Harold Faust
9/26/14
U.S foreign relations 217
Paper #1
Research Question: could have the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki been avoided?

The purpose of this research paper is to answer the question could have the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki been avoided? On Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m., the first Atomic Bomb had been codenamed “Little Boy” because it had an explosive force of some 12,500 tons of TNT. “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima by an American B-29 bomber aircraft. The first bomb instantly killed an estimated 80,000 people. The second atomic bomb the United States dropped was on Nagasaki on Thursday, August 9, 1945, at 11:02 a.m., an estimated 70,000 people were killed instantly by the impact of the second bomb codenamed “Fat Man”. I believe that the atomic bombings that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was needed to end the Pacific war, but at what cost? Many lost lives and loved ones because these two countries could not find a peaceful solution.

There are many different factors that played a part leading up to the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The biggest factor that I believe was World War ll. World War ll was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The war involved a vast majority of the world's most powerful nations at the time. There were two main sides fighting against each other in World War ll. The Allies which consisted of Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States against the Axis powers which consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan. Britain and France declared war on Germany September 3, 1939 as a result of the German invasion of Poland September 1, 1939. Italy entered the war on June 10, 1940, shortly before the collapse of France. On June 22, 1941 Germany ambushed the Soviet Union. And on December 7, 1941 at 7:48 a.m., the Japanese Navy attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor located in Oahu, Hawaii. Pearl Harbor was a defining moment in United States history because it was the first terrorist attack the United States has ever faced on American soil. On the morning of December 7, 1941 at 7:48 a.m., the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on Pearl Harbor. After just two hours of bombing, more than 2,400 Americans were killed, 21 ships had either been sunk or damaged, and more than 188 United States aircrafts were destroyed. A day later the United States declared war on Japan. Many have asked the question on why Japan bombed the United States in the first place. Several factors come into play on why did they did it.
Some believe that when the Japanese decided to attack America; they knew that almost all of the immediate forces were naval. Hence, there decision to bomb Pearl Harbor. Another reason they decided upon Pearl Harbor was because it was closer to Japan than the United States soil, and they would have less distance to travel. The closer they came to the United States coast, the larger the chance of being detected, and forced to turn back. Also, if they attacked our mainland, they would have to pass Hawaii on the way back, and by that time a military force would be following them.
President Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States from 1945 to1953. President Truman made one of the hardest decisions in United States history when he decided to drop two Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was not an easy decision to be made but it was something that was needed to defeat Japan. President Truman described with absolute clarity his views on the destructive nature of the atomic bomb. The president said “This weapon is to be used against Japan between now and August 10. . . . It seems to be the most terrible thing ever