...(WWII) and are still available for use in an even larger quantity. The reason why my saying that it was “somewhat successful” is because although it brought an ending to World War II, it caused a tremendous amount of hurt to many innocent people and to nature. The use of the nuclear weapon also tickled the curiosity of many nations to begin building their own nuclear bombs. When it was first used, we were the only ones that had successfully harnessed the nuclear energy to use it as weapons of mass destruction. Now in time, that is no longer the case. Many nations now also have a line up of nuclear weapons of mass destruction hidden away and ready to be used at a moments notice. Personally, I don’t believe that the use of such a weapon is necessary. I believe that there is much more to lose than to gain from the use of nuclear warfare. My report is intended to remind you of how difficult it was for former President Harry Truman to make the executive decision to use the atomic bomb as a very last resort to end the gruesome war that was World War II. It will guide you through the effects and after affects the bombs...
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...six years, beginning when German forces invaded Poland in 1939. To a world grown weary of death and destruction, the surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945, was welcome news. Japan, however, vowed to fight to the very end. Their resolve was evident in the Battle of Okinawa: By the time it ended in June, Allied forces lost more than 14,000 soldiers and Japan's military suffered more than 77,000 deaths — plus the loss of an estimated 100,000 Japanese civilians. Against this backdrop, Allied forces drew up plans for Operation Downfall, a large-scale invasion of Japan. But with Allied casualties from an invasion estimated to reach 1 million deaths — plus another 10 million Japanese casualties, including civilians — Allied planners searched for another way to end the war, which they found in the Manhattan Project. Advertisement This is a mockup of "Little Boy," the atomic bomb that was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. This is a mockup of "Little Boy," the atomic bomb that was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. Credit: U.S. National Archives The Manhattan Project Concerned over reports that Nazi Germany was developing a new type of weapon using radioactive uranium, in 1939 U.S. government officials began to investigate the potential of uranium — particularly the uranium-235 isotope — for making a powerful bomb. Within a matter of months, a coalition of American, British and European scientists — many of whom...
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...During World War II, The United States and Japan were in constant battle with each other due to the Attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The United States during the time was developing a nuclear weapon, and since the U.S just wanted to stop the war, the U.S bombed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in hopes of Japanese surrender. The U.S had finally succeeded in winning the war and in accomplishing Japanese surrender. Following the use of atomic bombs, many argue whether the use of atomic bombs was justified. Although the atomic bombings during World War II caused geographical devastation and suffering, the use of atomic bombs brought a quick and easy end to World War II and helped in future developments of nuclear weapons. The atomic bombings on Japan during World War I caused great geographical devastation and suffering. Many people after the bombings found their homes collapsed, schools broken, and families torn...
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...the United States of America dropped two bombs on Japan without any precedent. These weapons of demolition are capable of mass destructions of colossal portions of land and mass killing of people upon detonation. Approaching towards the end of World War 2, the United States of America dropped two bombs named “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” on two Japanese cities named “Hiroshima” and “Nagasaki”. The bombs were dropped at the command of Harry Truman the president of the United States at the time. The purpose for the United States to drop this bomb was to force Japan into an unconditional surrender. “Little Boy” was dropped...
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...When people hear the words “atomic bomb”, the first thing that most likely comes to mind is the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. This was a crucial part of World War Two, as this was the breaking point for Japan. There is much discussion about if Japan should have surrendered right after the bombings, or if discussing it and surrendering a few weeks later as they did was the best plan. As there is much discussion about this aspect of the bombings, there is also much discussion about if the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary for Japan to surrender. There is evidence to prove that the Japanese government believed that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary for Japan’s quick surrender, however, Japanese citizens and the United States believed it was unnecessary. Once the war had finally come to an...
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...Hiroshima: The Bombing that Blasted Away the Truth For the United States, World War II was a very costly war that seemed as if it would not end. For the United States to end their assault on Japan during World War II, a nuclear bomb was dropped in Japan to force them to surrender. On August 6th, 1945, the U.S. military dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima killing over 150,000 people and (along with the later bombing of Nagasaki) effectively caused the Japanese to surrender. This tactic is highly polarized in the international community; on one side, it is considered to be justified and the only action for the United States to take, and on the other side, it is considered to be a barbaric act of terrorism perpetrated by the U.S. military. In the essay, Hiroshima by John Berger, the author correctly argues that the bombings were terroristic acts that are fundamentally evil; however, he is incorrect that they are unjustifiable. To diagnose whether the bombings were acts of terrorism, one must be able to understand the definition and criteria of one such act. A commonly accepted definition of terrorism is an act that includes the premeditated use of violence by an organized group against non-combatants to achieve political ends. Berger’s argument includes all the criteria in that definition so the bombing must be terrorist acts. Berger begins his argument by describing all the violence caused by the bombs. Throughout the essay, he quotes passages from Unforgettable...
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...“The atom bomb brought an empty victory to the Allied arms, but it resulted for the time being in destroying the soul of Japan.” –M.K Ghandi. On August 6, 1946, during World War 2, a U.S B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, the United States dropped a second explosive on Nagasaki. Because of the widespread damage and death the atomic bombs produced, using them wasn’t the ideal way to end the war or make Japan surrender. Due to the atomic bomb’s power, blasting Japan resulted in the unnecessary death of thousands of people and the ruination of the area. After the U.S bombarded Japan, there were “estimates of killed and wounded in Hiroshima (150,000) and Nagasaki (75,000)” (Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll). In total, this adds up to...
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...The Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki The World War II had been going on for over two years and the U.S. was staying in isolationism. But on December 7, 1941 Japan launched an attack on Pearl Harbor. After this The United States declared war on Japan. On August 6, 1945, little boy, the first atomic bomb ever used in war was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. This resulted in 70,000-80,000 people died immediately and another 70,000 were injured. Hiroshima at the time was very large with roughly 350.000 people living there. It was chosen because it had industrial and military significance. Three days later it was followed by Fatman, the second and last atomic bomb used in war, which was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This resulted in over 40,000-75,000 immediately dying. Originally Fatman was to be dropped on the city of Kokura, but because of the weather they decided to bomb their secondary target Nagasaki. Nagasaki was important because it was one of the largest seaports in Japan and the large industrial activities including producing military equipment.Many things led up to the bombing of these two great Japanese cities. The first event leading up to the bombing is World War II and Japans involvement in bringing the US out of isolationism. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the US was already furious with Japan and wanted revenge. Another thing leading up to this event was Manhattan Project. This was started in 1939 when the U.S., feared that the Germans...
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...The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: History's Great Miscalculation On August 6, 1945, a new step in technological warfare was taken when the first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The impact of the bomb alone killed at least 66,000 people.1 This was an event that would not soon be forgotten in history. The Americans, who knew the devastating effects of their new weapon, still chose to use it rather than an alternative means to peace. Many people still argue whether or not it was necessary when Japanese surrender was considered to be a matter of time. Historians also dispute whether the campaign was a morally justified objective. This phrase alone brings up many interesting questions. Can killing thousands of innocent people ever be considered "justified"? Considering these circumstances, the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not militarily or morally justified. In 1939 Franklin Roosevelt, the President of the United States received a verysignificant letter from the famous physicist, Albert Einstein.2 Contained in this letter were details concerning the importance of nuclear research with regards to gaining the upper hand in the war. Roosevelt agreed and approved $6,000 in initial funding. Many scientists began realizing the importance of nuclear fission and in 1940 The National Defense Research Committee was formed. This group's purpose was to oversee research and provide more funding. Many of the world's best physicists...
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...States becomes the first and only nation to use atomic weaponry during wartime when it drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Though the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan marked the end of World War II, many historians argue that it also ignited the Cold War. Since 1940, the United States had been working on developing an atomic weapon, after having been warned by Albert Einstein that Nazi Germany was already conducting research into nuclear weapons. By the time the United States conducted the first successful test (an atomic bomb was exploded in the desert in New Mexico in July 1945), Germany had already been defeated. The war against Japan in the Pacific, however, continued to rage. President Harry S. Truman, warned by some of his advisers that any attempt to invade Japan would result in horrific American casualties, ordered that the new weapon be used to bring the war to a speedy end. On August 6, 1945, the American bomber Enola Gay dropped a five-ton bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A blast equivalent to the power of 15,000 tons of TNT reduced four square miles of the city to ruins and immediately killed 80,000 people. Tens of thousands more died in the following weeks from wounds and radiation poisoning. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, killing nearly 40,000 more people. A few days later, Japan announced its surrender. In the years since the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, a number of historians have suggested...
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...On August 6, 1945, the United States of America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. For years, there have been feuds relating to the justification of the bombing. Was the U.S justified? The United States was justified due to the unprovoked attack and bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which occurred three years prior to the bombing of Hiroshima, it was necessary to stop the war because it saved thousands of American lives. Until then, the fight had never been on United States soil. Innocent men, women and children did not have to worry about being killed on their land until the infamous day: December 7, 1941, the attack of Pearl Harbor. On that day, the Japanese took to the skies with 423 planes, arriving in Pearl Harbor, killing a total of 2,403 and wounding 1178. Hitting 18 U.S ships, it crippled the U.S naval fleet in one day. Little known to the people, the bombing also destroyed 180 fighter jets used in the U.S Air Force. This was an unjustified, barbaric act and dropping the bomb on Hiroshima was justified. The United States was justified in dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima due to the unwarned attack on civilians and docked naval ships at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. For example, the bomb displayed the power the U.S wielded when they dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It showed other countries that the United States had weapons, and would use them. This especially threatened the Soviet Union, our current ally, and emerging enemy. The day after the Pearl...
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...Summary of A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 by Vikram Seth A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 by Vikram Seth is a remarkable poem describing the horrors of the aftermath of an atomic bomb explosion. This tragic poem describes the condition of the survivors of the atomic bombing by the United States on Hiroshima during the end of the World War II on 6th of August 1945. The narrator in the poem, A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945, is a doctor. The poem begins with a calm and serene note. The doctor says that it was dawn and he was in his bed, not fully clothed. When he stretched out and looked outside, he saw shining leaves and shadows. In the next moment, there were two sudden flashes of strong light and the old stone lantern in his room lit up by itself. The doctor wondered whether the flashes were magnesium flares seen during a war. In the next moment, the doctor finds out that the roof and wall of his building has collapsed and the debris were scattered all over. Dust covered up the whole place and clothes disappeared from his body. They were burnt. The doctor was wounded on his cheek, thigh and he was bleeding. A piece of glass had entered into his body which he removes ‘detachedly.’ He was wondering what suddenly took place and what had happened to him. The narrator called out his wife, ‘where are you, Yecko-san?’ Yecko-san looked pale, frightened and had blood stains on her body. The doctor assures his wife that they would be fine and they...
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...Jimmy Neutron Professor Rob Allison Philosophy 172 3 November 2011 Nuclear Bomb in Japan The atomic bomb that was dropped on Japan during World War II is still one of the most catastrophic events in history. This bomb obliterated the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it is a major controversy of World War II. It remains a controversy because it questions the moral issue of killing innocent civilians to get the Japanese military to surrender the war. One British philosopher, AC Grayling, argues that the nuclear bombing of Japan was a moral crime because there is never a justifiable reason to attack civilians. The atomic bombing of Japan was unethical because it killed civilians, was a disproportionate attack for just conduct of war, and was a violation of human rights. It is immoral that United States targeted Japanese civilians with the atomic bomb to cripple the morale of the military. United States knew the bombs would kill hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but they still annihilated the cities to attain Japan’s unconditional surrender in World War II. It was disregard for the moral right and AC Grayling states, Deliberately bombing cities and towns to kill and terrorize civilians, not all of whom are engaged in manufacturing arms or aiding their country’s military, and many of whom were children and elderly folk - and at the same time destroying the culture and necessities of the people contravenes every moral and humanitarian...
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...Paul Mason EN-101 Novemeber 21st, 2012 Destruction of Dresden and Hiroshima In World War II, the American and British allies often used the method of bombing other countries in order to advance; the usage of incendiary bombs, and even atomic bombs, were common occurrences. However, two main bombings that resulted in utter despair and the highest death counts were in Dresden, a city in Germany, and Hiroshima, a city in Japan. While tactics such as bombing counted to most people as acceptable actions within war, the motivation behind these particular attacks may not have been strong enough to account for the deaths of thousands, and it is a controversy still prevalent today. Kurt Vonnegut, an author held prisoner of war in Dresden, discusses his experience and knowledge gained from the Dresden firestorm in his novel Slaughterhouse Five, which alludes to the point that all bombings such as these, are unnecessary. Late at night on February 13, 1945, the city of Dresden experienced a horrific massacre that would result in the death of the inhabitants of almost the entire city, done by the Royal and American air forces. Due to what the Americans and British refer to as, “negative intelligence,” at that time, to them Dresden was known to be “an important industrial area, producing electric motors, precision instruments, chemicals, and munitions,” (Irving, 69). It was supposedly a center for communication and transportation, containing German postal and telegraph systems...
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...Hiroshima and memory Background During the final stage of World War II 1945, the United States conducted the atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Such events are the only use of nuclear weapons in the world. The atomic bombs were created by the Manhattan Project, which was a research and development program established by the United States with the United Kingdom and Canada that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. The United States called for a surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration on 26 July 1945 by threatening Japan with “prompt and utter destruction”. However, such ultimatum was ignored by the Japanese government. Thus, two nuclear weapons that developed by the Manhattan Project had been deployed by the United States. Hiroshima was the primary target of the first atomic bomb mission and Nagasaki was the second target of the mission. The first nuclear weapon named Little Boy was dropped from an American B-29 Superfortress, known as Enola Gay on the city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and followed by another nuclear weapon named Fat Man dropped from the B-29 Bockscar on the city of Nagasaki on 9 August. The official figures by Japanese at the time put the death toll at 118,661 and the later estimates the final toll was about 140,000 of Hiroshima’s 350,000 population including military personnel and those who died later due to radiation. On the other hand, the explosion of Fat Man event killed 39,000 and caused a further...
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