Setting the Stage The war in Europe had concluded (ended) in May. The Pacific war would receive full attention from the United States War Department. As late as May 1945, the U.S. was engaged in heavy fighting with the Japanese at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In these bloody conflicts, the United States had more than 75,000 casualties (deaths). These victories made sure that the United States was within air striking distance of the Japanese mainland. The bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese to start United States entrance into the war, just four years before, was still fresh on the minds of many Americans. A desire to end the war strengthened the desire of the United States. 1. Why was the U.S. so eager to end the fighting with Japan? President Harry Truman had many alternatives (other options) at his disposal (choosing) for ending the war: 1) Invade the Japanese mainland (the plan was already created) 2) Hold a demonstration of the destructive power of the atomic bomb for Japanese officials 3) Drop an atomic bomb on selected industrial Japanese cities 4) Bomb and blockade the islands (the plan was already created) 5) Wait for Soviet entry into the war on August 15 6) Mediate (negotiate) a compromised peace. 2. Which seems like the best option for the United States? Why? For the Japanese, losses at Iwo Jima and Okinawa had been staggering. Their navy had stopped being an effective fighting force and the air corps had been destroyed. American planes made bombing runs over military targets on the Japanese mainland an significant part of their air campaign. Japan's lack of air power limited their ability to fight. Bombs were not always able to hit their targets AND devastated civilians in Europe. The United States still chose to do the same and bomb Japanese mainland cities. Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe all were decimated (destroyed) by bombs. In all, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in these air strikes meant to make the Japanese surrender. Yet, Japanese resolve stayed strong and the idea of a bloody "house to house" invasion of the Japanese mainland would produce thousands more American and Allied casualties. 3. Were the Japanese ready to quit?
Homework Based on what you have heard and read in class create a chart of the arguments for using the atomic bomb and the arguments against using the atomic bomb. After completing the chart write a minimum of five complete sentences telling me which side of the argument you support. Do you think President Truman did the right thing when he dropped the atomic bomb or do you think that President Truman made the wrong decision? Explain your answer using at least three items from your chart. You may use this sheet or create your own. Arguments Supporting Bombing Arguments Against Bombing Paragraph response:
Round 1 - Arguments For Using the Atomic Bomb A. Instead of dropping an atomic bomb, one option was to fight Japan through the island of Kyushu. The belief was that an attempt on Kyushu would cost in casualties (deaths) around 63,000 of the 190,000 American troops (soldiers) estimated as necessary for the invasion. It was also estimated that around 1 of every 3 soldiers would die trying to 1 defeat Japan on its other islands. B. The cost of the project that designed and built the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was about $2 billion dollars* Today the same project would cost over 21 billion dollars. The U.S. had already spent the money and was not going to get the money back. * The exact amount was $1,889,604,000 dollars. ** The exact amount was $21,570,821,000 A. Instead of dropping an atomic bomb, one option was to fight Japan through the island of Kyushu. The belief was that an attempt on Kyushu would cost in casualties (deaths) around 63,000 of the 190,000 American troops (soldiers) estimated as necessary for the invasion. It was also estimated that around 1 of every 3 soldiers would die trying to 2 defeat Japan on its other islands. B. The cost of the project that designed and built the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was about $2 billion dollars* Today the same project would cost over 21 billion dollars. The U.S. had already spent the money and was not going to get the money back. * The exact amount was $1,889,604,000 dollars. ** The exact amount was $21,570,821,000 1 Diary Entry June 1, 1945 from Ayers Papers. Accessed at http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php?documentdate=1945-06-01&documentid=48&studycollectionid=abomb&pagenumb er=1 2 Diary Entry June 1, 1945 from Ayers Papers. Accessed at http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php?documentdate=1945-06-01&documentid=48&studycollectionid=abomb&pagenumb er=1
Round 1 - Arguments Against Using the Atomic Bomb C. It was estimated that around 200,000 to 240,000 Japanese were killed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with most people being civilians who were going about their daily lives. Around 70,000 people died from the bomb blast at Hiroshima with another 90,000 dying from burns, radiation and related diseases by the end of 1945. About 80,000 died at Nagasaki. Official numbers are hard to determine because the bombs destroyed most of the records on the cities populations. D. "Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts, and supported by surviving Japanese leaders prior (before) to the 31st of December, 1945, and in all probability prior to the 1st of November, 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no 3 invasion had been planned." Basically Japan was going to surrender no matter what by the end of the year, just four months away. E. The bombing of Nagasaki came only three days after the bombing of Hiroshima which was not enough time for the confused and battered Japanese to respond to the American demands for peace. F. From the July 25, 1945 diary entry by Harry Truman (then the President of the U.S.): Even if the Japs are savages... we as the leader of the world for the common welfare (good of the people) cannot drop this terrible bomb on the old capital or the new. 3 " United States Strategic Bombing Survey; Summary Report " pg. 26. United States Government Printing Office (1946). Retrieved on July 28, 2006.
Round 2 - Arguments For Using the Atomic Bomb G. On July 24, at a conference, Truman walked carefully around to Stalin, who had stood up and was preparing to leave the hall and told about the test explosion of a nuclear bomb. Truman did not use the word "nuclear" and simply related that the United States had just successfully tested a new weapon of great explosive power and that he wanted the Soviets to know this fact. H. Telegram from Senator Richard Russell to President Harry Truman : Let us carry the war to them until they beg us to accept the unconditional surrender. The foul attack on Pearl Harbor brought us into war Our people have not forgotten that the Japanese struck us the first blow in this war without warning... The next plea (beg) for Peace should come from an utterly (totally) destroyed Tokyo (the 4 capital of Japan) I. President Truman responds to Church Leaders My dear Mr. Cavert: Nobody is more disturbed over the use of Atomic bombs than I am but I was greatly disturbed over the [surprise] attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor and their murder of our prisoners of war. The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using to bomb them. When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him as a beast. It is most regrettable but true. 5 Sincerely yours, Harry S. Truman J. "The bomb was unfortunate, but it was the only way to get Japan to surrender," argues a professor at a University in Japan. The professor claims that military officials were likely to fight on, furiously, until the end willing to "Sacrifice 20 million Japanese lives," as late as August of 1945. 4 http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php?documentdate=1945-08-07&documentid=8&studycollectionid=abomb&pagenumbe r=1 5 http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/inde x.php?pagenumber=1&documentdate=1945-08-11&documentid=11&studycollectionid= abomb
Round 2 - Arguments Against Using the Atomic Bomb K. A letter to the President of the United States from an American religious group: The use of atomic bombs sets an extremely dangerous precedent for future of mankind * Precedent - the precedent is the event that comes before other events. In other words, if we use atomic bombs in THIS war, what does that mean for future wars? L. Japanese Government s Official Protest to US State Department over Bombing "Combat and noncombat men and women, old and young, are massacred without discrimination by the explosion, as well as by the radiating heat the bomb [has] the most cruel effects humanity has ever known.... The bombs in question, used by the Americans, is worse than earlier firebombing, which massacred old people, women and children, destroying and burning down Shinto and Buddhist temples, schools, hospitals, 6 living quarters, etc... This is a new crime against humanity and civilization." 6 The Atomic Bomb: Voices from Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Mark Selden, Kyoko Selden; M. E. Sharpe, 1989
Notes and References: Reasons against bombing: Fundamentally immoral The bombing was a war crime? A form of state terrorism Militarily bombing unnecessary Racism and dehumanizing Not military targets Those who argue in favor of the decision to drop the bombs generally assert that they caused the Japanese surrender, preventing massive casualties on both sides in the planned invasion of Japan. Those who argue against the decision to drop the bombs characterize them as inherently immoral, war crimes or, crimes against humanity and/or state terrorism. They may also argue that they were militarily unnecessary. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990ce0d91430f935a3575bc0a96395 8260&sec=&spon=&&scp=10&sq=dropping%20the%20atomic%20bomb&st=cse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/debate_over_the_atomic_bombings_of_hiroshima_and_na gasaki http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php?action =lessons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n1rqho4xym http://www.metacafe.com/watch/365652/hiroshima_atomic_bomb_reenactment/ This weapon is to be used against Japan between now and August 10. I have told the secretary of war, Mr. Stimson, to use it so that military objectives and soldiers and sailors are the target and not women and children. Even if the Japs are savages, ruthless, merciless and fanatic, we as the leader of the world for the common welfare cannot drop this terrible bomb on the old capital or the new.(8) He and I are in accord. The target will be a purely military one and we will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives. I'm sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance. http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/ferrell_book/ferrell_bo ok_chap5.htm July 25 diary entry for Harry Truman Hirohito said in the capitulation statement: Moreover, the enemy now possesses a new and terrible weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why
We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers. McArthur say anything about it The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists : Argued war is not necessary murder but by definition does involve killing, Dropping the bomb was the best worst option, much more killing would have insued Immoral to target cities, bombs were not necessary to secure japan s surrender, US should have clarified its demands for surrender
Was it justified for the U.S. to drop atomic bombs on Japan? 1) Answer the question in a topic sentence. 2) Use and cite at least examples from the documents. (You can quote or paraphrase) 3) Explain and provide commentary for each example. 4) Use ALL of the space provided to write. YOU ONLY GET POINTS IF THE PREVIOUS STEP IS COMPLETE! Yes No Is there a strong topic sentence that answers the question? (1 points) Does the response provide examples with citations? (2 points) Are the examples explained with appropriate supporting commentary? (3) Is the entire space of this paper used? (4 points) Are strong transitions and good word choice utilized? (5 points)
A. Instead of dropping an atomic bomb, one option was to fight Japan through the island of Kyushu. The belief was that an attempt on Kyushu would cost in casualties (deaths) around 63,000 of the 190,000 American troops (soldiers) estimated as necessary for the invasion. It was also estimated that around 1 of every 3 soldiers would die trying to defeat Japan on its other islands. B. The cost of the project that designed and built the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was about $2 billion dollars* Today the same project would cost over 21 billion dollars. The U.S. had already spent the money and was not going to get the money back. * The exact amount was $1,889,604,000 dollars. ** The exact amount was $21,570,821,000 A. Instead of dropping an atomic bomb, one option was to fight Japan through the island of Kyushu. The belief was that an attempt on Kyushu would cost in casualties (deaths) around 63,000 of the 190,000 American troops (soldiers) estimated as necessary for the invasion. It was also estimated that around 1 of every 3 soldiers would die trying to defeat Japan on its other islands. B. The cost of the project that designed and built the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was about $2 billion dollars* Today the same project would cost over 21 billion dollars. The U.S. had already spent the money and was not going to get the money back. * The exact amount was $1,889,604,000 dollars. ** The exact amount was $21,570,821,000 A. Instead of dropping an atomic bomb, one option was to fight Japan through the island of Kyushu. The belief was that an attempt on Kyushu would cost in casualties (deaths) around 63,000 of the 190,000 American troops (soldiers) estimated as necessary for the invasion. It was also estimated that around 1 of every 3 soldiers would die trying to defeat Japan on its other islands. B. The cost of the project that designed and built the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was about $2 billion dollars* Today the same project would cost over 21 billion dollars. The U.S. had already spent the money and was not going to get the money back. * The exact amount was $1,889,604,000 dollars.
** The exact amount was $21,570,821,000