Comparing World War II And The Atomic Bomb
World War II & the Atomic Bomb
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki marked the end to the world's largest armed conflict. Many debates have surfaced over the ethics of such an attack. The bomb itself caused massive amounts of casualties while the unknown effects of radiation caused many more deaths amongst the survivors of the blast. Despite the ghastly effects of such a weapon, it offered the best choice for a quick and easy defeat of Japan. President Truman, who authorized the use of the atomic bomb, made a wise decision under the circumstances of the war. The Japanese refusal to surrender, the massive amount of allied casualties involved in invading the Japanese mainland and the ineffectuality of a military blockade enforcing Japan to surrender made the bomb a necessary last resort.
The side effects of atomic weaponry weren’t known when Truman gave the order to drop the bomb over Hiroshima. Neither the military nor the scientists …show more content…
working on the Manhattan Project were aware of the long-lasting radiation effects. In turn, President Truman didn’t know the effects would be so long lasting when he made the decision to drop the bombs. We now know of the deadly lasting effects of atomic weaponry, but these side effects were unheard of during the war.
The atomic bomb provided tactical advantages in addition to its unparalleled power. Only one plane needed to be fuelled, crewed and maintained. The risk of being shot down was drastically lower that of a squadron of planes needed to accomplish the same goal.
Before the bombs had been dropped the Japanese government was at a standstill over matters of peace.
The roughly equal civilian and military parties were locked in a struggle over surrender. The only way in which surrender could be achieved is if a consensus could be achieved amongst the parties. The military leaders refused to back down, unwilling to accept defeat and dishonor. The massive toll that American bombing attacks were taking on Japan had no effect on the military leaders who ready to fight to the end. Had this deadlock remained the Japanese would have fought until they all starved to death because of a blockade or until they had been bombed into oblivion. Only when the atomic bombs were dropped did the deadlock end. The practically immediate call for peace showed the amount of political power that the bombs held. Without a doubt it was the atomic bomb that caused Japan to surrender. It was a forceful enough message to prod the normally withdrawn emperor into action for
peace.
President Truman's decision to use atomic weapons on Japanese cities is best described as the lesser of evils. With the options available to him, the atomic bombings proved to have the potential for the least casualties for both sides while ending the war quickly. This policy of maximum violence led to the quick end of the war. Had such a policy not been used the war could have dragged on for months or perhaps years with mounting casualties on both sides. The power of the atomic bomb was unmatched and proved to be the only force that could get the emperor to intervene in Japanese politics and stop the hostilities.
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki marked the end to the world's largest armed conflict. Many debates have surfaced over the ethics of such an attack. The bomb itself caused massive amounts of casualties while the unknown effects of radiation caused many more deaths amongst the survivors of the blast. Despite the ghastly effects of such a weapon, it offered the best choice for a quick and easy defeat of Japan. President Truman, who authorized the use of the atomic bomb, made a wise decision under the circumstances of the war. The Japanese refusal to surrender, the massive amount of allied casualties involved in invading the Japanese mainland and the ineffectuality of a military blockade enforcing Japan to surrender made the bomb a necessary last resort.
The side effects of atomic weaponry weren’t known when Truman gave the order to drop the bomb over Hiroshima. Neither the military nor the scientists …show more content…
working on the Manhattan Project were aware of the long-lasting radiation effects. In turn, President Truman didn’t know the effects would be so long lasting when he made the decision to drop the bombs. We now know of the deadly lasting effects of atomic weaponry, but these side effects were unheard of during the war.
The atomic bomb provided tactical advantages in addition to its unparalleled power. Only one plane needed to be fuelled, crewed and maintained. The risk of being shot down was drastically lower that of a squadron of planes needed to accomplish the same goal.
Before the bombs had been dropped the Japanese government was at a standstill over matters of peace.
The roughly equal civilian and military parties were locked in a struggle over surrender. The only way in which surrender could be achieved is if a consensus could be achieved amongst the parties. The military leaders refused to back down, unwilling to accept defeat and dishonor. The massive toll that American bombing attacks were taking on Japan had no effect on the military leaders who ready to fight to the end. Had this deadlock remained the Japanese would have fought until they all starved to death because of a blockade or until they had been bombed into oblivion. Only when the atomic bombs were dropped did the deadlock end. The practically immediate call for peace showed the amount of political power that the bombs held. Without a doubt it was the atomic bomb that caused Japan to surrender. It was a forceful enough message to prod the normally withdrawn emperor into action for
peace.
President Truman's decision to use atomic weapons on Japanese cities is best described as the lesser of evils. With the options available to him, the atomic bombings proved to have the potential for the least casualties for both sides while ending the war quickly. This policy of maximum violence led to the quick end of the war. Had such a policy not been used the war could have dragged on for months or perhaps years with mounting casualties on both sides. The power of the atomic bomb was unmatched and proved to be the only force that could get the emperor to intervene in Japanese politics and stop the hostilities.