The Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombing

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On August 6, 1945, the United States bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, on orders from President Harry S Truman. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Each bomb is estimated to have killed between 50,000 and 100,000 people (Powers, 1995, p. 20), but it is difficult to estimate the death toll. These bombings are widely believed to be the main reason for Japan’s surrender on September 2. In the end, the bombardment achieved the intended purpose -- that is causing (or at least, helping to cause) Japan’s surrender -- but was it the right decision to make? The deaths of so many Japanese civilians was tragic, but it was necessary. President Truman acted ethically when he ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is important to take decisions in context. The United States had entered the war after Japanese planes attacked the United States Pearl Harbor naval base in the then territory of Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The war was a …show more content…
Both of these suggestions were discarded as impractical. They were not regarded as likely to be effective in compelling a surrender of Japan and both of them involved serious risks. Even the New Mexico test would not give final proof that any given bomb was certain to explode when dropped from an airplane. Quite apart from the generally unfamiliar nature of atomic explosives, there was the whole problem of exploding a bomb at a predetermined height in the air by a complicated mechanism which could not be tested in the static test of New Mexico. Nothing would have been more damaging to our effort to obtain surrender than a warning or a demonstration followed by a dud--and this was a real possibility. Furthermore, we had no bombs to waste. It was vital that a sufficient effect be quickly obtained with the few we had. (Stimson, 2009, p.

The Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombing

a quick and timely manner. Throughout history America has been known as the top economic and military superpower, and this time it would be no different. The bombings used to suppress the axis powers came under intense scrutiny mainly due in part to that there were surely alternative methods that could have been substituted for the bombing runs. possibly resulting in numerous lives saved on all sides of the conflict. There was no doubt that there were similar but safer ways to manage the engagement…

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The Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombing

sides exemplified. Soldiers repeatedly raped civilian women while generals and other war officials used horrific tactics such as mass bombing and kamikaze attacks in order to undermine the enemy. One of the many bombings from World War II that comes into question is the U.S.A.’s use of nuclear bombing one the Japanese islands of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. While the bombing did shorten the war and saved lives from both sides, the results…

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Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombing Persuasive Essay

Atomic Bomb Dropping Debate Did you know that Japan was actually a very peaceful and simple nation and they were very close to surrendering right before our racist president, Truman, dropped a bomb on them just to look good in front of Russia? Actually, all those, except one are, widely believed misconceptions and they are untrue. The bomb served justice to the awful war crimes committed by the Japanese. Additionally the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, actually saved millions of lives…

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Cicero's Argumentative Analysis

War is an interesting topic. People spend their lives studying wars, why they started, the aftermath, pros and cons of it. The real question is whether it is morally right or the devil’s work. This question has been asked time and time again and never has got a clear answer. The simple answer is yes war is morally right and there is real world examples to proof it. War is a way to settle a dispute when the peaceful option is no longer available. This idea has been known long before Cicero wrote…

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Pros And Cons Of The Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project This is what ended world war two. The Manhattan Project is the building of an atomic bomb. The two bombs were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This will be on the progression of the Manhattan Project. Lets see how America got into this position. First Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. America had island-hopped to Japan. President Truman made the decision to drop the two bombs on Japan. This was a very controversial decision. This is how and when the Manhattan Project started. The…

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The World War Essay

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Micole Caasalan History 20 Period 1 Mr. Lepage April 15, 2014 The horrors of a bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are unimaginable. To be able countries fight with nuclear weapons. A nuclear war has never happened, but because nuclear weapons are extremely powerful and could cause destruction throughout the world, even a small nuclear weapon has enough potential…

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Weapons of Destruction Essay

controlled flight. It lasted twelve seconds”(Weir 154). The plane flew seven miles per hour. Years later the Blackbird could fly 2189 mph at an altitude 86000 ft (154). The airplane did prove itself to be a mater weapon in the sea and on land. Most of the bombing strategy that they used with the planes, was a wasted effort (156). Airplanes will always become more and more advanced in today society. In different wars, chemical warfare was used in many ways. It can be a very dangerous weapon if used correctly…

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Essay on History: Nuclear Weapon and International Agreement

The Atomic Bomb The Decision to Use the Bomb The modern nuclear arsenals and the struggle to control nuclear weaponry have brought new significance and controversy to the American use of the atomic bomb in World War II. This reading selection describes the circumstances surrounding the decision to use the atomic bomb. There is considerable debate among historians about the necessity of using the bomb to force Japan's surrender; there is perhaps even greater controversy concerning the moral principle…

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