Summary: The Consequences Of Atomic Bombing

As World War II raged on, the U.S. began to devise ways that could perhaps conclude the war quickly before it carried on anymore. Surrendering was not something Japan would do, they informed the countries involved in the war on this and would fight till the finish to defend their region of the Pacific. The U.S. chose to use the atomic bomb against Japan in hopes of ending the war swiftly and obtaining ultimate power over post-war decisions. They failed to realize the consequences that would follow their detrimental decision. Not only would the bomb kill thousands of innocent lives, consequently it would trigger an effect that would create a desire for other countries to possess an atomic bomb as well. Alternatives to the bomb were present,
The determination to utilize the bomb against Japan was unethical, not necessary, and could have been avoided to save lives while also vanquishing the already nearly defeated Japan. There were many steps taken and effects considered, before dropping the atomic bomb. One main consideration was the effect the bomb would have on the Japanese citizens. With a bomb as destructive and massive as the one they had created, they had to consider the loss of life it would ensue. Not only would it most likely kill thousands on impact, it would also kill more with the radiation that the bomb would disperse. J. R. Oppenheimer said that “the active material of the bomb itself is toxic” therefore the effects of the bomb after would be detrimental to the people and the area surrounding the city. An
Countries like the Soviet Union felt a power threat because they realized that they no longer held ultimate power over the world. J.R. Oppenheimer believed that “if we use the weapons now our position in future negotiations will be prejudiced”, meaning that countries wouldn’t want to affiliate with us because we chose to nearly obliterate a country in war. Yet, they ended up believing that whoever had this bomb was the most powerful, therefore these countries started to construct atomic bombs as well. With all this going on, an atomic age seemed near. Not only would other countries want to make an atomic bomb, but they would want to make a bomb bigger, and more powerful than the one already present. If they developed a bomb as destructive as the one the U.S. had then they would only be as powerful as them, they had to go above and beyond so that they would be the most threatening and strong. The United States was aware that they “...may have to bear the responsibility of opening the door to an era of devastation on an unimaginable scale” (Szilard Petition). This atomic bomb led to the creation of the nuclear bomb because the U.S. wanted to counteract the German atomic bomb. The decision to drop the bomb on Japan made us an unstoppable weapon-making machine. In the Szilard Petition, they realized that this was going to be the reality when they commented on the fact that “there is