involvement in the post-war administration of Japan – both of which were consequences the US did not want to face.
Should have America dropped the atomic bomb? In this essay I am going to say whether America should have dropped the atomic bomb. The two main points is yes they should have or the shouldn’t have. The first main point was that USA were worried by Japanese expansion so which they banned all their trading going to Japan, which stopped 80% of all the oil supplied to Japan in the summer of 1941. After this outbreak from the Americans the Japanese hit back with a surprise attack on the Americans which allowed the conquest of South-East Asia and the Pacific before the Americans had even recovered from the surprise attack.
However, while Europe was now liberated from Nazi control, Japan had remained unhindered. The new President, Harry S Truman, became aware of the atomic bomb’s existence, and initially considered several alternatives to convince Japan to quit the war; intensify the already heavy bombing of Japanese cities, wait for the Soviet Union (an ally in defeating Germany) to join the war against Japan, allow Japan's emperor, Hirohito, to remain on his throne, or invade Japan's mainland. (pg. 206) However, none of the first three of those options were certain to compel Japan to surrender or end the war in the near term, and each would have posed very serious military, political, and diplomatic risks. Truman’s military advisors also predicted an alarming casualty rate of between 500,000 to 1,000,000 American soldiers if they were to directly invade the Japanese mainland.