Trumans Decision
Truman’s Decision
Harry Truman had said, “It seems to be the most terrible thing ever discovered, but it can be made the most useful.” The atomic bomb was a weapon for destruction but also for peace. Truman had a conflict between invading Japan or to drop the atomic bomb; which then led to the saving of countless lives and the end of World War II. This paper addresses the background of the atomic bomb, the options America had, and why it was necessary.
Pearl Harbor brought upon a war that America was hoping to avoid. Our right to have self-defense and moral duty to our country led Truman to his decision. Since 1942 America had been fighting World War II on two fronts. On May 8th, 1945 the war against Germany ended. At the time it became critical to end the war with Japan. That’s when the atomic bomb became an option for America. The morning of August 6th, 1945 the American B-29 dropped the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb was built as a weapon of war. Since America was at war, congress was allowed to spend two billion dollars on the project. If the United States did not use the weapon, it in itself, along with the money would have been wasted. The Manhattan project, the project to develop the first nuclear weapon, was a success. Once President Truman had learned about the successfulness of the bomb he would have the capacity to end the war with Japan in his hands.
America was in race with the axis powers to see who could create the first nuclear bomb. If the US failed to make it first, this paper would be written in German. The United States had the greatest minds of the scientific community at the time to help make the bomb. Fortunately we were the first to create it. Once the atomic bomb was made it was clear to Truman knew it would end the war between the European and the Pacific theatre. The options with Japan were few; America demanded for Truman to drop the bomb because of what happened with Pearl Harbor. Americans felt
Harry Truman had said, “It seems to be the most terrible thing ever discovered, but it can be made the most useful.” The atomic bomb was a weapon for destruction but also for peace. Truman had a conflict between invading Japan or to drop the atomic bomb; which then led to the saving of countless lives and the end of World War II. This paper addresses the background of the atomic bomb, the options America had, and why it was necessary.
Pearl Harbor brought upon a war that America was hoping to avoid. Our right to have self-defense and moral duty to our country led Truman to his decision. Since 1942 America had been fighting World War II on two fronts. On May 8th, 1945 the war against Germany ended. At the time it became critical to end the war with Japan. That’s when the atomic bomb became an option for America. The morning of August 6th, 1945 the American B-29 dropped the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb was built as a weapon of war. Since America was at war, congress was allowed to spend two billion dollars on the project. If the United States did not use the weapon, it in itself, along with the money would have been wasted. The Manhattan project, the project to develop the first nuclear weapon, was a success. Once President Truman had learned about the successfulness of the bomb he would have the capacity to end the war with Japan in his hands.
America was in race with the axis powers to see who could create the first nuclear bomb. If the US failed to make it first, this paper would be written in German. The United States had the greatest minds of the scientific community at the time to help make the bomb. Fortunately we were the first to create it. Once the atomic bomb was made it was clear to Truman knew it would end the war between the European and the Pacific theatre. The options with Japan were few; America demanded for Truman to drop the bomb because of what happened with Pearl Harbor. Americans felt