Foreign Policy: FDR vs. Truman Since the ending of the Second World War, much controversy has floated around through conversations in history as to whether or not the atomic bombs should have been dropped on Japan. The global war lasted from the years 1939 to 1945, with many years of carried conflict and grudges held before and afterwards. The two Presidents most involved in this war were 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and 33rd President Harry S. Truman. Each of these leaders initiated and finished with significant actions during this war. However, each may have had different perspectives over the foreign policies regarding the atomic bomb during the war. With either little concern for present matters, impulsive assumptions, or a search for the countries better …show more content…
Although he did approve of the bomb, Roosevelt was unconcerned about actually dropping the bomb on Japan. Instead he supported the idea that since Germany was possibly looking into the same type of destructive weapon, the U.S. needed to advance in the field in order to prevent detrimental attacks against them. He had the Great Depression on his hands as well and was less motivated during his time to destroy Japan to end the war more efficiently. On the other hand, Truman saw his opportunity of bringing the United States to the end of the war in a quick manner by releasing the bombs since Japan had no intentions of taking an easy surrender. To prevent going through an invasion, Truman made a hasty decision to drop the bombs. He saw the decision as an improvement to the country’s outlook. Another difference between the two as stated in an article titled, “Would FDR have dropped the bomb?”, there was much evidence that Roosevelt had been pondering possible alternatives to using the bomb on Japan, while Truman’s first instinct was to utilize the bomb at first chance only a few months after Roosevelt’s death (Mitchell
Sure, Truman may have realized that he might be able to “put down” the Soviet Union and force the Japanese to surrender, sort of a kill two birds with one stone. However, implying that this was the impelling reason for President Truman wanting to drop the bomb is absurd. Two major pieces of evidence used in this argument are the fact that the Soviet Union’s entry into the war almost certainly pressured the Japanese into surrender, and that General Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Secretary of War Henry L Stimson personally to not drop the bomb while at Potsdam. With the Soviet Union’s entry into the war, it was only likely that Japan would surrender. If they didn’t, that would still lead to Operation Downfall, and that was not an option President Truman wanted.
Harry Truman or Dwight Eisenhower? Harry Truman is most well-known for dropping the nuclear bomb to end World War II, and Eisenhower, for his “Peace and Prosperity” campaign. They both faced problems resulting from World War II and each had their own way of dealing with them. Truman was a strong president who put his power to good use.
One piece of evidence that shows Truman made the wrong decision is "Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped," A second piece of evidence that shows Truman made the wrong decision is, " the prime minister, the foreign minister and the navy minister had decided as early as May of 1945 that the war should be ended even if it meant acceptance of defeat on allied terms…. " Truman's main argument and reasoning for dropping the bomb was he wanted to wrap up the war and just end it. But if all of Japan's head people came together and all agreed and decided that they were all going to surrender. Then dropping the bomb was uncessary and US could have avoided it all
Truman and the A-bomb The drop of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the following Japanese surrender on September 2nd was the way Truman and the United States ended the bloodiest war ever fought in history. Nowadays there is a lot of speculating on whether or not the president chose the best option by using doing so. Although there is still a strong moral controversy about the bombing, this writer’s opinion is that Truman made, after all, the best thing among his other options. Just saying that dropping the A-bomb was the right thing to do is not enough without the proper explanation.
Then shortly after April 12th, 1945, when President Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage, Vice President Harry Truman took office. When President Truman first learns about the atomic bomb, he started to see political benefits that could that be caused by using the bomb to end the war against Japan, such as stopping Russia from taking more control over Europe.
On December 7th, 1941, the United states was attacked by the Japanese in the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The day after this devastating event, the Unites States congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, declared war against Japan. As Germany and Italy had allied with Japan, they also declared war on America. Two years later, the United States found themselves joining World War II. America had soon launched a way to get back at Japan for invasion of Pearl Harbor.
After World War 2, things got pretty intense between the former allies Soviet Union and the United States. For example, because the United States and the Soviet Union had different views and different stand on human rights, economic freedom, religious belief, self-determination and individual liberties, it sparks a war between them known as the Cold War. Now, the Cold War was different than any previous war that ever happened in history because this war was an ideological contest between the Communist countries and the Western countries. But let’s focus our attention to the man that was leading America after World War 2- Harry Truman.
In fact, Ralph A. Bard, Undersecretary of the Navy wrote to Secretary of War Stimson in a June 27, 1945 memorandum. “I define this decision as an emotional and reckless decision, Japanese government may be searching for some opportunity which they could use as a medium of surrender” (Bard). In fact, the Japanese government expressed desire to end the war, and would have accepted conditional surrender before the mainland invasion in November. The reason for dropping the bomb was forcing Japan to surrender unconditionally. In America’s opinion, Japan had lost the war; they did not have any capital to negotiate with.
Funny how history works, FDR and Truman were the right Presidents at the right time. FDR introduced the greatest amount of domestic liberal economic legislation as part of his New Deal domestic program. Measures like the Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Tennessee Valley Authority employing over 8.5 million people and the cost of $10 Billion (Burran 2008). Although Hamby’s Liberalism and Its Challengers clarifies that new Deal failed to establish a variety of socialistic ideas and resolve all the problems, the credit is given for at least smoothing out some difficult times (Hamby 1992, 50). This tame depiction of becoming the model of modern economic liberalization that remains today then is followed by President
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).
Truman and the Atomic Bomb In 1945 President Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage, leaving his vice president Truman in charge of ending the war in the pacific with Japan. Truman was left with a plan to invade Japan and end the war in that way. Two weeks into Truman’s presidency he got word of a new type of bomb that could end the war quickly. Truman had to make a hard decision.
As stated in document A, President Truman believed that it was his duty as president to use every weapon available to save American lives. By making the decision to employ atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it successfully brought an end to World War II. Now, while these bombs did ultimately spare thousands of American lives, it did also put an end to about 200,000 lives as shown in document E. Document A stated that Admiral William Leahy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opposed using the bomb because it killed civilians indiscriminately. He believed that an economic blockade and conventional bombing would convince Japan to surrender. As an opposite end of the spectrum though Truman’s advisor, James Byrnes thought that the use of “the A-bombs would not only cause Japan to surrender, but also impress the Soviet Union, and hopefully stop its expansion” (Doc C).
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.
President Harry Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan was necessary, given the circumstances of World War II and the potential consequences of a prolonged conflict. By Truman dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he was able to end the war quickly, ultimately saving countless lives. Firstly, it is vital to understand the context in which Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb. A top-secret research project called the Manhattan Project that started in 1942 led to the creation of the atomic weapon. By July 1945, the Trinity Test in New Mexico, conducted as part of the Manhattan Project, had successfully tested the first atomic weapon.
April 12, 1945, president Roosevelt dies of a cerebral hemorrhage. The death of president Roosevelt was shocking and with World war two occurring left many to wonder what would be our next step that next step was getting a new president, his name was Harry Truman. Truman had only been vice president for a short amount of time and had very little experience. Along with this he had also never met president Roosevelt. With the war going on he had to make some quick decisions, which included one that would change history forever, dropping an atomic bomb on Japan to end the war, but was the choice he made the right one?