Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki justifiable?

Answer 1

One View:

According to President Truman and most of the civilians at the time, it was.

Another View:

Morality in War:

While protesters bring about issues of morality, the fact remains that WWII itself was caused by immoral desires to expand empires (and kill all nay-sayers) and to establish Aryan superiority (Hitler personally wanted to use WWII to wipe out the untermensch; the subhuman peoples such as Jews and "Gypsies".)

Therefore, morals cannot apply to a war where immorality runs rampant; we can only debate whether the bombings were more humane and beneficial than the situation without it.

Atomic bombings were more beneficial (to both Japan and U.S.)

Japan won't surrender: Unfortunately, the Japanese, in evidenced manners (quotes to actions), were not going to surrender. While the U.S. initially demanded unconditional surrender, they later gave a revised offer, with notable aspects saying:

• Japan's territories will be limited to its main islands like Kyushu, Honshu, Hokkaido, etc. (it will lose its colonial empire)
• Japan will not be enslaved as a race nor destroyed as a nation, and fundamental human rights as well as a democratic government will be established
• Japan will disarm its military forces

  NOTE: contrary to what many said, the U.S. never mentioned anything about the emperor (many uneducated opposed of the Atomic bombings mention that the U.S. demanded the emperor to resign from his position, but that was never said in the POTSDAM declaration, the Allied ultimatum for the Japanese)

The Emperor was not truly in control:

In addition, the military wing of Japan headed by Hideki Tojo refused to surrender, and even attempted 3 coup de etats against the emperor. Since the military held the real political power, Japan can be concluded as not willing to surrender. The emperor's confident, Koichi kido, admitted that the atomic bombing was the only solution to have Japan surrender (read previous sentences).

Japanese terms of surrender disregarded punishments for War Crimes.

The Japanese wanted the following surrender terms:

• Leave disarmament and demobilization to Imperial general headquarters
• No occupation of the Japanese home islands, Korea, or Formosa (Thailand)

• Delegation to the Japanese government of the punishment of war criminals.

Japan's Proven Willingness to Kill Civilian Populations:

Japan had demonstrated a willingness to win military victories at all costs and then control the area taken with routine acts of brutality.

Over 3 Million Korean Civilians were killed under Japanese Military occupation.

The Chinese had also suffered under the forced military rule of Imperial Japan. Millions of Chinese were killed.

Many Chinese were subjected to experiments similar to those carried out by the Nazis in the European Prison Camps (Holocaust); this would include experiments of bio weapons on live humans.

The Rape of Nanking is marked as a day of open Chinese civilian slaughter by Japanese military forces.

Alternatives are even worse: The only viable alternative therefore (since Japan won't surrender), is Operation Downfall. I won't go into detail with this as this section will take pages, but this is the summary:

Operation Downfall: U.S. invasion of Japan (below is its summary).

• Average Estimated U.S. casualties= at least 200,000~300,000
• Average Estimated Japanese casualties = in the millions.
• Highest estimate of U.S. casualties: 1.7~4 million casualties
• Highest Japanese Casualties: 5~10 MILLION

Estimated U.S. losses were factual: Consider that the U.S. 96th Infantry Division alone had lost some 10,000 U.S. Army Soldiers Killed In Action or Missing In Action (not accounting for wounded) by the end of the Campaign to take Okinawa, the first major Japanese island home territory.

The U.S. Marines endured loses in the thousands of Marines for the taking of Iwo Jima an island mere miles in measured size. Iwo Jima was not considered Japanese home territory as Okinawa was.

Mass Warfare: The full invasion of Okinawa involved more men and naval vessels than that of the D-Day Invasion in Europe (less aircraft).

To invade mainland Japan would mean the required assembly of the largest military invasion force in recorded history.

Japan Shows Signs of Civilian Combatants: On Mainland Japan the Imperial Forces were constructing miles of underground entrenchments. Civilians were training with rifles to mere farming tools to meet the American invasion forces. Veteran U.S. soldiers would have destroyed a civilian force in ground combat alone.

Fire Bombings Failed: Fire-bombing campaigns were causing mass devastation of the Japanese Mainland Islands, yet were not effective at bringing an end to Military action. Incendiary bombs were deployed into Japanese cities to cause mass fires.

The fire bombings were extremely effective for military needs, yet failed to end Japanese resistance. Fire bombing campaigns reduced manufacturing of war materials, eliminated new food supplies, burned down entire cities, and caused general devastation to Japanese military and civilian lives.

Disbelief in the Atomic Bomb: Many Japanese Imperial Military and Government leaders actually believed the first atomic bomb to have been a mere large fire bombing. Imperial Military leaders were known to continued to refuse surrender after the second atomic bombing.

However, essential Japanese Military Leaders were also in favor of unconditional surrender. These few men enabled the Emperor of Japan to seek an end to military actions successfully.

Japanese Military and Government Leaders also tried to cover up the atomic bombing of Hiroshima; the bombing of Nagasaki was necessary in order to cause Japan to believe in the possibility of multiple nuclear weapons and therefore surrender.

Cities and Civilians Spared: In addition, an invasion of Japan means more destruction of cities (the U.S. planned to crush all cities until they besiege Tokyo). More destruction and more time it would take for Japan to recover.

Atomic bombings saved conventional warfare, saving lives on all sides: Millions of less Japanese casualties, less destruction of the Japanese cities, industry, and economy, Hundreds of thousands of less U.S. casualties, possibly millions of less casualties in Korea and Formosa (Thailand), and less human rights violations in Japan.

Answer 2

At the end of World War II, few questioned Truman's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most Americans accepted the obvious reasoning: the atomic bombings brought the war to a more timely end. They did not have a problem with over one hundred thousand of the enemy being killed. After all, the Japanese attacked America, and not the other way around. In later years, however, many have begun to question the conventional wisdom of "Truman was saving lives," putting forth theories of their own. However, when one examines the issue with great attention to the results of the atomic bombings and compares these results with possible alternatives to using said bombs, the line between truth and fiction begins to clear. Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan was for the purpose of saving lives and ending the war quickly in order to prevent a disastrous land invasion.

Answer 3

Shortly before the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, the United Stated showered the Japanese cities of Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and 33 other potential targets with over 5 million leaflets warning civilians of the impending attack. In Japanese, the back of the pictured leaflet read:

"Read this carefully as it may save your life or the life of a relative or friend. In the next few days, some or all of the cities named on the reverse side will be destroyed by American bombs. These cities contain military installations and workshops or factories which produce military goods. We are determined to destroy all of the tools of the military clique which they are using to prolong this useless war. But, unfortunately, bombs have no eyes. So, in accordance with America's humanitarian policies, the American Air Force, which does not wish to injure innocent people, now gives you warning to evacuate the cities named and save your lives. America is not fighting the Japanese people but is fighting the military clique which has enslaved the Japanese people. The peace which America will bring will free the people from the oppression of the military clique and mean the emergence of a new and better Japan. You can restore peace by demanding new and good leaders who will end the war. We cannot promise that only these cities will be among those attacked but some or all of them will be, so heed this warning and evacuate these cities immediately."

An American-controlled radio station on Saipan was broadcasting a similar message to the Japanese people every 15 minutes. Five days after the fliers were distributed, Hiroshima was destroyed by the "Little Boy" atomic device. Following the first attack, the U.S. air force dropped even more leaflets:

America asks that you take immediate heed of what we say on this leaflet.

We are in possession of the most destructive explosive ever devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s can carry on a single mission. This awful fact is one for you to ponder and we solemnly assure you it is grimly accurate.

We have just begun to use this weapon against your homeland. If you still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when just one atomic bomb fell on that city.

Before using this bomb to destroy every resource of the military by which they are prolonging this useless war, we ask that you now petition the Emperor to end the war. Our president has outlined for you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new, better and peace-loving Japan.

You should take steps now to cease military resistance. Otherwise, we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.

Answer 4

President Harry Truman had many alternatives at his disposal for ending the war: invade the Japanese mainland, hold a demonstration of the destructive power of the atomic bomb for Japanese dignitaries, drop an atomic bomb on selected industrial Japanese cities, bomb and blockade the islands, wait for Soviet entry into the war on August 15, or mediate a compromised peace.

At the end of World War II, few questioned Truman's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most Americans accepted the obvious reasoning: the atomic bombings brought the war to a more timely end. They did not have a problem with over one hundred thousand of the enemy being killed. After all, the Japanese attacked America, and not the other way around. In later years, however, many have begun to question the conventional wisdom of "Truman was saving lives," putting forth theories of their own. However, when one examines the issue with great attention to the results of the atomic bombings and compares these results with possible alternatives to using said bombs, the line between truth and fiction begins to clear. Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan was for the purpose of saving lives and ending the war quickly in order to prevent a disastrous land invasion.

Answer 5

Your question asks for an opinion. In my opinion, yes, Truman was right. The Japanese civilian government was being controlled by the Japanese military, who was prepared to continue to fight (including one plan to bomb San Diego with bilogical weapons. Japan had refused demands to surrender, which would have meant an invasion of Japan by conventional forces- which has been estimated to have cost over a million lives. Japan was at war with the US- a war they started- and refused to surrender.

I agree. Einstein's letter to Roosevelt was highly influential in his decision to move forward with the project in the first place & Japan was working on the bomb. It only speeded up the end of the war not necessarily caused more damage than conventional weapons since 1 bomb was pretty much the equivalent of a weeks worth of bombing runs. It was also responsibly done which is why they were detonated above ground.

Answer 6

There is no short answer to this and it is largely a matter of opinion.

Answer 7

President Truman stated that he needed to end the war and to collapse Japan's means to make war ever again.

Answer 8

President Truman stated that he wanted to end the war and to collapse Japan's means to make war again.

Answer 9

Most Americans thinks so.