In the article, Ending The War Against Japan: Science, Morality And The Atomic Bomb, the author provides information on the war in the Pacific which involved the United States and Japan. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the United States entered the second World War in 1941. United States gained control of Okinawa in 1945 which meant that the U.S had control, in the months of May through August there were major air attacks on Japan, the Manhattan Project and the two atomic bombs the United States dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were part of the choice out of the many options that might have been given to President Truman and Secretary of War, Henry Stimson.
They felt that dropping the atomic bomb was the best way to get the Japanese to give an unconditional surrender. The three options that the author gives in this article are based on three different outcomes that could have changed the way the Pacific War ended. The first option would allow President Truman to end the war peacefully, and it would have also allowed the Japanese to withdraw from the war without shame to their leader and save the thousands of Japanese individuals by not making the United States have to make the choice of dropping the atomic bombs. This option would have let Truman show that “We as Americans have not sunk to the level of our enemies” “We should end the war now in a manner that reflects the value we place on the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the individual”.
The Essay on World War II And The Atomic Bomb
... lives were ended in a matter of seconds. The United States had dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Today many argue ... November 1946, for the Japanese to be sufficiently worn down by the land combat attrition to surrender.” (The Atomic Bomb 61) How can ... however, it is still a belief that the Atomic Bomb was necessary to end the war. Also, leaflets and warnings had been issued ...
The author gives Truman a second option and this option approaches the war in the Pacific with a demonstration of the atomic bomb in efforts to force the Japanese to surrender without condition. This includes the uprising of the Manhattan Project which gave the United States the “weapon of almost inconceivable power” with the scare tactics of the demonstration this gives the Japanese leaders an idea of what would come if they continued on resisting a withdraw.
The American people felt as though they have put everything on the line to defeat the Japanese and would like nothing less than to see them surrender unconditionally and as long as we are taking responsible authority on our terms of the Japanese surrender we can end the war and increase strength and peace. The third and final option that Truman could have chosen would be to go fourth with the complete plan without the demonstration of the atomic bombs in the deserted Pacific a demonstration provided little purpose.” The Japanese have fought a merciless war of aggression.
They neither expect nor deserve mercy”. We were in need of a quick victory and the only way to make japan admit failure and surrender was with strong military force. It was too late for any negotiations with the Japanese emperor, this plan gave President Truman the chance to save more American lives many of the other choices might have resulted in more American deaths. With the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the torture of allies this option to drop as many bombs as needed without warning might have been the only way to send an effective message to the emperors of Japan.
After reading the options that the author gives about the different outcomes Truman could have made and If I were Truman and I was making the decision I would have chosen option number two, Because I feel as though the atomic bomb being used for a scare tactic is a great way to show our power but also show our respect for the Japanese. The demonstration of the bombs would allow us to strengthen our roles in America and prevent the unmoral killing of Americans and Japanese.
