In Defense of Trumans Use of the Atomic Bomb Essay examples

President Harry Truman’s use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during the Second World War is the most controversial decision in history. While it was an undoubtedly difficult decision, it was indeed necessary in order to end this six-year war that had ravaged the world. While many critics argue that the bomb was used primarily as an act of vengeance toward Japan, simplifying such a crucial moment in human history downplays the very real risk invading Japan posed to the United States. While avoiding strained relations with the other Allied countries, Truman had to assess the possible danger of the Soviet Union in a post-war world. Furthermore, the possibility of an arms race, the moral implications of using this†¦show more content†¦This agreement signed in August 1943 and implemented in June 1944 stated, among other things, that the United States and Great Britain would never use this weapon against one another, use of this weapon against anothe r country as well as informing another country of this weapon required mutual consent. The Soviet Union, while an Allied nation, is absent from this meeting and is not informed of this project mainly because of their â€Å"diplomatic, information, and espionage groups in the United States† indicating that they more than likely knew about it anyway. It is obvious by this point in the war that these two countries share a mutual distrust for one another which would continue for an extended period of time. By September, 1944, before Roosevelt’s death, the threat of a nuclear arms race and possible retaliation for the use of this weapon is already a point of concern. The Office of Scientific Research and Development’s memorandum to Secretary of War Henry Stimson outlines some of the dangers the United States and Great Britain face in continuing the secret development of this â€Å"art†. Realizing this technology in the hands of the Soviet Union or other countries, especially defeated enemies, would make highly populated cities especially vulnerable. They also concluded that there was a high possibility of a â€Å"major power, or former major power undertaking this development.† The threat of the Soviet Union or Germany developing this weapon was aShow MoreRelatedHarry Truman857 Words   |  4 Pages1. Harry Truman was a realistic, pragmatic president who skillfully led the American people against the menace posed by the Soviet Union. Assess the validity of this statement by examining the Foreign Policy implemented during Truman’s presidency. At the end of the Second World War two major issues were brought to attention. 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Worried about Nazi Germany’s technological advances earlier in the war, the United States began to research atomic energy and the possibility of creating an atomic bomb (Walker 10). When the bombs were created, the arguments for and against the use of it were gruesome, lengthy, and all understandable in some way. During the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan, President Harry S. Truman and his fellow politicians had to consider the ethical arguments provided by the scientificRead MoreDebating History : Atomic Age947 Words   |  4 PagesMay 1, 2015 Debating History – Atomic Age Towards the end of World War II, the belief that Americans had of the war was one of invading Japan and ending the war in traditional style and in traditional surrender. However, to the efforts of J. Robert Oppenheimer and fellow associates changed the course of warfare and history by creating the atomic bomb. 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