The United States started atomic research in the
early part of the forties. President
Roosevelt approved this research. This
research cost more than two billion dollars.
Truman did not know about this research until he became president. Truman approved the use of the bomb on
Japanese cities of some sort of military significance. The atomic bomb changed the art of war. Some approved of Truman’s decision and
others did not think he should of used the bomb. First, why did Truman decide to use the bomb against Japan? Second, what are some alternatives to
dropping the bomb? Third, what are some
possible consequences of these alternatives?
Fourth, what did some other people think of Truman’s decision to drop
the bomb? Fifth, what do I think about
Truman’s decision to drop the bomb?
Sixth, using the bomb started an arms race between the Soviets and
American government.
First, why did Truman decide to use the bomb against Japan? “It was my reaction that the scientists and
others wanted to make this test because of the vast sums that had been spent on
the project” (Leahy, p. 50). If we did
not use the bomb the congress might not approve more money for research on
other projects. They wanted to use the
bomb before the Soviets could enter the war against Japan. The Soviets said they would enter the war
three months after the defeat of the Germans.
If the Soviets entered the war then they would get to sit at the
bargaining table. However, the Soviets
invaded Manchuria just before we dropped the bomb on Hiroshima (Grew, p.
52). The United States was afraid that
the Soviets might dominate Asia like it was doing in Europe (Forrestal, p.
59). “Byrnes thought it would be very
difficult to persuade Russia to withdraw her troops from these countries, and
that Russia might be more manageable if impressed by American military might”
(Szilard, p. 63). Byrnes thought that
the bomb might approve our position with the Soviets.
Second, what are some alternatives to
dropping the bomb? The United States
could of warned Japan about the bomb (Truman).
The United States could have had a demonstration of the power of the
bomb (Truman). There was a two-part
invasion of Japan planned for 1945.
They would first invade Kyushu and then Kanto near Tokyo (Truman). The United States and her allies issued a
proclamation at Potsdam that Japan should surrender (Truman). The Japanese were trying to negotiate with
the Soviet Government (Stimson). We
could of use air bombing, naval bombing, and a naval blockade.
Third, what are some possible consequences of these alternatives? If we gave a warning that we were going to
use the bomb then the Japanese could move some of our prisoners of war to the
area (Byrnes, p. 55). If we had a
demonstration of the bomb it might fail and then we would look bad. The two-part invasion of Japan would cost at
least a million Americans and many more Japanese and allies lives. The Russians would have entered the
war. However, more Japanese soldiers
were starting to surrender so it might not of cost as many lives as the
Americans thought it would. The Potsdam
Proclamation did not tell the Japanese that if they surrendered they could keep
their emperor. The Soviet Government
would not talk to Japan because they were about to invade Manchuria. Air bombing, naval bombing, and naval
blockade could of failed like it during the Battle of Britain. Japanese are more committed then the British
were.
Fourth, what did some other people think of Truman’s decision to
drop the bomb? “The top military
advisers to the President recommended its use, and when I talked to Churchill
he unhesitatingly told me that he favored the use of the atomic bomb if it
might aid to end the war” (Truman, pp. 43-44).
Churchill was for the use of the atomic bomb. “The incident took place in 1945 when Secretary of War Stimson,
visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was
preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan.
I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons
to question the wisdom of such an act” (Eisenhower, p. 50). Five-star general Eisenhower was against the
use of the bomb. “It is my opinion that
the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material
assistance in our war against Japan” (Leahy, p. 50). Admiral Leahy was against the use of the bomb. “One of the professors associated with the
Manhattan Project told me that he had hoped the bomb wouldn’t work” (Leahy, p.
50). Some of the people who developed
the bomb were against the use of the bomb.
“I replied that I was not think so much about those casualties as I was
about the men who had made the Bataan death march” (Groves, p. 64). Groves was for the use of the bomb.
Fifth, what do I think about Truman’s
decision to drop the bomb? Truman
should of given the Japanese more time to surrender. I agree with Grew that the Japanese were prepared to
surrender. They were trying to
negotiate with the Soviets. We should
of let the Japanese know that if they did not surrender that very soon they
would face total destruction by a new powerful weapon. However, Truman was justified in using the
bomb to save American, allied, and Japanese lives. If the Japan was invaded more than a million lives would have
been lost. We should have waited longer
before we dropped the second bomb on Nagasaki.
This would of given Japan more time to surrender.
Sixth, using the bomb started an arms race
between the Soviets and American government.
The use of the atomic bomb on Japan started an arms race between the
USSR and the USA. The United States was
afraid of Communists and tried to aid other countries to prevent the spread of
Communism. The reason we won the Cold
War was we were able to out spend the USSR.
They were not able to keep up with us.
The use of the atomic bomb ended the Second
World War. The use of the atomic bomb
has also caused some problems. People
are afraid of a nuclear war. President
Bush wants to build a weapon that could protect us from a nuclear device. This is upsetting some of our allies. More countries are getting the knowledge of
nuclear power. Each year it is becoming
more likely of a nuclear war. India and
Pakistani have nuclear weapons. They
have fought many wars against each other.
Then there is the question of what to do with nuclear waste. Nuclear power plants are more clean then
other forms of power. Nuclear power
makes it possible for subs to stay under water for a prolong time.
