Name: Course Instructor: Class: Date: Critical Book Review: Prompt and Utter Destruction Introduction Within weeks, word on the US dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki began to spread that the main reason behind the bombs was to save the lives of Americans (Bernard). It was put that hundreds of thousands of American military causalities were saved through the bombings. Lives that would have been lost through invasion of Japan were saved, in addition to maintaining that both military and civilian Japanese causalities were prevented through the atomic bombs that contributed to the end of the war (Norris). However, was the word true? In the Prompt & Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan, historian J. Samuel Walker provides an …show more content…
Walker does not just take the reader on a tour of the decision-making process of President Truman and shows what made him to order the use of Atomic bombs on Japan, but he also provide an exploration of the historical situation that prompted the decision. He also examines the viewpoint of the Japanese, not only regarding the impact of the bombings on their ultimate decision to surrender, but also how their Allies called for an unconditional surrender. This call could possibly have led to the Japanese Emperor, Hirohito, being tried on counts of war crimes, which may have possibly made the Japanese to be reluctant on surrendering even in light of a crushing defeat (Huczko). Samuel Walker also provides useful insights into contribution made by the decision to use Atomic weapons on Japanese decision to surrender. Overall, the work is worth reading and is recommendable for students and scholars with interest in the Truman administration, atomic warfare and weapons, the second world war, relations between the US and the Soviet, and those curious of knowing the reasons that led to Truman’s decision to use two atomic bombs on
Taking Japan’s impending surrender into consideration, the usage of the atomic bombs was militarily unnecessary and immoral. Further, it lead to the extensive loss of civilian life, therefore making these bombings justifiable only to a lesser extent. However, supporters of the bombings generally are of the opinion that they were instrumental in the Japanese surrender. These supporters also believe
By July 1945, it was clear that Japan had been weakened by violent attacks, but there was no indication of any weakening of their determination to fight. In addition, the total strength of the Japanese Army was estimated to be close to 5,000,000 men, which posed an even greater threat to the United States (Blanche M. Touhill, 452). In order to end the war and bring down this large, determined army, the Potsdam Declaration was created. This ultimatum was designed to “spare the Japanese people from utter destruction”, as said by Truman (Kevin B., 605). This rejection shows that the Japanese army and government were aware of the possible dangers of the continuation of war and their choice to decline to surrender.
This accurate statement is an agreement that Truman’s decision to drop the bomb saved countless lives, and if it was not dropped many more lives would have been put to an end. In another reliable document it states, “From this background I believe, with complete conviction, that the use of the atomic bomb saved hundreds of thousands—perhaps several millions—of lives, both American and Japanese; that without its use the war would have continued for many months; that no one of good conscience knowing.” This statement comes out of a secondary source which explains how the use of the Atomic Bomb saved millions more lives, and stopped the most tragic war in history. To conclude this argument, the use of the Atomic Bomb was very essential to saving innumerable lives, and putting an end to a tragic, bloody
As former Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson stated in his memoirs, “The principal, social, and military objectives of the United States in the summer of 1945 was the prompt and complete surrender of Japan” (Doc A). Agreeing with Stimson are a few nuclear physicists who state that an atomic bomb is “the proposal of a purely technical demonstration of that of the military application best designed to induce surrender” (Doc G). This common belief among Stimson and the physicists shows that common thought among the people and even the military itself was that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were to force Japan to surrender. Even though it is a basic idea, it seems practical because after Pearl Harbor and the “Island Hopping” battles in the Pacific, why wouldn't one want to put an end to all of the chaos in a few seconds? Along with the belief that America was striving for surrender, the thought that America bombed Japan to spare American lives is very understandable and practical.
The dropping of the bombs were necessary and fair due to the refusal of the Japanese to surrender, the millions of lives saved by a quick end to the war, and the warnings given to the Japanese. To begin, the Japanese soldiers have it ingrained in their brains that it is dishonorable to surrender. The author of Drop the Bomb as agreed by saying that “the Japanese have demonstrated a willingness to fight to the death”. During the war there were many times for the Japanese to surrender, but it was never done. With this in mind, they would have continued to drag out the war, which shows that dropping the bombs sped up the war which lessened the casualties.
Hersey’s straight, simple narrative technique presents the catastrophe in its raw form, including the voices of those who experienced the bombing firsthand. He does so without showing bias or raising the question of whether or not the United States should have dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. While many citizens of Hiroshima “continued to feel a hatred for Americans which nothing could possibly erase,” (117) some, like Mrs. Nakamura, “remained more or less indifferent about the ethics of using the bomb.” (117). Despite mixed reactions of the people of Hiroshima themselves, never does the author condemn the decision to drop the bomb, nor does he condone
The background essay states that, “there was reason to believe that the war could be won without either the atomic bomb or a land invasion. This was because an allied naval blockade had already put a stranglehold on Japan. The Japanese people were facing the prospect of slow starvation.” The US military and government “understood that such an invasion might cost hundreds of thousands of lives,” yet they still chose to go through with the bombing. Anteceding this, the US had “cracked Japan’s diplomatic code and learned that the Japanese had approached the Soviet Union to help negotiate surrender.”
It also had long lasting effects that still impact Japanese lives. In the newspaper by Jack Doherty headlined ¨Atomic Bomb Fury Hits Japan¨ after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the president said, ¨It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction.¨ Yet, look where it has gone and how much damage it had cost Japan. I encourage you to not listen to these statements as if they were true, and right the wrongs the atomic bombs have done to Japan by unjustifying the act and telling others to do so as
In the twentieth century, the United States dropped two atomic bombs, which were the most powerful weapons at that time, on Japan. It happened on August 6 and August 9, 1945. The atomic bombs killed 226,000 Japanese and ended the war. However, America should not have dropped the atomic bombs for two reasons. First, it was not necessary to drop the bomb to win the war militarily or to get the Japanese to surrender.
the bomb’s code name was “Little Boy”. Three days later, on August 9th, 1945, America dropped another bomb on Nagasaki with the code name “Fat Man”. As many as 200,000 deaths were caused by “Little Boy” alone and many people would die of radiation for years to come. The dropping of the Atom bomb on Hiroshima is an extremely debatable issue with no right or wrong answer. In this essay I will describe both sides to the argument then conclude using my final opinion on whether I am for or against the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima.
As all the world has known, the biggest atomic bomb in warfare history by the end of World War 2 is the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima that hit on August 9th, 1945 by the direct order of our 33rd president of The United States Of America; Harry S. Truman. He thought this bomb would bring a close ending of the war (World War 2) and it definitely did but it was too much to handle afterwards when it hit. There was no choice for Truman because there was no other way to bring the war into a close. It was the last call, but they didn’t realize that after they released the bomb, it was hard to decide whether it was a mistake or the right decision. The bomb killed innocent people of 199,000 (plus more).
Imagine living in a period in which the realities of war encased the world, and the lethal potential to end all suffering was up to a single being. During World War II, tensions between Japan and the United States increased. Despite pleas from US President, Harry Truman, for Japan to surrender, the Japanese were intent on continuing the fight. As a result, Truman ordered the atomic bomb, a deadly revolution in nuclear science, to be dropped on the towns of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. President Harry Truman, in his speech, “Announcement of the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb,” supports his claim that the dropping of the A-bomb shortened the war, saved lives, and got revenge by appealing to American anger by mentioning traumatic historical events and
This document conveys that the Japanese wouldn’t back down after multiple warnings, instead they were getting stronger, and therefore the atomic bombs were justified because they were given fair warnings that they did not take it
President Harry Truman gave an executive order in 1945 to drop to atomic bombs in popular downtown cities in Japan. With the guidance of many scientists and political leaders President Truman made the extremely tough decision to drop the bombs. After listening to arguments from both sides President Truman came to the conclusion that dropping bombs would be the best thing to do for this war. It would also show that the United States had an extreme military power. Many American politicians were for the idea of dropping the bomb, because they believed that it was the only way to end the war and get Japan to surrender.
However what these sceptics don 't realize is that the use of the atomic bomb not only helped end the war, but facilitated the dominance of the United States that the Japanese finally gave in to. In the section titled, NOTES OF THE INTERIM