Atomic Bombs

There are strong arguments on both yes and no. Both arguments are introduced, and the historical facts are listed below.

The supporting arguments state that the President Truman needed to decide whether he should send in the military and live with the estimated 750,000 or more deaths (there are various numbers from Maximum of 46,000 of official estimate by the Supreme Council to 4,000,000 in common belief; refer to historical facts) that would result, or drop the bomb and force the Emperor to surrender. In this argument, the question lies whether the President could face the nation if he refused to use The Bomb and U.S. troops were killed, when the nation was told that those deaths were unnecessary. In addition, recently, there occurred arguments about the number of Japanese citizens who would have died in the conventional war. Wartime poverty and lack of resource was to the limit. Conventional incendiary bombing (firebombing) were taking lives of people. Traditional Japanese housings were susceptible to fire due to their wood and paper structures. This bombing of the cities actually killed additional 200,000 people by the end of the war. There would have been more deaths if the landing operation was actually carried out (no official estimates).

The opposing arguments state that the atomic bombs were not necessary to end the war. The swift ending of the war after the atomic bombing made a strong impression of American military success and much obscured other critical factors. The atomic bombing was carried out despite the fact that President Truman was aware that Japan would fold up no time soon. The question here is, why was the order approved before the Potsdam declaration was issued, while other nations at Potsdam Conference pointed out that the surrender would be easily attained if the Emperor and the polity would be maintained, and when even President Truman himself was convinced that Japan would fold up before August? (refer to historical facts) First, the power balance with the Soviet Union was the key. There is a view that President Truman intentionally extended the war by withdrawing the clause, to balance the power with the Soviet Union. President Truman was so wary of Stalin that he felt the need to display the power to inhibit its progression. Japan making peace early through the Soviet Union meant to lose the chance and to let the Soviet Union to gain Japanese land. Also, although the United States needed the Soviet Union to join the war to control the Guangdong Army in Manchuria, the landing of the Soviet Union on mainland Japan had to be avoided for the same purpose. The fact that the United States occupied Japan in the post-war order was critical and turned beneficial to the national security of the "West" during the cold war. Second, the weapon developed with over $2 billion USD ($23 billion in 2007 dollars based on CPI) of budget and with more than 130,000 people had to be experimented, and the uproar of the war did not allow the involved to reconsider. Third, it is suspected that President Truman did not pay as much attention to Asian civilians due to the sense of racial superiority based on remarkable colonialism among the Allied Nations. In these arguments, the atomic bombs were used for the interest of the government of the United States, not to end the war, and did actually add to the numbers of war victims and casualties. The arguments supporting atomic bombing are led by an exaggerated post-war governmental proclamation that had no relation to official estimates, to make citizens to believe to shake off the guilt and to doge the international accusations that were rising.

Some believe that "the atomic bombs" saved lives, some do not. 418,500 Americans and 3100,000 Japanese (including some who were brought into from the surrounding Asian countries), 72,000,000 people in the world died during the WW2. Every life that was lost was precious and irreplaceable. Those who lost lives through the battle must have fought believing and proud of the country as well as being a member of a family. The history always has multiple sides of the stories. "What if" in history is rarely meaningful. Every nation has the mission to promote the best interest of the nation and its constituents. 20th century was where that became prominent in the deadliest form of armed might. We can only try to track down the facts by documents, memos, and a lot of the time, by vague memories of the involved, keeping in mind that those can never be neutral. Nobody involved would be free from strong emotions or guilt. Yes or No should be left to the judgment of each person. And let us keep in mind that the monopoly of this power did not end up in monopoly or did not lead to an end of conflict.

Supreme Council held at the White House on Jun 18, 1945 discussed the landing operation in mainland Japan. The president was already Harry Truman. There were three plans and the estimated numbers of casualties of American soldiers are as follows; Plan1: 127,500 (including 25,000 deaths), plan2: 193,000 (including 40,000 deaths), plan3: 230,000, (including 46,000 deaths). Marshall and MacArthur estimated the total number of casualties as much less, 31,000 to 65,000. The maximum estimated number of deaths at this point was 46,000. This is ten-folds less than the common belief. It is noticeable that the number kept growing in President Truman's memory after the war. It turned from 46,000, to 250,000 in 1948 in a letter to his sister, to 500,000 in 1955 in his memoir, to 1000,000 in 1953 in a letter to Professor Kate at Chicago University.

Japan had fought the war in Okinawa Island until Jun 22, 1945 where 190,000 people including 120,000 civilians died. At this point, Japan secretly started to work towards peace through the Soviet Union while Japan-Soviet Neutrality Pact was active. The aim was to end the process by early Jul 1945 when Potsdam Conference was said to be held. Japanese leaders insisted that the protection of the Emperor and the retention of the national polity after the war. At the same time, Japanese leaders had convinced the citizens that they should fight to the death to defend the Emperor, who they considered to be a God. What Japan did not know was that the Soviet Union already agreed to join the war against Japan at Yalta Conference (Feb 4-11, 1945). The Soviet Union was to join the war three months after Germany should surrender. (Germany surrendered May 8, 1945.)

Also, it is worth noting that the target of the atomic bombs was Japan from the very beginning, on the contrary to the belief that they were originally developed to counteract the Nazism and was used against Japan after its surrender. May 5, 1943 at the first meet of Military Policy Committee of the Manhattan Project, Germany was declined as the first target of the bomb, and Japanese fleet station in Truk was decided instead. April 23, 1945, before the German surrender, Colonel L. Groves wrote to Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson that the target was consistently Japan.

President Truman came to know via decoding that Japan had been working towards peace with the Soviet Union. The diary of Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson on Jul 16, 1945 shows "I also received important paper in re Japanese maneuverings for peace. It seems to me that we are at the psychological moment to commence our warnings (to surrender) to Japan. …the recent news of attempted approaches on the part of Japan to Russia impels to urge prompt delivery of our warning." President Truman was also told directly by Stalin about the peace making process with Japan at Potsdam Conference (Jul 17- Aug 2, 1945). The diary of President Truman of Jul 17, 1945 shows "He'll be in the Jap War on August 15th. Fini Japs when that comes about. ----I can deal with Stalin. He is honest-but smart as hell." Meanwhile, President Truman was told of the successful test of the Manhattan Project (atomic bomb) in Alamogordo, New Mexico on Jul 16, 1945. Diary of President Truman of Jul 18, 1945 shows "Discussed Manhattan (it is a success). Decided to tell Stalin about it. Stalin had told P.M. of telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace. Stalin also read his answer to me. It was satisfactory. Believe Japs will fold up before Russia comes in." Jul 24, 1945, President Truman told Stalin about the planning of atomic bomb, although Stalin had already known through the spying activities. The memories of Churchill and other attendee about this conversation are not coherent.

Previous to the actual decision, Jun 27, 1945, Undersecretary of the Navy Ralph A. Bard wrote the Bard memorandum; " I have had a feeling that before the bomb is actually used against Japan that Japan should have some preliminary warning for say two or three days in advance of use. The position of the United States as a great humanitarian nation and the fair play attitude of our people generally is responsible in the main for this feeling." Bard resigned Jul 1, 1945.

Jul 20, 1945, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, General Eisenhower advised President Truman that the atomic bombs were not necessary to the end the war against Japan.

Jul 25, 1945, the atomic bomb plan was officially approved by President Truman while he was still in Potsdam. "20th Air Force will deliver its first special bomb as soon as weather will permit visual bombing after about 3 August 1945 on one of the targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata and Nagasaki. To carry military and civilian scientific personnel from the War Department to observe and record the effects of the explosion of the bomb, additional aircraft will accompany the airplane carrying the bomb. The observing planes will stay several miles distant from the point of impact of the bomb. 2. Additional bombs will be delivered on the above targets as soon as made ready by the project staff. Further instructions will be issued concerning targets other than those listed above. 3. Discussion of any and all information concerning the use of the weapon against Japan is reserved to the Secretary of War and the President of the United States."

Jul 26, 1945, a day after the atomic bombing was approved, Potsdam Declaration was issued. The Allied Nations were aware that Japan was close to surrender, and that it would easily do so if the clause to protect the Emperor and the national polity should be left untouched. But President Truman insisted that this clause to be effaced.

Japanese Emperor showed affirmative reply to the cabinet on Jul 27, 1945. Still, said to be awaiting peace through the Soviet Union, Jul 28, 1945, Japan officially announced "no comment". Yet, this was translated as rejection by the journalism in the Allied Nations.

Aug 6, 1945 0815, the atomic bomb "little boy" exploded in Hiroshima. Although exact statistics not known, 90,000 to 140,000 people died, 87,000 injured. Aug 7, 1945, The United States declares the usage of Atomic bomb and that there would be an unseen destruction if Japan would not accept the conditions for surrender. Japan objected through Switzerland to the usage of this indiscriminate weapon over civilians. Aug 8, 1945, Japanese Emperor and the cabinet decided to end the war without waiting for the reply from the Soviet Union. The official announcement to the Japanese military was postponed till Aug 9, 1945. Aug 9, 1945 1102, the atomic bomb "fat man" exploded in Nagasaki. 73,884 died, 74,909 injured. This bombing took place in the middle of Japanese cabinet meeting in the presence of the Emperor while discussing the conditions to accept Potsdam declaration. Two bombs erased about half of the population, mainly civilians, of each area.

Aug 8, 1945, while the world was in a turmoil with the first use of the atomic bomb, the Soviet Union crossed the Manchurian border, against the Japan-Soviet Neutrality Pact. Manchuria was still dominated by Japan since Sino-Japanese War in 1894-5, and this act was a violation of the International Law.

Aug 10, 1945, Japan replied to Allied Nations to surrender on condition that the polity was to be maintained. Aug 12, 1945, the Allied Nations replied that the Japanese polity should be determined by free will of Japanese citizens. Aug 13, 1945, Japanese army planned on a coup d'état to continue the war to maintain the polity and the protection of the Emperor. Aug 14, 1945, Japanese Emperor summoned the cabinet against the customary to stop the coup d'état, and announced the acceptance of Potsdam declaration. This was officially announced to the Allied Nations. Aug 17, 1945, Disarmament of Japan. The attack of the Soviet Union lasted until 2 Sep 1945 when Japan signed the surrender, detaining 600,000 Japanese men to force labor in Siberia. Japan-Soviet Neutrality Pact was never officially annulled.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in Japan, were bombed at the end of World War 2.

World War I ended with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

Actually the Germans were on track to build the first atom bomb until many key scientists defected to the US/Great Britain. That enabled the US to create the first bomb and drop it in 1945 which led to the end of WW2.

Answer

The Nazis were nowhere near developing an atomic bomb, the "defecting" scientists mentioned above having left Germany well before WWII. Several were of course, Jews. The Manhattan Project was a joint Allied effort with scientists from many countries apart from the US including Britain, Germany, Hungary and Italy. A German, Klaus Fuchs, was a spy for the Russians which how they so quickly developed their own bomb (and why Stalin wasn't as surprised as he should have been when the Allies used their three bombs).

The United States of America created and exploded the first atomic bomb.

The events that took place in a remote area of New Mexico during the predawn hours of July 16, 1945 forever changed the world. Here, the incredible destructive powers of the atom were first unleashed and what had been merely theoretical became reality.

The blast, .034 seconds after detonation The test was the culmination of three years' planning and development within the super secret Manhattan Project headed by General Leslie R. Groves. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer directed the scientific team headquartered at Los Alamos, New Mexico. An isolated corner of the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range located 230 miles south of Los Alamos was selected for the test that was given the code-name "Trinity."

Even before the bomb was tested, a second bomb was secretly dispatched to the Pacific for an attack on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Preparations for the test included the building of a steel tower that would suspend the bomb one hundred feet above ground. Many were apprehensive - there were concerns that the blast might launch a cataclysmic reaction in the upper atmosphere leading to world destruction. Some feared the consequences of radio-active fallout on civilian populations surrounding the test site. Still others feared the test would be an outright dud. Observers were sent to surrounding towns to monitor the results of the blast and medical teams were kept on alert.

Finally, the rains that had delayed the test for almost two weeks subsided and in the darkness of that July morning history was made.

"We were reaching into the unknown and we did not know what might come of it."

Two days after the blast, General Groves, head of the Manhattan Project, sent a Top Secret memorandum to Secretary of War Stimson detailing the events of that morning. Groves included the description of General Thomas Farrell who was in an observation hut close to the blast along with a hand-full of scientists and other personnel. We join General Farrell's account a few hours before the explosion:

"The scene inside the shelter was dramatic beyond words. In and around the shelter were some twenty-odd people concerned with last minute arrangements prior to firing the shot. Included were: Dr. Oppenheimer, the Director who had borne the great scientific burden of developing the weapon from the raw materials made in Tennessee and Washington and a dozen of his key assistants - Dr. Kistiakowsky, who developed the highly special explosives; Dr. Bainbridge, who supervised all the detailed arrangements for the test; Dr. Hubbard, the weather expert, and several others. Besides these, there were a handful of soldiers, two or three Army officers and one Naval officer. The shelter was cluttered with a great variety of instruments and radios.

For some hectic two hours preceding the blast, General Groves stayed with the Director, walking with him and steadying his tense excitement. Every time the Director would be about to explode because of some untoward happening, General Groves would take him off and walk with him in the rain, counseling with him and reassuring him that everything would be all right. At twenty minutes before zero hour, General Groves left for his station at the base camp, first because it provided a better observation point and second, because of our rule that he and I must not be together in situations where there is an element of danger, which existed at both points.

General Leslie R. Groves (left) and Dr. J. Robert Oppenhiemer Just after General Groves left, announcements began to be broadcast of the interval remaining before the blast. They were sent by radio to the other groups participating in and observing the test. As the time interval grew smaller and changed from minutes to seconds, the tension increased by leaps and bounds. Everyone in that room knew the awful potentialities of the thing that they thought was about to happen. The scientists felt that their figuring must be right and that the bomb had to go off but there was in everyone's mind a strong measure of doubt. The feeling of many could be expressed by ''Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.' We were reaching into the unknown and we did not know what might come of it. It can be safely said that most of those present - Christian, Jew and Atheist - were praying and praying harder than they had ever prayed before. If the shot were successful, it was a justification of the several years of intensive effort of tens of thousands of people statesmen, scientists, engineers, manufacturers, soldiers, and many others in every walk of life.

In that brief instant in the remote New Mexico desert the tremendous effort of the brains and brawn of all these people came suddenly and startlingly to the fullest fruition. Dr. Oppenheimer, on whom had rested a very heavy burden, grew tenser as the last seconds ticked off. He scarce breathed. He held on to a post to steady himself. For the last few seconds, he stared directly ahead and then when the announcer shouted 'Now!' and there came this tremendous burst of light followed shortly thereafter by the deep growling roar of the explosion, his face relaxed into an expression of tremendous relief. Several of the observers standing back of the shelter to watch the lighting effects were knocked flat by the blast.

The tension in the room let up and all started congratulating each other. Everyone sensed 'This is it!' No matter what might happen now all knew that the impossible scientific job had been done. Atomic fission would no longer be hidden in the cloisters of the theoretical The bomb is unloaded at the base of the tower. July 13, 1945 physicists' dreams. It was almost full grown at birth. It was a great new force to be used for good or for evil. There was a feeling in that shelter that those concerned with its nativity should dedicate their lives to the mission that it would always be used for good and never for evil.

Dr. Kistiakowsky, the impulsive Russian, (actually an American and a Harvard professor) threw his arms around Dr. Oppenheimer and embraced him with shouts of glee. Others were equally enthusiastic. All the pent-up emotions were released in those few minutes and all seemed to sense immediately that the explosion had far exceeded the most optimistic expectations and wildest hopes of the scientists. All seemed to feel that they had been present at the birth of a new age - The Age of Atomic Energy - and felt their profound responsibility to help in guiding into right channels the tremendous forces which had been unleashed for the first time in history.

As to the present war, there was a feeling that no matter what else might happen, we now had the means to insure its speedy conclusion and save thousands of American lives."

By the end of Operation Crossroads in the summer of 1946, the US had built a total of 9 atomic bombs and detonated 5 of them, leaving only 4 in the stockpile. Records obtained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists suggest that by the end of 1946 the US had built 5 more atomic bombs, ending the year with 9 in the stockpile.

While the Hanford reactors had a design capacity of 3 atomic bomb cores every month, its very obvious that they were being operated far below capacity through 1945 and 1946 to minimize neutron irradiation damage to the graphite moderator and/or shutdown for repairs frequently.