Why was the Atomic Bomb not justified?

Answer 1

Probably for the same reasons D-day in Europe wasn't justified... innocent people died.

If you insist on armchair quarterbacking every military decision without all the facts the decision makers of the time had and with facts that have come out since that time that could not have been known by anyone at the time, you will quickly find every action made in every war ever fought to be both not justified and completely immoral.

In the context of the time and given the facts the decisions were based on, both atomic bombings were fully justified and moral actions, as would have been any that followed had Japan not surrendered.

You probably are not aware that the US had already committed 100% to attack Japan with chemical weapons during the invasion in late 1945, if similar resistance was encountered as was seen on the last few islands. Such an attack violated the Geneva Convention and could be declared a war crime. Truman was fully aware that usage of chemical weapons on Japan was planned and could easily have viewed usage of the atomic bomb as the lesser of two evils, especially if its use avoided need for the chemical weapons (which in fact it did). But this fact has been classified Top Secret since the decision was made and was only declassified a few years ago.

Answer 2

I suppose the reason some people would give is because of the number of people killed by its detonation and the resulting radioactive pollution. Obviously its use at the end of WW2 has to be view in the light of what had preceded it, that is the war in the Pacific against Japan by the US & others. Not to justify its use at that time has to suggest another course of action.....

Answer 3

It didn't need to, the bombs were dropped to end the war and to collapse Japan's means to make war ever again.

Answer 4

The bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were in response to the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor. Soon after they were dropped the war ended. I don't see how it wasn't justified.