ipl-logo

How Did The Potsdam Conference Dbq

1062 Words5 Pages

On July 26, 1945, an ultimatum known as the Potsdam Declaration was announced at the Potsdam Conference. This offer was created by the United States, China, and Great Britain and it called “for the unconditional surrender of Japan”(Encyclopedia Britannica). The Japanese Prime Minister at the time, Kantarō Suzuki, replied with “mokusatsu.” The translation was continuously disputed so no one is exactly sure what was said. President Harry S. Truman interpreted Suzuki’s response as a refusal to the surrender, so on August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. These cities were of civilian majority and most are unsure on the choice of them for the …show more content…

(source 2)AKA THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE AGAINST THE DECISION EVEN THOUGH THEY WANTED THE WAR TO END They wanted a quick end to the war and agreed that the use of the atomic bombs would be an effective method but they believed it was unjustified to do so on Japan.(source 2) Unless the details of the attack were made public and Japan was given an opportunity to surrender, the atomic bomb attack would not be justified. (source 2) The sheer possibility of the use of atomic bombs would be enough to keep Japan at bay.(source 2) “The added material strength which this lead gives to the United States brings with it the obligation of restraint and if we were to violate this obligation our moral position would be weakened in the eyes of the world and in our eyes.”(source …show more content…

President Truman wanted to limit the number of American casualties as the United States had already lost so many people during this war. There were over 82,000 casualties for the U.S. during the battle of Okinawa alone. Scientists who worked on the production of the atomic bombs determined that they “ may very well be an effective method of warfare”(Source 2). Truman said, “The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold. And the end is not yet”(source 4). Japan was also given an opportunity to surrender and for the most part they denied. So the United States went forward with their

Show More
Related

  • Potsdam Declaration Dbq

    227 Words  | 1 Pages

    As the Japanese forces were considered the aggressors of the conflict by the Allies and Japanese veterans alike, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified. Their aggression previous to the bombing was demonstrated through the attack on Pearl Harbour, which led to America’s involvement in World War II. The attack was not one born out of vengeance and was not strategically logical, whereas there was a reason behind the bombing of Hiroshima, that reason being that the Japanese military would not agree to the clauses presented in the Potsdam Declaration. This declaration was given to the military officials as an invitation to surrender before the first bombing, providing ample time for them to make a decision to hopefully end the

    Read More

  • Why Did The Us Lose Ww2 Essay

    478 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another fact was that American and British intelligence had confirmed that Japan would most likely surrender when the Soviet Union joined the war against Japan in August. The surrender terms themselves were very similar to the ones that Japan eventually accepted after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs were also suspiciously dropped around the time that the Soviet Union was going to attack the Japanese.

    Read More

  • World War II DBQ

    813 Words  | 4 Pages

    With more and more US lives being lost or will be lost when invading Japan more and more, the US made the reasonable decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan because like what Chamber said to win the war you have to end the other side and, “make it terrible, and the war will

    Read More

  • Dbq Essay On Hiroshima And Nagasaki

    642 Words  | 3 Pages

    In late July of 1945 at the Potsdam Conference, the Allied leaders gave the Japanese a chance to surrender, and they totally rejected it (Doc. 1). After the American invasion of Iwo Jima, the Japanese defenders felt discouraged and defeated, as well as desperate to do whatever it took to win (Doc. D). So, by dropping the bomb and ending the war quickly, the opportunity for the Japanese to brutally attack the U.S in a desperate scramble to win was eliminated. Although Japan would need to use money to rebuild the destroyed areas, ending the war saved both sides from spending even more trying to clutch the victory, as the United States alone spent over 4 trillion dollars on the war (Harrington, John and Suneson, Grant.). In all, both sides were relieved by dropping the atomic bomb and ending the war more

    Read More

  • Drop The Bomb Dbq

    345 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Atomic Bomb Dbq Essay

    856 Words  | 4 Pages

    This shows that not just Truman thought it would save American lives and end the war quickier. In document H, which is a WWII soldiers opinion, it says “only a few weeks before Hiroshima, 123,000 Japanese and Americans killed each other. War is immoral. War is cruel.” If we hadn't dropped the atomic bomb more would be dead and that would affect the world as we know it like, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the new population from 1941-1946 (time of war) dropped so more people were dying than being born then if one million more died our population would of dropped even more and there wouldn’t be enough men to repopulate, so if we didn’t

    Read More

  • Roaring Twenties Dbq

    1139 Words  | 5 Pages

    The United States has undergone many innovations and events during the 20th century. The U.S. became a growing economic powerhouse has technology and innovation enhanced and resulted in improvements to everyday life due to the changes made after World War I and by Franklin Roosevelt during his presidency. After this postwar era, the U.S. entered one of its most productive decades in history. Known as the “Roaring Twenties,” change in social, economic, political, and cultural aspects gave the U.S. a time of prosperity. However, this prosperity would only last for a little as the Stock Market Crash of 1929 would bring hardships back to the people.

    Read More

  • Atomic Bomb Dbq Essay

    676 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Should We Have Dropped The Atomic Bomb Persuasive Essay

    852 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • What Are The Different Perspectives On The Us Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Dbq

    514 Words  | 3 Pages

    Different perspectives on the US decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II are how immoral it was to do. In Document 4 from 1945, it states, “This is a crime against God and humanity which strikes at the very basis of moral existence,” The author explains how heinous the idea of dropping the bomb was. Any one with morals would be against such thing because of the destruction one bomb can make and how it can annihilate anything in its path. It was pure cruelty to drop a bomb that powerful on any one, it wasn’t war or murder it would be consider nihilism because of destruction that occurred. Another perspective was of a GI soldier, in Document 5 and how the bomb was a relief to soldiers and their family.

    Read More

  • Potsdam Declaration

    951 Words  | 4 Pages

    Even though he made this decision as Japanese government did not respond to the Potsdam Declaration, it was still possible to negotiate with Japan’s side without dropping the atomic bombs. In today’s American society, it is considered that his decision to use the atomic bombs enabled the country to save their soldiers. On top of that, Japanese government never raised any protest against the United States for the use of atomic bombs. Nevertheless, as Hasegawa (2005) states, this cannot be longer justified because it is more of a moral issue. More importantly, it is doubtful whether President Truman was sure about the effects of atomic bombs.

    Read More

  • Truman War Research Paper

    1113 Words  | 5 Pages

    Aside from the hostility of the Japanese, the war was almost over, and dropping the atomic bombs expedited the prolonging of the war. The planned operation, titled ‘Downfall,’ would have taken many years and the estimated casualties of “a half-million American lives” (O’Neal). Based on the estimation, which excludes an added number of casualties, it was necessary to drop the bombs. Lastly, the Manhattan project was rather expensive, and Japan’s persistent honor and barbarism justified using the bomb’s destructive

    Read More

  • Atomic Bomb Justified Dbq

    882 Words  | 4 Pages

    Afterwards, the United States declared war on Japan, and joined allies against the axis powers. The United States’ use of the atomic bombs is justified because it saved American lives; Japan was given fair warning, and their aggressions towards the U.S. The atomic bombs on Japan saved many American lives. Document 15 reads: The entire population of Japan is

    Read More

  • The Atomic Bomb Argumentative Essay

    581 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The Nuclear Bombing In Japan

    466 Words  | 2 Pages

    Due to Japan wanting to call its quits, there was no need for America to bomb them in the first place. If we did not bomb them they would have surrender but since they were already conventionally bombed and fire bombed to the point of weakness they called its quits. Afterwards, 70,000 Japanese citizens were vaporized and in the months and years that followed, an additional 100,000 perished from burns or radiation sickness stated article “The decision in dropping the bomb.” Since so many innocent lives were taken it could have been easily

    Read More

More about How Did The Potsdam Conference Dbq

Open Document