Trumans Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb - 2142 Words

history 138w-38 | Why did Truman use the atomic bomb against Japan? What did his decision say about priorities of American foreign policy? | Truman decision and reasons behind deployment of the atomic bomb | | Min Yong Jung | 11/2/2010 | | Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, deployed the atomic bomb on Japan to ensure the end of the Pacific War with minimal US casualties. Upon rejection of the Potsdam Declaration and calls for unconditional surrender by the Japanese, the US in direct retaliation deployed the atomic weapon ‘Little Boy’ on the city of Hiroshima in August 6, 1945 and continued by bombing Nagasaki with ‘Fat Man’ on August 9th. The Allies had concluded the European front by capturing Berlin and†¦show more content†¦Japan with its long standing history of the Bushido code, emphasized the need for loyalty from its subjects. The Bushido code and determination of the Japanese leadership ensured the fact that an invasion into the mainland of Japan would provide high number of casualties for US troops and additionally â€Å"more exposure to an enemy that did not fear death which would bring about more results like the Indianapolis† on July 29th 1945, where the delivery of a Japanese torpedo resulted in the ship losing â€Å"880 of its crew of 1,196.† Thus the deployment of the two atomic bombs were not only necessary in that they would ensure the safety of US troops but it would also provide a shock factor to both the people and government of Japan. Air raid sirens had been turned off in Hiroshima, due to the fact that there were only several planes in the air. If one bomb and one plane could neutralize a city, there was little for the Japanese to do in defense against such a destructive weapon. Proponents of the argument that Truman was immoral in using the atomic bomb, constantly argue that the Japanese were depleted in their will and ability to wage war and were actively seeking chances to ending the war by means of diplomatic measures through peace feelers in the Soviet Union. The argument is one of those what if’s in history that can never be concludedShow MoreRelatedHarry Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb1314 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? A. Plan of Investigation Research Question: To what extent was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? This investigation assesses President Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It will determine whether or not his decision was justified. This investigation will scrutinize the reasons that made Harry TrumanRead MoreEssay Pres, Truman Atomic Bomb Decision1421 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Trumans Decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki During World War II the war in Europe ended after the unconditional German surrender at General Eisenhowers Headquarters in Reims, France, May 7, 1945. After the unconditional German surrender in Europe the war shifted to Asia and the Pacific. As the war continued against Japan the Allied forces captured islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinaawa close to Japan brought the Japanese homeland within range of naval and airRead MoreWas President Truman Responsible for the Cold War? Essay1105 Words   |  5 Pagesthe end of World War II, after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt. Almost immediately after becoming president, Truman learned of the Manhattan Project, and had to decide whether or not to use the atomic bomb. 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This belief was expressed to President RooseveltRead MoreEssay about The Debate Over Trumans Use of the Atomic Bombs1007 Words   |  5 Pages On August 7, 1945 the headline of the front page of the New York Times read: First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Japan; Missile is Equal to 20,000 Tons of TNT: Truman Warns Foe of a â€Å"Rain of Ruin.†1 Now the debate between historians on the question of whether Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb was correct or not had begun. There are critics and historians who say that Japan was already beat and that the war could have ended by negotiations. In their opinions because Germany had surrendered, theRead MoreAtomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki844 Words   |  4 Pagesdropped atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing nearly 200,000 people. This resulted in Japans surrender in World War II. J. Samuel Walker analyzes this historical event in his book Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs. Over the past 70 years’ extensive research has been conducted and there is an understanding that Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs is inconclusive. It is impossible to determine that the use of the bomb was the quickestRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs910 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the 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, kne w 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 evidence and reasoning to back up both claims, inRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki1460 Words   |  6 Pagesworld’s Nuclear Age, left an indelible mark on the course of U.S. Foreign Policy. Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan in August 1945, while seemingly uncontroversial among his advisors at the time, almost immediately landed at the center of one of history’s most provocative debates. Revisionist theorists challenge the so-called government-propagated ‘myth of the bomb,’ which paints the atomic bomb as the only alternative to a prolonged and bloody invasion of the Japanese homelandRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagas aki982 Words   |  4 PagesHiroshima, it only makes me wonder what was going through the mind of President Harry Truman when he gave the â€Å"green light† to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has been more than 70 years since that happened and the conclusion of World War II, and yet the legacy remains in our modern day history books and class lectures. But was deploying the atomic bombs on Japan really necessary? What was Truman thinking? And did the end really justify the means? Truly, upon reading Takaki’s HiroshimaRead More Trumans Decision to use the atomic mom1507 Words   |  7 Pages Truman’s decision to use atomic weapons has long been a controversial subject throughout the decades after he used it. Many scholars and people who surrounded the president at the time published memoirs and books about the decision to use the weapon. As years went, more works of writing and information were released which added more information to the vas t knowledge we have of the decision to drop the bomb and of what the Japanese faced after the event took place. J. Samuel Walker wrote a book called