Prompt and Utter Destruction: An Analytic Review

Rebecca Torres

Hist 1302/713

04/14/2012
Prof. Stromberg

Prompt and Utter Destruction: An analytical review

Was the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the American Government unavoidably necessary? This is what Samuel J. Walker intends to uncover in his publication. His argument is that the justifications made by the American Government after the dropping of the Atomic bombs were gross exaggerations and that the reasoning behind their ultimate decision is complicated. He contends that because of their lack of knowledge of the actual damage that the force of the
However, there has been no proof provided that Truman received any information that an invasion on Japan would cause that number of casualties (39). Learning that the presentation of the number of estimated casualties was skewed to ensure a favourable opinion from the majority of the American public solidifies my opinion that the atomic assaults were unnecessary. If they had been necessary, why not be forthcoming about the lesser estimation of casualties? Yet another reason that Truman and his cabinet decided to attack is that American relations with the Soviet Union during that time were becoming strained. It was important to the American government to strengthening the United States’ ties to the Soviet Union. The desire for amicable relations with the Soviet Union was a factor in the conclusion to use the bombs against Japan (95). At the time, the Soviet Union was preparing to declare war against Japan, and joining them or preceding them in the war would apparently strengthen the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States. The opinion was that the United States was a stronger power and that the Soviet Union would not be able to defeat Japan without U.S. intervention (41). However, with the Soviet Union and the United States working together, Japan would most likely be defeated in a short amount of time, making the atomic assaults on Japan even more unnecessary. Regardless of the option to partner