Atomic Bombs: The End to the War in the Pacific?



Atomic Bombs: The End to the War in the Pacific?

Was the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary to end the war in the Pacific?

Section A: Plan of the Investigation

Historians have debated whether the United States was justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They have debated alternatives, possible causes and even the decision to pursue a nuclear program in the United States to begin with. Many of these debates originate from humanitarian concerns, others from a military strategic perspective and then there are those that simply give in to conspiracy theories and form an opinion. This debate had started shortly after the bombs had been dropped and still continues to this day.

Opinions vary significantly. Some argue that a conventional land invasion would have achieved the same result because Japan was on the brink of economic and military collapse and would have been forced to surrender.Others suggest that if the Americans had fought their way inland, the cost in American lives would have exceeded more than a quarter of a million soldiers. Through my research, I will analyze the social, economic and political conditions in Japan that support, and or, refute these opinions.

It is without a doubt that the opinions of the military, the politicians and the scientific community influenced Truman's final decision. Each group had different reasons and opinions that added to the arguments of using an atomic bomb to end the war. Unfortunately, the ideology and explanations behind each group's motives is not common knowledge. Truman is said to emphatically and repeatedly defend his decision to use the bomb, with the reason being a mere four words; to end the war. On the surface, it may seem reason enough but, as the world has come to realize, using an Atomic Bomb is not simple to say the least. The consequences and implications are quite dire indeed. Thus, such a simple reason seems only inadequate. In light of the above, I will explore the pros and cons for dropping the two bombs and conclude accordingly.

Primary sources of my research include journals, scholarly articles, newspaper articles and public opinions and comments that can be found in online libraries as well as the numerous forums dedicated to the topic. To prove the varying opinions, the paper will include quotations from people serving in the military as well as in the government of the time. Additional sources include a documentary film on the subject matter at hand.

Section B: Summary of Evidence

On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, a city on the island of Honshu. It was a blast equivalent to 12,500 tons of TNT. The temperature at ground zero reached 5,400 degree F. creating a fireball within half a mile, roasting people to “bundles of smoking black char in a fraction of a second as their internal organs boiled away.” Of the 76,000 buildings in Hiroshima, 70,000 were ...