StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Decision to Drop the Bomb - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
In the paper “The Decision to Drop the Bomb” the author discusses the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which was one of the most devastating effects of the Second World War. The atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima killed an estimated 140000 people while the Nagasaki bomb killed 80000…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.8% of users find it useful
The Decision to Drop the Bomb
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Decision to Drop the Bomb"

The decision to drop the bomb to Japan was considered after Germany surrendered (Studs).Critics also argue that there was an element of racism, why was the bomb drooped on Japan and not Germany, was it because greater precautions were exercised in considering to drop the bomb on Germany which was a "white" nation and less care was taken against Japan as they were "yellow". If America really wanted to use the bomb in Germany then, the Manhattan project would have been accelerated (Edward).The assertion that the USA bombed Japan to end the war wasn't correct but a war gimmick to justify the massacre of innocent civilians asks (Tony).

The USA had to show its rival, the USSR that they were capable of destroying a city completely. To prove to this the bomb had to be tested on human beings. The Japanese squadrons were fighter jets, piloted by Japanese suicide pilots in an effort to fight the Americans. These suicide pilots died in an attempt to bomb American ships and military bases. In this context, it wasn't necessary to bomb Japan as their weapons and military equipment were inferior. By the end of the war, the Japanese were fighting a losing battle.

It did not necessitate the use of such massive force to make them surrender.According to Edwards, the use of the atomic bomb on Japan triggered the start of the cold war, Historians record that the killings of close to 200000 people were to show that Trumann was capable of annihilating a whole town. Supporters of the use of the atomic bomb argue that Japan would not have surrendered, in fact even after dropping the two bombs, the Japanese dint surrender immediately promoting the USA president to make threats that they would drop other bombs.

The emperor wanted to surrender but his general never wanted to (Stimson).According to Stimson, the bombing of Hiroshima was necessary since it was the center for manufacturing military weapons. The decision is viewed as an act to incapacitate the Japanese war factory and also kill all the workers surrounding the factory. But does it warrant the killing of innocent people to attain political goals? The USA could have used other means to defeat Japan other than bombing a city full of civilians.

Critics also argue that if the bomb was meant for warfare why it wasn't dropped near an infantry camp. This was just an act of mass killing by the USA to attain its hidden objectives.The selection of the city to drop the atomic bomb target was accurately determined by the USA soldiers, their main aim was to make its effect very severe. The site to bomb would be an urban area at least 3 miles in diameter and where there would be no air raids. The cites chosen by the Manhattan project were Nagasaki, Kokura and Niigata, and Hiroshima.

Hiroshima was chosen as they were no allied forces prisoner camp there. The target for the bombing was thus on civilians so that the United States could show its allies that they had superior cruel weapons which could annihilate the life of an entire city. Prior to the dropping of the bomb, the Japanese were looking for terms of surrender; however, the USA wanted no terms, no conditions for surrender. Even the emperor's safety wasn't guaranteed. However, after dropping the bombs, these terms, conditions, and emperor safety were guaranteed.

The United States was not justified in using such excessive force on a nation that was just about to surrender (Fink).In conclusion, it was a crime for the USA to have dropped the two bombs, though it resulted at the end of the war. The killing of thousands of innocent Japanese civilians was a barbaric act.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(The Decision to Drop the Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words, n.d.)
The Decision to Drop the Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words. https://studentshare.org/history/1519568-aotmic-bomb
(The Decision to Drop the Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
The Decision to Drop the Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words. https://studentshare.org/history/1519568-aotmic-bomb.
“The Decision to Drop the Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”. https://studentshare.org/history/1519568-aotmic-bomb.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Decision to Drop the Bomb

Ethical Dlemma Invovling the Bombing of Hiroshima

Winnacker (26) states that Professor Albert Einstein remarked leading physicists in the era urged the American government not to drop the two bombs that effectively ended the world war.... The officials' in charge took charge and the then president Truman allowed the bomb to be released at Hiroshima.... An analysis of the statements of the Secretary of State when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima indicates that the government had taken into consideration the views of scientists and war analysts on the issue in Japan (Bruce 42)....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Trumans Decision regarding the Atomic Bombs

Controversies President Truman experienced many dilemmas that influenced his decision to drop the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.... There is also the fact that the bomb was dropped on two cities which resulted in deaths of more civilians than soldiers.... Finally, the major reason why I cannot support Truman's decision is that many Japanese people are still suffering from diseases that occurred from the bomb's radiation.... … According to Truman he made this decision to save the lives of thousands and thousands of American men by forcing Japan to surrender....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Truman's Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb

The decision to use atomic bombs against Japan was influenced by several factors that are relevant to Kohlberg's stage 5 on the moral development scale. Truman's decision to drop the Atomic Bomb President Truman, acting as Commander in Chief in 1945, had thrust upon him one of the most difficult moraldecisions in the history of humankind.... the decision to use atomic bombs against Japan was influenced by several factors that are relevant to Kohlberg's stage 5 on the moral development scale....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan

It is now evident from various sourcesiv that the decision to drop the atom bomb on Japan was a US or more specifically, President Truman's way of threatening Soviet Union on the stage of war, and reasons such as quick finish of the war, saving thousands of American soldiers were just tools of hiding the real factor.... In response to criticism, US President Truman specified that dropping of the atomic bomb However, recent studiesi related to this issue have indicated conflicting and contrasting results involving exaggeration of the number of lives saved by such decision, and the unreal reason and factor of dropping the bomb on two cities of Japan....
5 Pages (1250 words) Term Paper

Home work assignment

To illustrate how such a seemingly-correct notion can be quite misleading, Davidson and Lytle take up the story of the mysterious death of the 18th century diplomat Silas Deane, who was deputed by… Apart from the perceived truths that explain the death as the result of suicide or illness, a third possibility is proposed wherein foul play cannot be ruled out....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Truman's Decision

There has been debate on whether President Harry Truman made the right decision to drop the two atomic bombs in those cities.... There has been debate on whether President Harry Truman made the… Although there did exist other alternatives, President Truman together with his military advisors decided to drop the bombs in Japan.... Although there did exist other alternatives, President Truman together with his military advisors decided to drop the bombs in Japan....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

President Truman's decision to drop Atomic Bomb

Thus, the decision by Truman to end the war instantaneously and unconditionally was the right option at that point of time.... Admittedly, Truman was advised that the power of the atomic bomb should be demonstrated to the government of Japan before its actual use so that they could take an informed decision.... In addition, even if Japanese authorities had known the power of atomic bomb, they would not have ceased.... While some people consider it as an example of unethical political decision-making, for some others, it was the most ethical decision available at that point of time… Walker (2008, p....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

THE DECISION TO DROP THE ATOMIC BOMB ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI

It can be referred to the fact that a great number of people dies every month in war time, still considering the decision to drop the ATOMIC BOMB ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI History, Essay March 6, The only example of nuclear weapons usage in the history of mankind is bombing of Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II.... Another reason not to justify the decision of the US command, soul touching one, is the immoral nature of such a way of killing people which is perceived as a war crime against humanity and the genocide....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us