Hiroshima Bombing

Hiroshima Bomb Analysis

Hiroshima is a city located in Japan, an island in Asia off the mainland of China. On December 7th, 1941 the Japanese launched an attack on the United States by bombing Pearl Harbor. This attack caused the United States to enter World War II and declare war on Japan and its counterparts Germany and Italy. The war was long and devastating for both sides both Allies and Axis powers. After a long and strained war the Japanese have been pushed back to their homeland. The United States had two options, one invade the island of Japan or use the atomic bomb they were developing. On August 9th, 1945 the United States bombed the Japanese city Hiroshima killing thousand Japanese civilians making them finally surrender the war. Many historians have different opinions and views why the United States dropped the bomb. I agree with historians Alperovitz and Frank, unlike most they’re anti-atomic bomb on Japan. I’m against the use of atomic weapons altogether and especially in Truman’s situation the atomic bomb was a bad decision. The use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima was unjust and overkill. The bomb killed thousands of civilians in Hiroshima to compel the Japanese to surrender, but as historian Berstein stated “conventional bombings could have produced the same result by November 1st.” Berstein points out that the Japanese government was collapsing on itself and their transportation system throughout the country was very poor and couldn’t supply its people with food and resources so the United States could have waited the Japanese out. The use of the bomb could cause public backlash as well, rather than using the bomb the United States could have demonstrated the bomb before hand in which compelling the Japanese to surrender. The Truman administration had millions of other options rather than the atomic bomb or a direct invasion. The United States could have let the Soviet Union join and this would also pressure the Japanese to surrender, they couldn’t handle a war with both the U.S and the U.S.S.R. Japan would most certainly surrender if the Soviets joined the battle. The United States could also look into the fact that the Japanese won’t surrender to the unconditional surrender because it would most certainly eliminate the emperor. Japan won’t give up because they must protect their emperor. If the U.S promised not to execute or eliminate the emperor the Japanese would most likely surrender. I believe that the United States had an agenda when they used the atomic bomb, it was not a military act, it was a political action. Obviously the war was going to end no matter what route the U.S decided to do. Post-war the U.S would have to conduct treaties with the Soviets. I believe what historian Alperovitz said, “the bombing was not by any means a strict military use, it was leverage with the U.S.S.R in the post-war.” I think the United States knew the Soviets would be stubborn in the post-war so they used the bomb as a bold statement to show the Soviet Union what the United States was made of. The bombing was strictly political and leverage, not military use. Now other historians like Geoffrey Warner claims the bombing was a military action. I disagree with this completely; he states that the United States used the bomb to save lives. That is completely contradictory, why would anyone use a bomb to save lives. The atomic bomb killed thousands of people; by no means did the United States use the bomb to save lives. Warner says, “The bomb would save lives, period.” Which means the bomb would mean the save lives everywhere. Using the bomb militarily and to save lives, no I disagree with that it doesn’t make sense. I also don’t agree with the fact that he believes that the United States had only two straightforward options. One use the bomb, two invade Japan. The U.S had many options, and Warner thinking that the Japanese would never had surrendered unless the use of the bomb is not correct, they could have learned more about their enemies situation and grasping the fact the bomb was not necessary. Ultimately I believe the bombing of Hiroshima was wrong and unnecessary. It’s against the unwritten rules of war to attack women and children and the bomb did just that. The bomb shouldn’t have been used and it was only used to have political leverage against the Soviet Union in Post-War. The United States had many other options than the bomb. The bombing of Hiroshima should have never happened.