Essay on Atomic Bomb

Submitted By Dalton-Wood
Words: 918
Pages: 4

WWII: The Atomic Bomb The Second World War was the largest war the world had ever seen. It lasted 6 years from 1939
– 1945 and killed millions. Japan and America began fighting in the Pacific Ocean. America began secretly building a new type of bomb; this was called the Manhattan project. This bomb commonly known now as an atomic bomb could lay waste to whole cities and vaporize anyone instantly who was standing within 1 square kilometer. The Japanese had initiated a surprise st attack on Pearl Harbour that took place on December, 1 1941 provoking America to drop the

bomb on Japan 4 years later. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was completely justified. First the Japanese deserved it after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour that killed 3000 – 6000 young American sailors. Second the bomb scared other countries more specifically the U.S.S.R and would hopefully stop future attacks on the U.S.A. Third shortly after the bombs were dropped Japan surrendered ending the war saving hundreds of thousands of lives. First, the bombing on Hiroshima was justified because Japan deserved it. In a letter from the U.S
President Harry Truman to Irv Kupcinet, an American newspaper columnist for the Chicago Sun
Harry Truman said “You must always remember that people forget, as you said in your column, that the bombing of Pearl Harbour was done while we were at peace with Japan and trying our best to negotiate a treaty with them.”[1] Harry Truman was saying Japan and America were friends when Japan attacked Pearl Harbour killing many young Navy men. Harry Truman also mentioned in the same letter “All you have to do is go stand on the keel of the Battleship in

Pearl Harbour with the 3,000 youngsters underneath it who had no chance whatsoever of saving their lives. That is true of two or three other battleships that were sunk in Pearl Harbour.
Altogether, there were between 3,000 and 6,000 youngsters killed at the time without any declaration of war. It was plain murder.”[2] Harry Truman flat­out called Japan murderers of attacking Pearl Harbour bombing unprepared Navy men.
James Byrne, A U.S Secretary of State speaking in 1945 exclaimed “Any weapon that would bring an end to the war and save a million casualties among American boys was justified and we are talking about an enemy that hadn’t hesitated at Pearl Harbour to make a sneak attack not only destroying ships but the lives of many American men.”[3] In conclusion many people felt the attack On Pearl Harbour was deserving of the use of the atomic bomb. Second, America believed dropping the atomic bomb would intimidate other countries above all the U.S.S.R. In the memoirs of Harry Stimson, the American Secretary of war he said” Beyond all other considerations the importance of taking this action against Russia…any nations who have not demonstrated their potential powers, in my opinion, would not be taken seriously by
Russia.”[4] What Harry Stimson is saying is if America does not show Russia their strength than
Russia will not consider them a real threat and will not take any negotiations or demands seriously. A Russian historian said in The Roots of European Security “The purpose of the bombings was to intimidate other countries above all the Soviet Union. In other words the U.S decision to the atomic energy for military purposes was meant to produce a diplomatic and psychological impact.”[5] In conclusion the atomic bomb was used to intimidate other countries.

Third, dropping the atomic bombs