Why The Atomic Bomb Should Have Been Dropped

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Kyle Yatsonsky Mr. McShaffery U.S History 8 June 2015 Why the Atomic Bomb Should have been Dropped On August 6 and August 9 of 1945, perhaps the most controversial war decision in American history took place. This decision was deciding to drop the atomic bombs in Hiroshima, Japan on the sixth and Nagasaki, Japan on the ninth. Killing thousands of individuals instantaneously with Japan’s army in a weak state, many argue that the bombings were unnecessary. Despite these arguments, the dropping of the atomic bombs was both necessary and justified because it ended the war, actually saved thousands of lives and stopped fascist Japan. Here is a brief summary of World War 2 for Japan. Japan enters Manchuria on September 18, 1931. Invading Manchuria…show more content…
This brings an end to the depression.(Trueman) On November 25, 1936, Japan and Germany sign the Anti-Comintern Pact. This essentially allies Germany and Japan with one another. Japan displays its aggression when it enters China on July7, 1937. The significance of this invasion was “initiating World War 2 in the Pacific”(World War 2 Timeline). Japan’s fascist allies continue to invade other countries and declare war. For example, Italy enters Albania in April of 1939. This is also seen with Germany raiding Poland on September 1, 1939. Germany continues conquering nations when it invades and forces Denmark to submission on April 9, 1940, and when it invades and makes Norway give up on June 9, 1940. (World War II: Timeline) Japan, Germany, and Italy sign The Tripartite Pact on September 27, 1940, which officially makes these three nations allies. (Staff, History.com) Fascism continues to thrive for the Axis Powers as they try to conquer Yugoslavia, Greece, and the Soviet Union among others. On December 7, 1941, “Japan bombs Pearl Harbor”( World War II: Timeline.) as a result of the United States restricting Japan’s oil usage by embargoing oil for the country. Japan’s…show more content…
Japan’s actions most certainly do not merit this though. This is seen following the United States success with the Manhattan Project, which is the name of the process in which the atomic bomb was made and developed. To ensure that the bomb would be a success, the United States tested it in New Mexico. Things ran smoothly during the test, so Truman knew that the United States had the power it needed to obliterate Japan. So, on July 26, 1945, the Allies called for “unconditional surrender of all the Japanese armed forces” (Staff, History.com.) in the Potsdam declaration.. If the Japanese did not adhere to the surrender then the Allies warned that “the inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitable the utter destruction of the Japanese homeland” (Staff, History.com.) would follow. Japan’s reaction to this warning does not express the concern that it should. In reference to the Potsdam declaration, the Prime Minister of Japan, Kantaro Suzuki, said “that his government was paying no attention” (Staff, History.com.). This sequence of events has significant meanings for various reasons. One of them is that Japan did not plan on surrendering to the Allies. In addition, this shows that Japan would continue to fight despite its bleak situation as a whole for its forces. Another reason why the
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