The Nuclear Bombs

Topic: Was America justified in using nuclear weapons against Japan?

World War Two was mans bloodiest battle in all of history, even before it ended.
Because of this fact most countries involved in the war were trying to stop the war,
one way or another, even if it meant a massive human decimation. The United States
of America in WWII was a major powerhouse with an enormous army and equipped
with the very latest in technology, technology such as nuclear weapons. On the sixth
and ninth of August, the U.S made an attempt to stop the war by dropping two nuclear
bombs on their enemy, the Japanese, in high civilian populated areas, Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. The two bombs killed an approximate amount of 185,000 people with a
high amount being innocent civilians. The two atomic weapons being dropped on
Japan created a lot of controversy and the question must be asked, was America
justified in dropping the bombs? Some historians argue that it was reasonable because
the Japanese were never going to surrender and also because it was revenge for the
Pearl Harbour bombing. Others say that it is not justifiable because the bombs were
dropped on civilians and the first being detonated without prior knowledge by the
Japanese living there. In this essay both sides of the controversy will be shown and
given adequate reasons for and against of dropping the two nuclear weapons.
Looking at this dispute from an American persons point of view one would say the
Japanese deserved the two nuclear bombs, they were deserving of this inhumane
method because of three main reasons. First was the fact that the Japanese brought the
Americans into the Second World War by attacking Pearl Harbour unprovoked by the
Americans. This is an issue because the American naval base that is Pearl Harbour
was attacked without any warning meaning the Japanese had no problem in
decimating most of their targets. The second reason how the bombs being dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki can be justified is by the way the Japanese were thought to
be and act like by the Americans. Because of many elements such as the Japanese
warrior code of Bushido, all American thought the Japanese to be lesser humans in
comparison, even clearly stated by the American president at the time, Harry Truman.
Japs are savages, ruthless, merciless and fanatic (Truman, H. Pg 1). This quote
shows an obvious dislike of the Japanese people by the American president that he
would have proclaimed this hate towards his fellow Americans only amplifying
justification of bombing the Japanese. The final justification of the bombings was the
thought that it would stop the war and potentially save more lives in the long run in
comparison to the two bombs. How this works is by, if the Americans did not use the
bombs on Japan a land invasion was imminent for Japan. From previous statistics
from other invasions it would prove more costly for not just the Americans but also
for Japanese if the Americans were to invade. The three points just made are all
efforts in trying to justify the atrocities forced upon the innocent people in the two
Japanese cities.
The reasons against the justification of the nuclear weapons being used against the
Japanese evenly weigh up against the reasons for dropping the weapons. For this side
of the argument there are three main points to consider: the inhumane and brutal
massacre of innocent people, the fact that the Japanese people had no notice of the
first bomb being dropped but they did for the second one and lastly because of the
effects the weapons actually had, not only on the people near ground zero but also the

environment and infrastructure that was lost due to the bombs being dropped. A
nuclear weapon is mans most destructive weapon, at ground zero temperatures were
calculated to have reached 3000 - 4000 degrees celsius and of the approximate 76,000
buildings in the first city to be bombed, Hiroshima, around 48,000 were destroyed.
Both bombs left behind human shadows, a shadow as in when the bomb detonated the
human was disintegrated and only a shadow was left on the pavement. This bomb also
left behind lethal radiation because of its nuclear properties hence many babies born
from mothers or fathers that were around when either of the bombs dropped were
born with defects and disabilities. Another reason against the justification is that the
innocent people of Hiroshima had no idea a nuclear weapon was to be detonated
above their city but the second city to be bombed was warned by leaflets dropped by
the U.S warning the citizens to leave. This is unjust because if warned, it is
guaranteed that people from Hiroshima would of fled the area to a safe haven to save
their life and the lives of those with them. The last point to be discussed is that of how
much infrastructure was lost in both bombings and also how the government in that
area was decimated leaving no one to help the critically injured people in the bomb
disaster radiuses. When the bombs did drop, over half the building were destroyed in
Hiroshima, meaning that of the 45 hospitals on three were untouched from the bomb.
This led to massive amounts of people not being able to be assisted in the immediate
medical assistance that was required. The three points mentioned are all attempts to
making the decision to bomb the Japanese with nuclear weapons not justifiable.
In my personal in whether or not Japan should have been bombed by the U.S isnt a
straight cut answer. I personally agree with both sides of the argument. It is shown
clearly why the U.S did use the weapons of mass destruction, arguments such as how
the bombs were used to stop the war against an unrelenting enemy is a fair statement.
This is because if the U.S were not to use the nuclear weapons they would have made
a land invasion of Japan and this would have led to many more deaths thus creating a
situation worse for both sides. The fair reasons against the justification made are all
just, they have all been made in a fair opinion and the arguments against include the
inhumane loss of life from the bombs, the infrastructure, environment and
government that was destroyed by the bombs. In a final opinion, the U.S shouldnt
have dropped the bombs but they needed to, especially because the situation they
were in, a war situation. A war situation makes all decision tough and there are many
variables that change under certain circumstances. To conclude, the bombs were
needed to stop the war but they were brutal and inhumane, making my final decision
one that is on both sides and also neither sides.
In conclusion, there are many arguments for and against the justification of the U.S
dropping the two atomic weapons on Japan. Even so, there is no correct opinion on
this topic, there is no clear cut answer in whether or not the bombs should have been
dropped. Lastly, it is up the audience to decide whether or not it is justified or not
since there is no clear answer.