answersLogoWhite

0

Why was bombing Hiroshima wrong?

Updated: 8/19/2023
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Best Answer

It was President Truman who made that decision and he had his motives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Truman actually made no such decision.

  1. the decision to use the atomic bombs on Japan was made before FDR died, they would obviously not be needed on Germany
  2. the target selection list was made in a meeting in May 1945 (Truman was not there and made no suggestions)
  3. orders were written by the Army to drop the atomic bombs on Japan as quickly as they became available
  4. one bomb was tested on July 16, 1945 to confirm the complicated plutonium implosion design worked as expected, Truman was informed at the Yalta conference of this
  5. the Little Boy and Fatman atomic bombs arrived on Tinian in early August
  6. the field commanders of the 509th composite group selected 3 Japanese cities from the approved list for the Little Boy atomic bomb
  7. Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima (the primary target for the mission) on August 6, 1945
  8. the field commanders of the 509th composite group selected 3 Japanese cities from the approved list for the Fatman atomic bomb
  9. Fatman was dropped on Nagasaki (the secondary target for the mission, Kokura the primary was to smoky for the bombardier to see the Aim Point)
  10. Los Alamos completed another Fatman type atomic bomb and shipped it to San Francisco
  11. the Japanese indicated that they would surrender
  12. Truman ordered the atomic bombing of Japan to stop (this was Truman's only decision and order related to the use of atomic bombs, up to then he just allowed the previous decisions to remain in place with no interference)
  13. when the next atomic bomb arrived in San Francisco it was returned to Los Alamos instead of being flown to Tinian (where it had been planned to drop it on a third Japanese city sometime in late August)
Truman's postwar policy was to virtually gut the conventional military forces of the US (to maintain a balanced budget) and depend 100% on atomic bombs in any future war. Unfortunately in gutting the conventional military forces he also significantly crippled both the Manhattan Project (which was still responsible for building those atomic bombs until the AEC took over in 1947) and the aircraft industry that was needed to build the new atomic capable bombers (e.g. B-29 Silverplate, B-36, B-47, B-50).

When the AEC briefed Truman in 1947 on the status of the US atomic stockpile, they reported something like "we have parts for about a dozen atomic bombs but nobody that knows how to assemble those into usable atomic bombs and there are no plans to train people to assemble atomic bombs", it is said that Truman's face blanched grey as he realized he actually had neither a conventional military nor an atomic military available with which to defend the US. It seems Truman was expecting a stockpile of 100 to 150 ready to use atomic bombs by 1947, but he had made no attempts to monitor the status of the stockpile from the end of the war until the AEC was established two years later.

Truman was an extremely hands off president, leaving many decisions to subordinates and leaving previously made decisions by others stand unless he saw a vital need to "change direction".

User Avatar

Wiki User

7y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

it was wrong as it was mainily to show Japan America's power, and to beat them into giving up the war, however it was right as even though many innocents died, even more innocents (and soldiers) of both sides were saved.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why was bombing Hiroshima wrong?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about U.S. History

Who was President when Pearl Harbor was attacked?

Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.Harry S. Truman was the president of America at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.


During World War 2 which event occurred last?

The last major event of World War II was the United States's bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The atomic bombs created great destruction. The first bomb leveled Hiroshima and killed 70,000 people; the one in Nagasaki killed about 40,000. Thousands more were injured and many more died later from radiation.


Why was Timothy McVeigh tried in federal court for the Oklahoma City bombing?

because the bombing was on federal property because the bombing was on federal property


Where is peace memorial park?

Its in Hiroshima


What event prompted the US to enter World War 2?

the bombing of pearl harborthe bombing of pearl harbor!

Related questions

Was the hiroshima bombing an accident?

No


What did the bombing of Hiroshima start?

The bombing of Hiroshima was only one bomb. It was the atomic bomb called little boy.


What was the Number of casualties from the bombing of hiroshima?

Hiroshima 66,000 dead


What did Hitler have to with the bombing of hiroshima?

Hitler had no connection with the bombing of Hiroshima, and in fact, was dead at the time. You need to do some reading on history.


Was science involved in Hiroshima?

Nuclear science was used in the bombing of Hiroshima.


What year was the bombing of hiroshima?

1945


Did Churchill oppose bombing of hiroshima?

No.


Who was in Hiroshima Atomic Bombing?

Hiroshima was a large city. Several hundred thousand people were "in" the bombing. You need to be more specific in your question.


Was the bombing of Hiroshima related to the war between America and Japan?

Yes. The Atomic bombing of Nagasaki, after Hiroshima, is the final act of WW2


When did you drop the bomb on hiroshima?

Well, I did not- but the bombing of Hiroshima was August 6. 1945.


What park was created in Hiroshima in memory of the bombing?

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park


Was the Hiroshima bombing a turning point in history?

The bombing of Hiroshima brought us to the atomic era. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the last attacks in World War Two. Japan surrendered after the attacks.