Jeremy
  Samuel
 
Honors


 World
  History
 
September


 17,
  2013
 


 

Atomic Bomb Paper

Thesis: The factors leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb was to end the war quickly, prevent Russian expansion into Asia, and to induce surrender upon Japan.

In a quick feat, to try to end the war quicker the Manhattan Project is introduced by the
United States. Many scientists then begin work on nuclear research and later turn into the building of an atomic bomb. The first of two atomic bombs were dropped on August 6, 1945 on
Hiroshima nicknamed “Little Boy” created mass destruction. The factors, leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb among the many was; to end the war quickly, prevent Russian expansion into Asia, and to induce surrender upon Japan. These atomic bombs although very controversial were needed and President Truman’s order of dropping the bomb was completely justified. The issue of ending the war was a major factor of dropping the atomic bomb.
The ending of the war depended on the atomic bomb and it did end the war much quicker than most people anticipated. Since we used the bomb, we didn’t need to use a land invasion. But if we did use a land invasion, the resource costs would be immense this is because we would need to supply the troops with loads of ammunition, guns, tanks, and trucks. When they were planning the invasion they needed to factor out when to invade. For the reason that if they delayed much after the beginning of November the end of the war would be inevitably delayed back for up to six months. (White House Minutes 6/18/45) Also, if there is a land invasion the
Japanese might fight to the bitter end. A statistic showed that for every 1 American soldier that was killed 22 Japanese were killed. This wasn’t because they were bad fighters, it was cause they were trained to never surrender and fight to their death and honor their country and ultimately their living god: The Emperor. (White House Minutes 6/18/45) Now that we didn’t use a land invasion is because many people in Japan would suffer and the Americans would suffer big time: a supposed 500,000 - 1,000,000 men and resources would be lost. Even though this was true,
General Lincoln thought otherwise, “it is obvious that peace would save lives and resources, but the estimated loss of 500,000 lives due to carrying the war to conclusion under our present plan of campaign is considered to be entirely too high”. (Memorandum for General Hull 6/4/45)
Another issue of the land invasions that the Japanese might be able to get better surrender terms.
Marquis Koichi Kido’s plan was to ask the Soviet Union which maintains neutrality with Japan, to mediate between Japan and the allies. Also, Japan’s minimum peace terms were “security of the Imperial family and vindication of the national policy”, referring to the continuance of the
Emperor system, which Japan believed to be of divine origin. Considering that as long as their
Emperor system can go on and their Imperial Family is safe they are okay with the surrender.
(Marquis Koichi Kido date not stated) There was much disagreement between the scientists about dropping the atomic bomb for instance V. Bush and J.B. Conant think that “by next
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summer this will become a group matter of great military importance, basic knowledge of this matter is widespread and it would be foolhardy to attempt to maintain a security by preserving secrecy”. These men think that the bomb would be very important to the military by the next summer and no one really knows much about the bomb and it would be “foolish” to keep it secret. (Memorandum to the Secretary of War 9/30/44) J.P. Oppenheimer is the lead scientist for the Manhattan