Atomic Bomb 8 Essay -- essays research papers fc

Atomic Bomb In 1945, two bombs were dropped on Japan, on in Hiroshima and one in Nagasaki. Theses bombs marked the end to the world’s largest armed conflict. Despite the ghastly effects of such a weapon, it offered the best choice for a quick and easy defeat of Japan. President Truman, who authorized the use of the atomic bomb, made a wise decision under the circumstances of the war. Fifty years ago this is what people thought. Now many people are starting to find out that there might be more to the story than what was originally thought (Grant 26).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima caused massive amounts of damage and ruined thousands of lives, but they saves many more lives by ending the war quickly. Many questions pop into the heads of people that might have doubts whether or not the bombings were necessary. Such questions might include: Why, exactly, was the bomb dropped? Was the second bomb necessary? Was Japan about to surrender? Was there a way to end the war less savagely? Would our current leaders have made the same decision? Was any authority opposed to the idea? Should we have bombed military bases instead of cities? These and many other questions arise. Before these are analyzed, a brief background on the bombs and the tests are in order (O’Neal 47). When a man from the Soviet Union successfully split an atom, the question of a bomb immediately arose. Einstein wrote a letter to President Truman stating that if a bomb was possible then the country to own it would have complete power. In light of this information, Truman formed an Interim Committee to research the topic and find out if it was possible. It was funded by Truman’s multi-million dollar personal budget. The results came back positive and full financial support was given to the team to start working on it immediately (Grant 29).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The calculations made by the research team were as follows. The bomb would be equivalent to 4,000 planeloads of the current explosives. And estimate on cost and time could not be predicted because some still believed it wasn’t possible (Reflections 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the end of a three-year research, a bomb was ready for testing. A test site was cleared in New Mexico. It had a 120-mile radius. Once the President gave the final confi... ... war quickly. This policy of maximum violence led to the quick end of the deadlock in Japanese politics. Had such a policy not been used, the war could have dragged on for months or perhaps years more with mounting casualties on both sides. The political power of the atomic bomb was unmatched and proved to be the only force that could get the emperor to intervene in Japanese politics and stop the hostilities. The atom bomb proved to be the ultimate ambassador in a war where conventional politics were futile (O’Neal 98). Works Cited Ferrell, Robert H. Harry S. Truman and the Bomb. Worland, Wyoming: High Plains Publishing Company Inc. 1996. Grant, R.G. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Austin, Texas: Raintree Sterk-Vaugh Publishers. 1998. Meen, B.G. “Conflicts: The Atomic Bomb.'; Texas Monthly. June 89: 79. O’Neal, Michael. President Truman and the Atomic Bomb. San Diego, California; Greenahaven Press, Inc. 1990. Purcell, John. The Best Kept Secret: The Story of the Atomic Bomb. New York: The Vanguard Press, Inc. 1963. “Reflections of the Nuclear Age';. Atomic Archive: 3pg. Internet. http://www.atomicarchive.com/AAReflection.shtml. 12/11/99.