Preview

Dropping The Atomic Bomb

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
523 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Dropping The Atomic Bomb
This investigation will explore the question: To what extent was President Truman’s decision to the drop atomic bomb to save lives and hasten the end of World War Two? The pressures and outcomes of dropping the explosive on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, will be the focus of this investigation. The first source is Thomas Holmes article, “The Dropping of the Atomic Bombs on Japan”, published in 2005 in the United States. The origin is valuable because Holmes is an American historian and social studies professor which qualifies him to cover this topic.The publication date increases the value of this text because it shows how the author was able to benefit from highsight and use it to guide his beliefs and understanding of this topic. He came up with theories that were proved by exploring both views on dropping the atomic bomb. The content includes separate sections for the advocates and critics for using the weapon. This is limited because it only has his perspective and thoughts which creates bias. The purpose of this text was to revise the previous interpretations of the use of the atomic bomb. He concentrated on forming arguments for both sides of the controversy for students of history. This creates value because …show more content…
The content of this secondary source comments on the opposing views of the war crime issues after the use of the atomic bombs. The origin makes this source valuable because Nagai is a professor of modern Japanese history at the Hiroshima Peace Institute. He is very knowledgeable and has access to a sheer amount of documents and is able to benefit from hindsight. However there is limitations to this because he is Japanese so he may contain a biased view on the effects of the atomic bomb. Also, his sources are limited since he lives in Japan, where there was propaganda after the war was

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    This investigation evaluates whether or not the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary to make Japan surrender unconditionally. To assess the extent to which the deployment of nuclear weapons affected the Japanese decision to surrender unconditionally and if Japan was already prepared to do this prior to the use of the atomic bombs. The details and motivations of the United States to drop the bombs are explored as well as Japan’s peace negotiations with the United States and their progress prior to the U.S. choosing to use the bombs. Actions of the United States and Japan not related to the end of World War 2 are not assessed in this investigation.…

    • 2170 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Twenty years after Harry Truman ordered the dropping of the atomic bomb, scholars and citizens subscribed to the original version of the story: the President acted to avoid the invasion of Japan and lose anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 American lives. Then in 1965, Gar Alperovitz published a the book “Atomic Diplomacy: Hiroshima and Potsdam”. He argues that the dropping of the atomic bomb “was not needed to end the war or to save lives” but was a message to the Soviet Union. Fifty years after the atomic bomb was dropped, Alperovitz said that the final answer to why the atomic bomb was dropped is “neither essential nor possible”. He also said,”What is important is whether, when the bomb was used, the President and his top advisers understood that it wa not required to avoid a long and costly invasion, as they later claimed and as most Americans still believe.” Alperovitz believes that if the bomb was not used, Japan might still have been made to surrender before the first American landing on the island of Kyushu.…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    DBQ Atomic Bomb

    • 639 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Although there were attempts at peace, Japan showed no signs of agreement towards a peaceful and unconditional surrender. Japan’s reluctance to stop fighting could have left to months more of fighting and thousands of more deaths. The atomic bomb ensured an enormous display that could quickly end the war. As Cuhrchill proclaimed, “the end of the Japanese war no longer depended upon the pouring in of their armies for the final and perhaps protracted slaughter… this nightmare picture [has] vanished… in its place the vision of the end of the whole war in one or two violent shocks” (Doc E). Churchill summed up the gist of America’s reasoning for implementing the bombs. The United States did not have to depend on the slaughter of millions of people in bloody, messy fights, and , instead, “a speedy end to the Second World War” could be reached with one machine (Doc E). However, once the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the Japanese continued to resist. It wasn’t until a second bomb was dropped that Japan surrendered with a simple stipulation that their emperor remain in his position. This alone proves the military necessity of the bombs. Despite the attack on Hiroshima, Japanese still wished to continue their war. If not for the second bomb, who know how many lives would have been lost.…

    • 639 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    President Truman’s decision of the atomic bombing has undeniably made a huge impact to world’s history events. Throughout decades, many individuals’ have encountered diverse explanations as to why it was necessary for the dropping of the atomic bomb. While others believe it was essential, some may think that it caused an enormous catastrophe, murdering millions of innocent civilians and produced a generation with an atrocious radiation poison. Years has passed by and it continues to be the utmost talked about event. The atomic bombing that took place in Japan can be argued that it was the greatest decision made by president Truman. There are majority of different schools of thought behind President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombing. Readings that have been encountered can conclude that President Truman’s decision was a great one. This event prevented future fatalities amongst the Japanese as well as the Americans, ended the world war II, and it was the only option handed to Truman.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the first ever Atomic weapon on Hiroshima, Japan. 140,000 people lost their lives, most of which were civilians. President Truman was in charge of this major decision, and he made the correct choice. The alternative solutions were much too costly for the United States, both in expenses and American casualties. Another reason Truman’s decision is justified was due to the declination of the fair ultimatum recieved by Japan. Also it was important to the well being of the world to keep the Soviets out of Japan. Dropping the Atomic Bomb was the most reliable and definite way to end the war.…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan in August of 1945 was made by a complex group of technological, political and military influences. History has it that the bombs were dropped in order to save American lives by avoiding the invasion of Japanese homelands, at least, that was what President Truman told the American public at the time. “For years, this simple view has been challenged by a seemingly more sophisticated academic perspective that the bombs were wrongfully used against innocent civilians, did not genuinely factor into the surrender of Japan, and would have better served the war effort as part of a diplomatic “carrot and stick” package.” (Beason 1). Some argue that the first bomb may have been required to achieve Japanese surrender, but the second one was a needless act of barbarism. According to Admiral William D. Leahy, the President’s Chief of Staff, “The use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war over Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender…” (Beason 1). However, I have many facts to counteract all of these criticisms and to support President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb.…

    • 1290 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In august of 1945, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a questionable decision by Harry Truman, the president of The United States of America. Throughout the years, it has been a heated debate in terms of whether the decision was morally correct and justified. Historians have analyzed and presented many arguments. In this short essay, I will attempt to expand on how historians feel about the decision by Truman to use atomic bombs. The revisionists bring into perspective and question the motivations of Harry Truman claiming he had more on his agenda than just the war. In my opinion, the decision to use atomic bombs was somewhat justified because if looked at statistically, the death toll with an invasion would have been higher and Truman…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    World War was nearing the end when Truman stepped into presidency. The Truman Administration was clearly looking for a way to end the war at the lowest possible cost of American lives. The suggestion of dropping atomic bombs over Japan had surfaced, and with it came a huge dilemma. After much deliberation, the time came when Truman ordered the Americans to drop an atomic bomb over Hiroshima. It all becomes quite clear that atomic bombings of Japan cannot be justified. They can be viewed as an inhumane acts that were aimed at American revenge and retaliation against the Japanese. The decision made by Truman in 1945…

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When talking about WW2 and Japan, something that comes to mind often is the atomic bomb. Some people say it was a good thing, as it ended one of the worst war in history. however, some say that it was wrong to drop a bomb of a country that was on the verge of surrender. Proof of this statement, this essay will tell you.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Atom Bomb

    • 332 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The reason that I am interested in doing my research essay on the Atom Bomb is because I have always been interested in politics. How our world works, and what has effected it's course, in my opinion, is one of the most important subjects to learn among our peers. After careful thought, I chose the atomic bomb because it is one of the few past inventions that still threaten us today. My base intention is to try an understand why men desired such an easy, yet consequential, means of war. What drives war, and why must the innocent suffer from it? I have already learned from my sources about the two inventors, and how they didn't see eye to eye on the use of nuclear weapons. The reason for the invention was to fight wars without losing a countries…

    • 332 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    My first paragraph is going to be about the massive impact the atomic bomb had on Japan itself. When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki around 700000 Japanese people died, the majority from radiation poisoning. About half an hour after the atomic bomb of Hiroshima was dropped 'black rain' began to fall. This rain contained the radio active fallout and spread across the whole of Hiroshima – even some places beyond it. Those affected by the 'black rain' were exposed to radiation, which caused the same health-effects as radiation poisoning; the 'black rain' caused a lot of deaths to people who thought they were safe. Many of the people who were not killed immediately upon the blast later died from radiation exposure, this has been shown for up to three miles from the bomb site. Vomiting, diarrhea, swollen mouth and throat including bleeding from these areas were the first symptoms that appeared within hours of the explosion. Strange bluish spots began to appear on survivors as well. Little was known about the full effects of radiation, but soon doctors began describing patients that showed no outside injuries started falling sick and showed many of the symptoms noted above, this strange disease became known as 'Disease X'. The bomb carried on effecting Japan as for years after babies were born deformed and breast cancer was extremely common. Not only were the military killed by the atomic bomb but innocent citizens also perished, although this was not the USA's first plan in benefited them as Japan was deeply broken.…

    • 1534 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The first atomic bomb was exploded in a desert in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. President Truman then warned the Japanese. He told them that unless they surrendered, they could expect a “rain of ruin from the air.” The Japanese did not reply. So, on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a Japanese city of 365,000 people. Almost 73,000 people died in the attack. Three days later, on August 9, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, a city of 200,000. It killed about 37,500 people. Radiation killed many more. The Japanese formally surrendered on September 2.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Atomic Bomb

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The United States Decision to drop the Atomic bomb has been a controversial topic since the day the first bomb was dropped August 6, 1945. President Harry Truman made the ultimate decision to use the atomic bomb, to him it was a clear decision that this would end the war with America’s most hated enemy: Japan (Nathan, 2012). There had been thousandths of bloody deaths up to-this-point in the war, Japan was destroyed, they had just about nothing, their country was in starvation, the domestic infrastructure was ruined, both sides knew that America was going to win. The question was not if it was when? (Nathan, 2012) Truman’s decision in using the bomb was not taken lightly it came down to several factors but ultimately he wanted the war to end as soon as possible with the fewest U.S casualties (Maddox, 1995).…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Y9 Hiroshima PLP On August 6, 1945, a new step in technological warfare was taken when the first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The impact of the bomb alone killed at least 66,000 people. This was an event that would not soon be forgotten in history. The Americans, who knew the devastating effects of their new weapon, still chose to use it rather than an alternative means to peace. This project will explain if it was morally right for the Americans to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.…

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Most Americans accepted the atomic bombings saved too many lives and brought the war to a more timely to end. Truman didn’t have any problem with over one hundred thousand of the enemy being killed. After all, the Japanese attacked America and not the other way around. In later year to many questions creates American’s people that ‘’Truman was saving lives’’? Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan it was for the purpose of saving lives and ending the war quickly and prevent a disastrous land invasion.…

    • 291 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays