Why Did Truman Dropped The Atomic Bomb

Words: 1779
Pages: 8

1. Identification and evaluation of sources

The investigation, examining Truman's decision regarding the atomic bomb, that is his resolve to drop the destructive forces upon the Japanese city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki whilst still in his beginning months of presidency will attempt to answer the question: What factors influenced President Harry S. Truman to deploy the atomic bomb? The primary sources that will be analyzed are the writings of distinguished military writer historians Thomas B. Allen and Norman Polmar in “Code-name downfall: the secret plan to invade Japan and why Truman dropped the bomb,” which clearly states reasons as to why Truman wanted to drop the bomb and “Truman”, by David McCullough, a biography of the president which includes many different events leading up to the dropping of the bomb.

Code-name downfall: the secret plan to invade Japan and why Truman dropped the bomb:
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Allen and Norman Polmar, a well-known author who has specialized in naval, aviation, and intelligence agencies, published this source in 1995. Its purpose is to answer the provocative question, which historians have disagreed over for years, “Why did Truman drop the atomic bomb?” It is valuable because it contains declassified documents, personal interviews and a decade of thorough research all of which the authors use to trace the progress of the Pacific War, part of World War II fought in Pacific and East Asia, including President Truman’s personal personal ideas, “The atomic bomb… was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness.” (Allen, pg 173) It reveals details of preparation done on both the American and Japanese side to prepare for an invasion, which would end in a high death toll. However, the text does not contain much information regarding the Truman administration, which limits our understanding of how those closest to the president affected his rapid