World War II was a global war from 1939 to 1945. Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, which brought the total victory of the Allies. Right before Japan’s surrender, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and another one on Nagasaki. The atomic bombs caused great damage to Japan and killed estimated 129000 to 246000 people. However, the bombings helped to bring the war to an end. Whether President Truman should make the decision to drop the bombs is still a topic to debate. Due to the fact that it was the best decision Truman could make, the bombs ended the war, and reduced the loss at that time, President Truman was justified in his decision to drop the bombs on japan.…
Mid-1945 Nazi Germany has been defeated by the Allied Powers the fighting in the Pacific becomes the last stand of the Axis Powers. Japan loses their foothold in the Pacific they are forced back onto their main land. The fighting in the islands of the Pacific, prior to the advance of the Allied forces, had resulted in many casualties. The President of the United States and Overlord of the Operations in the Pacific has succumbed to his illness and dies at the age of 63. Harry S. Truman is sworn in as President and takes command of the forces of the United States. As the victory of the Allies comes closer and closer the armies of the Empire of Japan is defeated by a new technology Nuclear Warfare. The United States devastates the…
After years of war and destruction, American soldiers and civilians were beyond weary and restless, yet the Japanese were steadfast and refused to give up their fight. Sworn in as the 33rd United States president, after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s sudden death, Harry S. Truman presided over the end of WWII. When Truman learned of the success of the “Manhattan Project” he knew that he was faced with a decision of unparalleled gravity. He was well aware that the capacity to end the war with Japan was in his hands, however, he was also aware that it would involve unleashing the most terrible weapon the world had ever known. July 26, 1945 President Truman, United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Government Chiang Kaishek, released the Potsdam Declaration.…
Although there were attempts at peace, Japan showed no signs of agreement towards a peaceful and unconditional surrender. Japan’s reluctance to stop fighting could have left to months more of fighting and thousands of more deaths. The atomic bomb ensured an enormous display that could quickly end the war. As Cuhrchill proclaimed, “the end of the Japanese war no longer depended upon the pouring in of their armies for the final and perhaps protracted slaughter… this nightmare picture [has] vanished… in its place the vision of the end of the whole war in one or two violent shocks” (Doc E). Churchill summed up the gist of America’s reasoning for implementing the bombs. The United States did not have to depend on the slaughter of millions of people in bloody, messy fights, and , instead, “a speedy end to the Second World War” could be reached with one machine (Doc E). However, once the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the Japanese continued to resist. It wasn’t until a second bomb was dropped that Japan surrendered with a simple stipulation that their emperor remain in his position. This alone proves the military necessity of the bombs. Despite the attack on Hiroshima, Japanese still wished to continue their war. If not for the second bomb, who know how many lives would have been lost.…
President Truman’s decision of the atomic bombing has undeniably made a huge impact to world’s history events. Throughout decades, many individuals’ have encountered diverse explanations as to why it was necessary for the dropping of the atomic bomb. While others believe it was essential, some may think that it caused an enormous catastrophe, murdering millions of innocent civilians and produced a generation with an atrocious radiation poison. Years has passed by and it continues to be the utmost talked about event. The atomic bombing that took place in Japan can be argued that it was the greatest decision made by president Truman. There are majority of different schools of thought behind President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombing. Readings that have been encountered can conclude that President Truman’s decision was a great one. This event prevented future fatalities amongst the Japanese as well as the Americans, ended the world war II, and it was the only option handed to Truman.…
In addition, Bergamini returns to several of Butow’s traditional arguments to prove his claims. Agreeing with Butow’s statement that the use of the bomb would leave Japan “practically powerless”, Bergamini writes that the atomic bomb lead to Emperor Hirohito’s decision to surrender. Returning to Butow’s claims Bergamini expands the traditionalist perspective by examining the influence that the atomic bomb had on emperor Hirohito’s decision to terminate the war. Providing evidence to his claims, Bergamini writes that while Hirohito believed that Japan could continue the war until the fall of 1945. He affirms the traditional opinion that the atomic bomb motivated the surrender by quoting Hirohito’s remarks to General MacArthur. Citing Hirohito’s statement that the atomic bomb “gave Japan an excuse to surrender”, the author offers historians with an additional account to consider for what motivated Japan’s surrender. Bergamini’s statements advance the traditionalist view of Japan’s motive to surrender by demonstrating Hirohito’s power in starting the war with the United States. Leaving historians to consider the influence of the emperor, the author shows how the atomic bomb moved Hirohito to…
Butow’s research on Marcus Kido’s influence on the emperor to accept terms that presented “peace and honor,” influences Feis’ argument. Feis claims that Kido’s ability to persuade Hirohito was crucial in moving Japan towards the choice to surrender. Feis takes a different approach to Butow’s thoughts on Kido’s efforts to surrender; with the understanding that the Japanese public would only end the war if the United States allowed the country to keep the emperor. Investigating Butow’s original claims, Feis identifies that the United States would not move from its demands for unconditional surrender. He argues that due to the country’s internal struggles, Japan directly prolonged the war. Feis argument allows him to question if the United States had not used the atomic bomb would Japan had surrender assembled in August 1945. This approach to history from a military aspect moved the topic of the decision to surrender in a new direction. Feis presents the question of whether the atomic bombs played an essential role in the decision-making that led to the Japanese’s surrender. Feis concludes his arguments by presenting the idea that Japan’s decision to surrender came from the threat that if the war lasted any longer, the United States would use a third atomic bomb. The author broadens the study of Japan’s decision through the understanding that the United States used the atomic bombs as a means to motivate Japan to…
On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the first ever Atomic weapon on Hiroshima, Japan. 140,000 people lost their lives, most of which were civilians. President Truman was in charge of this major decision, and he made the correct choice. The alternative solutions were much too costly for the United States, both in expenses and American casualties. Another reason Truman’s decision is justified was due to the declination of the fair ultimatum recieved by Japan. Also it was important to the well being of the world to keep the Soviets out of Japan. Dropping the Atomic Bomb was the most reliable and definite way to end the war.…
“On the morning of August 6, 1945, the American B-29 Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later another B-29, Bock’s Car, released one over Nagasaki. Both caused enormous casualties and physical destruction.” (Maddox 1). These disastrous events have weighted upon the American conscience ever since that day in history. Even though there are some people that disagree with the dropping of the atomic bomb, President Truman’s decision was very critical because he prevented the loss of many American lives, Japanese soldiers fought with no notion of ever surrendering, and it brought an end to a bloody war.…
This investigation evaluates whether or not the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary to make Japan surrender unconditionally. To assess the extent to which the deployment of nuclear weapons affected the Japanese decision to surrender unconditionally and if Japan was already prepared to do this prior to the use of the atomic bombs. The details and motivations of the United States to drop the bombs are explored as well as Japan’s peace negotiations with the United States and their progress prior to the U.S. choosing to use the bombs. Actions of the United States and Japan not related to the end of World War 2 are not assessed in this investigation.…
In August of 1945 nuclear weapons were exploded upon the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Following these atomic bombings, Japan surrendered. But were the atomic bombings necessary to save Allied lives and end Japan's threat to world peace while avoiding a deadly invasion of the Japanese mainland? The following account summarizes the events that led to Japan's surrender in World War II and then considers other means of achieving Japan's surrender. The second half of this article, which also includes the bibliography, can be found in Part 2.…
After the United States dropped the bomb, the Japanese surrendered only days later. In the end the bomb was a success which is why President Truman’s decision was precise and accurate…
My fellow leaders and advisors held exceedingly ambivalent views, when our American Allies first issued the Potsdam Declaration late July. They demanded unconditional surrender of all our armed forces! If this wasn’t disreputable enough, they threatened imminent and complete destruction of not only our forces, but they insured absolute devastation of our homeland if we failed to comply with their egregious policy! One consequential condition declared on the Potsdam Declaration undoubtedly resonated with me personally and many other leaders and advisors. The declaration specified “elimination for all of the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into…
Although WW II ended over 50 years ago there is still much discussion as to the events which ended the War in the Pacific. The primary event which historians attribute to this end are the use of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the bombing of these cities did force the Japanese to surrender, many people today ask "Was the use of the atomic bomb necessary to end the war?" and more importantly "Why was the decision to use the bomb made?" Ronald Takaki examines these questions in his book Hiroshima.…
<br>Admittedly, dropping the atomic bomb was a major factor in Japan's decision to accept the terms laid out at the Potsdam agreement otherwise known as unconditional surrender. The fact must be pointed out, however, that Japan had already been virtually defeated. (McInnis, 1945) Though the public did not know this, the allies, in fact, did. Through spies, they had learned that both Japan's foreign minister, Shigenori Togo and Emperor Hirohito both supported an end to the war (Grant, 1998). Even if they believed such reports to be false or inaccurate, the leaders of the United States also knew Japan's situation to be hopeless. Their casualties in defending the doomed island of Okinawa were a staggering 110,000 and the naval blockade which the allies had enforced whittled trade down to almost nothing. Japan was quickly on the path to destruction. (Grant, 1998). Of course, the Allies ignored this for the reason that…