During World War II in America, President Truman decided to drop an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan following Pearl Harbor. Given that Japan was a communist power for some time and that the United States implemented the policy of containment, it is no surprise that an attack on Japan was coming. Today, some think the dropping of the atomic bomb was meant to force Japan to surrender, however, Truman’s actions were inspired with diplomacy in mind. For example, following Hiroshima, diplomatic efforts were shared among the U.S., England, and the U.S.S.R. The policy of containment was also spread, decreasing communism. Also, the atomic bombing at Hiroshima was meant to challenge Japan’s ability to make war, not force them to surrender, …show more content…
used Hiroshima as a way to intimidate the U.S.S.R. was through the spread of America’s containment policy that aimed at ending communism. During this time, the U.S. was highly anti-communist. As a result, politicians were not thrilled at the Soviets joining the Japanese War because they wanted to rely on Soviet aid as little as possible. Through his point of view as a powerful general, Dwight D. Eisenhower expressed to President Truman in Document C that the U.S. will not have to rely on Soviet aid if there is a winner before they join. Because Hiroshima would cause the Japanese to surrender, this shows that the anti-communist policies of this time would lead to the U.S.S.R. being intimidated because the U.S. caused the surrender of Japan. Next, the policy of containment would lead to the U.S.S.R. being threatened because it would lead to Allies. For example, under the TRUMAN DOCTRINE, the U.S. vowed to support countries threatened by the Soviets. Allies of the U.S. helped with containment, as shown in Document A, which has a point of view from the 1947 Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson. This can be seen when Stimson describes that millions of soldiers from Ally countries would need to come fight if Japan resisted. Because this shows that Allies forces could be as large as millions of people, there is no doubt that the U.S.S.R. felt intimidated as a result. In the end, because Hiroshima would eventually lead to the Soviet Union developing their own atomic bombs and the Red Scare, it is clear that the U.S. was trying to intimidate the U.S.S.R. through their policy of containment that would result in the urge to defeat Japan to avoid dealing with communists and the growth of allies that could threaten
On August 6, 1945, President Harry S. Truman made the decision to drop the two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although most of the United States agreed with Harry S. Truman and his decision to drop the two atomic bombs, some people still disagreed. People argued that it was inhumane. Overall, the United State’s decision to drop the two atomic bombs was the correct decision and was not immoral.
The releasing of the atomic bombs to intimidate the Soviets in the years after World War Two is a valid claim because the war in Japan was virtually over, the United States thought detonating the bombs would make the USSR controllable, and the United States wanted to avoid an alliance with the Soviets. Since the atomic bomb bombardment was very late in the war, it might have seemed unnecessary. As General H. H. Arnold of the American Army once said, “it always appeared to us that, atomic bomb or no atomic bomb, the Japanese were already on the verge of collapse” (Doc B). With the commander of the Army saying that the events at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not needed, it shows that Truman and the White House coordinated these attacks for more than the obvious reasons. Most likely, it was to send a message to communist Russia and Stalin that the United States is a relentless global power equipped with the best weapons.
The Declaration gave Japan the opportunity to surrender voluntarily under certain conditions or be completely destroyed by the Allies military power (Doc B). The Japanese did not fully understand the full scope of the threat, so they merely disregarded it. This ultimatum was rejected by Japan and was one of reasons why the United States’ decided to drop the bomb. President Harry Truman was determined to destroy all their supplies and ability to make war (Doc C). Hence, Hiroshima was chosen because of its military importance and Nagasaki was chosen because it was a major ship building city and had a large military port.
Both atomic bombs killed around 200 000 people and completely destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the images of the destruction show clearly how devastating was for the people and houses ( document 8). “ how can a human being with any claim to a sense of moral responsibility deliberately let loose and instrument of destruction” (document 4), even though this decision was made by the president Truman and as he says in Harry Truman Memoirs; the scientific advisers of the committee reported, “ We can propose no technical demonstration likely to bring an end to the war: we see no acceptable alternative to direct military use”, but this brings us to the second reason: Japan was a defeated nation, Japan’s cities had been destroyed by conventional bombing, the soviet union “betrayed” them and entered the war by attacking Japan in Manchuria, and the American Navy blockaded Japan’s home island (document 7). After both atomic bombs, the emperor of Japan declared Japan’s unconditional surrender manifesting that the soviet union and the technology were something that Japan could not compete with ( document 14). Adding to these, a third reason to question America’s decision is that Document 7 says that the bomb was used to justify the money spend on
This led to the use of the atomic bomb as a military weapon to defeat Japan. Document 3, shows an image of the U.S. holding onto Tokyo, Japan, while shoving an aid raid into their mouth with the text “A taste of his own medicine”. Based on the text, this indicates that Japan has treated the U.S. harshly enough for the U.S. to take revenge on Japan. For example, the Pearl Harbor incident where many American lives were at the cost of Japan’s surprise attack. This made the U.S. angry at how Japan deceived them because Japan delegated that they wouldn't attack them.
In 1945 World War 2 was coming to an end, President Truman was faced with a very tough decision on whether or not to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. On August 6 1945 an American B-29 bomber dropped the worlds first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, three days later another B-29 bomber dropped a second bomb on the city of Nagasaki in total the bombs killed well over a hundred thousand people. The use of the atomic bombs were necessary to end the war on Japan, although the bombs killed many people the use of the bombs saved hundreds of thousands of American lives, and eneded Japan’s reign of terror on the world. People believed that with only two atomic bombs ready that it was too risky to use one on a demonstration showing off the power of the bomb.
The idea of using a nuclear weapon for war has been judged from the effects that comes with the use of enormous threat. Consequently, the politics, socio-economic, and culture within Japan altered, due to the United States strategic plan to end the war. Moreover, the bombing of Hiroshima served as an catalyst to launch the Cold War in 1947.
Japan was weakening, “The food situation gradually becoming worse and worse…” Stated in source H. America had many industrial resources to use against Japan and so Japan had essentially been defeated. Japan pushed only for the sake of their countries honour as the shame of unconditional surrender goes against their code of honour. Furthermore a warning was given to Japan with America promising to drop the atomic bomb, however there was no evidence and so it could have easily been deemed a bluff. An American nuclear scientist stated, “A demonstration of the bomb best be made… Japan could then be asked to surrender.” This source seems somewhat reliable as it is from one of the American scientists and they would know the strength of the bomb.
Japan had been given the chance to agree to an unconditional surrender, this would never have been allowed because their whole society believes greatly in the importance of honor so, of course, they were dubious. But they had informed the U.S. of the chance to negotiate a conditional surrender (“The Decision to Drop the Bomb”). If the U.S. had allowed Japan to keep their emperor then Japan most likely would have agreed to surrender. This is because the Japanese saw their emperor as a deity (Donohue). However, the U.S. did not understand the Japanese culture enough to concede on the issue of the emperor.
The Soviet Union, which had a neutrality pact with Japan for most of World War II, decided they wanted a piece of the American war in Japan and decided to declare war on August 8, 1945, and invaded several Japanese-held positions the next day. Although the Soviets and Americans had agreed to this invasion at the Yalta Conference in earlier, it was becoming clear that Stalin was not joining to aid the Americans but rather to expand his influence in Asia as he was already doing in Europe. By dropping the atomic bombs and forcing a more rapid Japanese surrender, Truman accomplished two things that ultimately kept Soviet influence from coming to Japan. American troops could now enter Japan peacefully and protect the territory and its people from any potential Soviet invasion and bombings. This sent a strong signal to Stalin that he was militarily inferior and should limit his ambitions.
In August 1945, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombing was a significant moment in history; it was the first and only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, resulting in unprecedented destruction and loss of life. The United States’ decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan raised ethical and moral questions about the use of such devastating force. Scholars debate why the decision to drop the bombs was made; some argue that they were a military necessity, integral to ending the Second World War, while others argue that non-military factors played a more significant role in the decision. Scholars have suggested that using the bombs may have been a gesture towards the Soviet Union,
The United States decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was barely motivated by the idea that it would intimidate the Soviet Union. Dropping the atomic bomb was designed to demoralize the Japanese and demonstrate to them that if they did not surrender, th . In Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson’s memoirs in document A, he writes, “The total strength of the Japanese army was estimated at about 5,000,000... I was informed that such operation (the invasion of Japan) might be expected to cost over a million casualties, to American forces alone” (Doc A). Stimson’s memoirs were written with the intention of being published and he knew he had to defend the government’s decision to drop the bomb and is writing from the point of view of someone
Yash Patel Mr. Waters World History 10 March 2023 The Atomic Decision For the first time, the world had to hold its breath as a portion of humanity was annihilated instantly. On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, causing unprecedented destruction and loss of life. The bombings ended World War II, but they also marked the beginning of the nuclear age and the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Prior to the atomic bombings, the United States had been engaged in a bitter and protracted conflict with Japan, with casualties on both sides mounting steadily.
President Truman and his associates believed that if they dropped the bomb they would receive surrender from Japan. Thus, saving millions of American lives, and ending the war. Nevertheless, by saving American lives they would sacrifice thousands of Japanese civilians. They had other idea to have Japan to surrender, but were willing to take the one that would have the most consequences. They were thinking too much about the US instead of creating actually peace within the nations.
The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed against those who brought war to the far east.” The document suggests that Turman intended to use the bomb in hopes of saving American lives, and justified it by claiming the Japanese started the war and had refused to surrender. Truman believed that the use of the atomic bomb would shorten or end the war with Japan. James Byrnes who was one of Truman’s advisors for the atomic bomb. He wanted to keep the Soviet Union