Vignesh

Vishwanathan EALC 250

There is evidence that America was justified in dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, even though it is now commonly thought of as an unnecessary end to an already concluding war On the 6th of August 1945, at 8:15 am an atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The people in the city, died instantly or to the continued exposure of the gamma radiation. Many people now feel that dropping such a devastating bomb can never be justified. This essay seeks to explore the justification for America dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. To arrive at a proper conclusion, one has to go back to the very start of the war. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese made a surprise attack on the US naval Base at Pearl Harbor, and their strike was a greater success than they had imagined. It allowed the Japanese troops to make quick and decisive assaults on Philippines, Malaya and Singapore (Jansen 646). This attack before official declaration of war shocked the Americans, leading them to join the Allied war effort. As the Allies gained an upper hand in the war, they witnessed the savagery of the Japanese armed forces. Allied POWs were often starved, beaten, tortured or killed. A major reason for such treatment of the Allied POWs was a result of ideological factors. The Japanese treated enemy captive with brutality, based on a Bushido tradition that deemed surrender an absolute dishonor. And the willingness of Allied Troops giving themselves up in Southeast Asia induced contempt in the eyes of the Japanese, and were deserved to be treated badly (MacKenzie 512). However, the facts are the Japan had ratified the Hague convention in 1907 and had treated the Russian POW captured during the Russo-Japanese war in exemplary fashion. By 1930, the stresses of the interwar years led to a rise of a xenophobic kind of nationalism in Japan (MacKenzie 513), as it does in most countries during periods of war.

Vignesh Vishwanathan EALC 250

Leading to a majority of the Americans believing in a view of destroying the devious Japanese, by using any means possible. We can understand that the decision taken by Truman for America was one based on revenge, but it was necessary in order to save not only American lives also lives of people under Japanese rule. The wartime Alliance between America and the Soviets began to unravel as Stalin tried to extend Soviet influence in the areas liberated from Germany. Japan approached the Soviet Union, asking them to negotiate peace with the Allies in favor of Japan, in return for attractive territorial concessions. Allowing the Soviet Union to join the war against Japan meant inviting Stalin to expand his influence into Asia. The Allies did not want this and hoped to finish the war quickly, without the involvement of the Soviets. By preventing Soviet influence in Asia, Truman and in turn America, helped the people of the region to start their fledgling democracies. Japan did not fall to Communism like China. The Japanese emperor was looked upon as a living god and his people were willing to do anything to help him maintain his throne. The people were motivated by the fact that the emperor would pray for them if they died while fighting the enemy. Realising the Japanese would not stop fighting unless the position of the emperor was safeguarded, the Allies led by the Americans changed the peace treaty to call upon ...the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese forces.... Japan felt that, by modifying the terms of the peace treaty, the Americans were showing their weakness and so decided fight on (Werrell 213). The Japanese Minister Suzuki used the word nokusatsu, which meant to kill with silent contempt, in his speech to the Japanese people telling them to fight on. Americans used a strategy of island hopping - strategy of skipping certain Japanese strongholds in the Pacific during World War II and invading only strategically chosen islands

Vignesh Vishwanathan EALC 250

in order to make the most direct advance toward Japan. The Japanese defended each island fiercely, leading to 100,000 American causalities in the capture of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Luzon (Jansen 651). During the American advance, Japanese Kamikaze suicide bombers destroyed 24 ships and damaged another 200. During war, the conscription age for the Japanese was 15 for men and 17 for women, ensuring that Japan had around 2 million soldiers; in addition to 8000 aircrafts for Kamikaze attacks. Some Japanese citizens were trained, by Doctors in army hospitals, as suicide bombers. School-going girls were trained to attack American soldiers with bamboo spears (Jansen 650). This attitude was further proof if any was needed of Japanese willingness to fight on. A report by the American Chief of Staff placed the cost of a full-scale invasion of Japanese at 1 million American casualties. Truman was completely responsible for the safety of American soldiers, and could not allow such a high number of American casualties. His decision to bomb Hiroshima was the only viable option left at the point. Another argument that can be put forward is that many Japanese lives were saved. Facing defeat, many Japanese killed themselves because of their bushido beliefs Do not live in shame as a prisoner. Die and leave no ignominious crime behind you . Whole populations of the Japanese islands, including people from the Saipan Island committed suicide rather than being captured or raped. Mothers clutched their children and hurled themselves over cliffs rather than be captured by the Americans. Even young children were involved, a 16-yeal old killed his mother because they would anyway die in American hands. Japanese losses at Okinawa were higher still, with 107,000 dead and 11,000 taken prisoner. After witnessing the Japanese motivation to kill Americans and their actions upon defeat (Werrell 209), most Americans wanted to kill the Japanese because there were ...no civilians in Japan and [they] [were] seek[ing] to destroy the enemy in the greatest numbers in the shortest time. This

Vignesh Vishwanathan EALC 250

attitude might have led to higher Japanese casualties than caused by the nuclear bomb, as the Americans would have to kill all the Japanese in order to win the war. Over $ 2,000,000 of public money was secretly spent to fund the creation of the atomic bomb. One should realize more people died of conventional bombing. For example, 100,000 people died in the bombing of Tokyo. Even after the Americans dropped 160,000 tons of bombs, Japan did not surrender. The atom bomb for that matter is a bomb that kills more people because of its immediate and continued after effects. Only 70,000 people died immediately from the blast, another 70,000 died later due to the effects of radiation (Werrell 210). Truman used the atom bomb because its effects were not yet known to the world. All factions in war try everything to destroy their enemy; Truman, used the bomb as a way of shocking Japan into surrendering, as Japan would not surrender as per conventional terms. Truman, after considering the estimated loss of American life and the mindset of the Japanese people to kill the Americans at any cost, decided that invading Japan would be futile. However, before using the newly developed weapon, he gave Japan the option of accepting revised surrender terms - the retention of the emperor or the destruction of their cities. However, Japans attitude towards the Potsdam Treaty and the prospective Soviet hand in the peace deal made him take the decision to drop the atom bomb on Hiroshima. Some people on the Allied side felt that the use of the atom bomb was unnecessary, nevertheless the majority of the people were relieved that there would be no invasion of Japan. By making Japan submit, Truman ensured that fewer lives were lost on both sides of the factions. Therefore, I feel that America is justified in using the atomic bomb.

Vignesh Vishwanathan EALC 250

BIBLIOGRAPHY [1] MacKenzie, S. P. "The Treatment of Prisoners of War in World War II." The Journal of Modern History 66.3 (1994): 487. Print. [2] Jansen, Marius B. The Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2000. Print. [3] Werrell, Kenneth. Blankets of Fire: US Bombers over Japan during World War II. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996. Print.