Dropping the Atomic Bomb Was It Necessary - 1723 Words

Dropping the Atomic Bomb: Was it really necessary? In 1945, the United States with help from Canada, released a new force into unsuspecting Japan which shocked the world. It was the weapon the Manhattan project spent months working on while spending approximately $20 billion. It used up to 12% of America’s electricity during the war even though many people did not know what they were working on. It was a weapon so powerful that many heads of this project feared it would go terribly wrong. It would save many lives and end many others. It was the atomic bomb. This weapon of mass destruction was used on two Japanese cities during World War 2 though it was very controversial. However, with further review, it was completely necessary to drop†¦show more content†¦Without the demonstration of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Truman’s statement would not have been taking as seriously as it was. This would help stop war for the next few decades as no one except the Soviet Union would reach this level of technology for the next few years. Not only did the bomb reduce the casualties in Japan, it also helped intimidate Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union by showing him their military might. When Japan would be defeated, the United States would use the bombs to make sure Soviet Union did not attack them right after. Gertrud Szilard, a head of the Manhattan Project, said according to James Byrnes, secretary of state at that time, â€Å"[he thought] Russia might be more manageable if impressed by American military might† (pg 184). He wanted to tame this so called giant and a demonstration of these bombs was the only way to do that. The Soviet Union was the one of the strongest powers at that time alongside America and it had to be dealt with eventually as the Soviet Union wanted a world filled with communism. This was the opposite of the United States dream of democracy so these two â€Å"super powers† as they were called, would have to clash. The fear created by the atomic bomb would also save many li ves because a war with Russia would end many lives for the United States as well as Canada, since Canada would join and help America. Canada is alsoShow MoreRelatedTruman and Atomic Bombs649 Words   |  3 Pagesthen write an editorial on Harry S Truman’s decision to order the dropping of the atom bomb. HARRY S TRUMAN amp; THE DECISION TO ORDER THE DROPPING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB Boom! Boom! Seventy thousands Japanese citizens were perished instantly after the first atomic bomb was dropped in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Japanese still refused to surrender to Allied forces. On August 9, 1945, with the dropping of the second atomic bomb in Nagasaki, where eighty thousands people were vaporized, JapaneseRead MoreWhy Truman Chose to Drop the Atomic Bomb895 Words   |  4 PagesAmericas decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan was only done to assert our position over the Soviet Union, and Japans surrender was only an extra accomplishment of the attack. During the years 1939 to 1947, numerous conferences were held to discuss diplomatic matters, and the strive towards getting Japan to accept an unconditional surrender. The Japanese had already been weakened, and the military predicted that they would eventually be forced to surrender in a short amount of time. Even theRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Is Not A Military Necessity1210 Words   |  5 Pagesrevered American generals, Leahy, Macarthur, and Eisenhower, stated the dropping of the atomic bomb â€Å"was not a military necessity.† Japan was already struggling greatly to maintain itself, and they felt that it would fall soon. Leahy even went as far as to say that a continuation of the blockade of Japan and bombings would have been enough to bring Japan to its knees. These generals acknowledged the efficiency of the atomic bomb, but could not reconcile that efficiency to the devastating consequencesRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb : Right Or Wrong1642 Words   |  7 PagesDr. Shedd 11/10/15 Word Count: 1517 The Atomic Bomb: Right or Wrong On August 6th, 1945 the very first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A second atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki a few days later. This was the largest attack a country had ever seen before and there were many different views on whether the bombs were necessary or not. Like any conflict, there were groups that were against dropping the bomb such as the Wall Street Journal and groupsRead MoreAtomic Bomb Necessary Essay912 Words   |  4 PagesThe Atomic Bomb – Was It Necessary? â€Å"In 1957, with the arms race in full swing, the Department of Defense had decided it was just a matter of time before an airplane transporting an atomic bomb would crash on American soil, unleashing a radioactive disaster the likes of which the world had never seem.† On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, killing 20,000 soldiers and 70,000 – 126,000 civilians. On August 9, 1945, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killingRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs910 Words   |  4 Pagesthe 20th century, specifically the year 1945, the United States of America had two atomic bombs that the commander and chief, and president at the time, Harry Truman, knew about. President Truman plan was to drop the bombs on two of Japans cities, Hiroshima first and then Nagasaki. Truman’s plans went accordingly, which to this day leads to a very controversial topic on whether or not dropping the atomic bombs was a good or bad thing. There is eviden ce and reasoning to back up both claims, in whichRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs in Japan1373 Words   |  6 PagesOn August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima without any precedent. The explosion viciously destroyed four square miles of the city and killed 90,000 and injured 40,000. (Weber, â€Å"Was Hiroshima Necessary?†) Three days later, a second atomic bomb stroked the city of Nagasaki which killed approximately 37,000 people and injured 43,000 (Weber, â€Å"Was Hiroshima Necessary?†). These actions of the United States still remain controversial today and the UnitedRead MoreHarry S. Truman For Defeating Japan s Barbaric Regime And Ending The Bloodiest War1641 Words   |  7 Pageswhen Harry S. Truman was forced to decide whether or not to drop the atomic bombs on Japan, the moral choice was clear: dropping the bombs was the most viable option available that would end World War II, minimize casualties on both sides of the war, and ensure American victory. Every other option available to Truman would have resulted in a much greater loss for the people of both Japan and the United States. While dropping atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was undeniably an atrocityRead MoreThe Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb Essay1734 Words   |  7 PagesThe dropping of the atomic bomb was used to save American lives; the most common excuse as to why President Harry Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. In Major Problems in the History of World War II it has been discussed in the chapter The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II that former President Truman recalled how he learned about the atomic bomb project as well as the public opinion on the Atomic Bomb. I believe that the solution that Truman gave when dropping the Atomic BombRead MoreNecessity of Dropping the Atomic Bomb to End World War II635 Words   |  3 Pagesthat the atomic bomb was necessary to force the Japanese army t o finally surrender and avoid a costly and heavy casualty war with Japan. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Three days after the initial bombing, another nuclear weapon was dropped on Nagasaki, a main Japanese city. President Truman and Professor Maddox both had the same belief that these bombs were crucial to Japan surrendering in the war. Maddox mentions that Japan was a beaten