Argumentative Essay: The World's First Atomic Bomb

In the early morning hours of July sixteenth, 1945 in a remote section of an army base in Alamogordo New Mexico, the most destructive weapon known to man was tested, with a successful result of some of the world’s top scientists and years of a secret government project had started the nuclear age. On August sixth, 1945 during World War two, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima and three days later, on August ninth, 1945 the second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, which forced the Japanese army to surrender. In 1939, Albert Einstein contacted President Roosevelt about his concerns of the axis powers having control of atomic technology and shortly after, the United States scientific
community discovered that German physicists have learned the secrets of splitting a uranium atom (Barron A17). President Roosevelt later announced that America needed to understand nuclear research in “every way possible” in order to defeat the axis powers (Manhattan) . On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt died and Harry Truman took over Presidency. In July of 1945, President Truman met with Winston Churchill of Great Britain and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union at the Potsdam conference where they offered Japan to surrender which they declined. At the conference Truman was informed that the bomb was ready to be used and made the decision to use nuclear capabilities. On August sixth 1945, the first atomic bomb, “little boy”, was dropped on the city of Hiroshima and shortly after, due to the lack of Japanese surrender, “fat man”, the second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagisaki, forcing the Japanese army to surrender and World War two was over. The Manhattan project had many long term effects and was significant in many ways, the outcome of the project made the United States the most powerful military power, which is still relevant today. World politics were changed with events, the most evident was the Cold War, shortly after Soviet Union discovered the United States nuclear weapons and capabilities they began to become the world next nuclear power (Manhattan). Life in the targeted Japanese cities shortly after the bombings wasn’t very bright, many people suffered from horrendous injuries, mass destruction of their city, businesses and their homes. Many issues such as hair loss, mouth bleeding, vomiting and fevers were a result from the radiation given off from the bomb (Macdonald). There is a lot of controversy regarding the decision to use the atomic bomb, America was facing a two front war and after the war with Germany was coming to an end, Japan refused to surrender, and when president Truman ordered the bomb to be dropped, many people believe the decision wasn’t completely made because of the Japanese, but because he wanted to prove to the Soviet Union that America is more powerful and more capable of mass destruction (Manhattan). Many people argue that with the Cold War as a long lasting effect from the Manhattan project, a war that was an economic devastation for both the United States and the Soviet Union that led to long time hostility between both countries even today. The enduring effects of the Manhattan project are positive. The bombings in Japan ultimately saved the lives of thousands of Americans and Japanese people that would have been perished in land invasions.. Although after years of commitment and hard work to create this weapon capable of such destruction, managed to accomplish the weapon that essentially ended the World War.