Dissection of the Atomic Bomb

Sam Goetz
HST 110WI
Professor Tobin
April 22, 2019
 Dissection of the Atomic Bombs

Back in 1945 President Harry Truman took one of, if not, the biggest gambles in history.

The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. This was after the long-fought war in the

east; the victory there was not enough to calm the Pacific and president Truman wanted to end it.

The public reaction to the dropping has varied throughout time. At the beginning the whole

nation believed that it was a needed act to end the war. Now people think that it was an

unnecessary deed, when facts are investigated it is obvious that it was justified. Throughout the

research it’s easy to see that the dropping of the Atomic Bombs where a necessary action

Everyone thought World War II was finished when Germany surrendered. However, it

was far from over. The fight in the pacific theater had been going on and was getting more

intense. President Truman delivered a speech in 1945 that Germany has surrendered. At this

time, he knew that the war was far from over. Germany was only a third of the Allies problems.

In this speech he stated, “The victory won in the west must now be done in the east”

(MyFootage.com 2010). Truman was calling for a rally back into the war. The troops needed as

much support as we could get for these next bloody and horrific battles.

The pacific theater battles where brutal and difficult. Combined the never give up attitude

of the US forces and the honor-based fighting of the Japanese resulted in many casualties. “In

these most bloody conflicts, the United States had sustained more than 75,000 casualties”

(Dermarest 2015) the Americans where fighting a war that was nearly unwinnable. Iwo Jima was

a devastating but a very forceful battle for the US. According to the History Channel we sent

70,000 Marines but had heavy losses. “With some estimates suggesting more than 25,000

casualties, including nearly 7,000 deaths.” (History 2009). The victory was not helped by the

constant threat of Japanese forces and unforgivable fighting. The Japanese culture it does not
allow you to surrender. Hideki Tojo was resilient enough to keep fighting even after the great

loss of Okinawa and the firebombing of Tokyo (AASC 2017). The U.S even tried actual treaties

with the militarized nation. According to the Truman library;

“After Japanese leaders flatly rejected the Potsdam Declaration, President Truman

authorized use of the atomic bomb any time after August 3, 1945” (Demarest n.d)

We now have an open door for ending this war. With the ongoing Manhattan Project Truman

now had control of the most destructive weapon in the world.

Development of the bomb was very difficult. The project was named the Manhattan

Project. The goal was to create an atomic weapon, a weapon to top all bombs. This project, if

leaked, would change history and the world as we would know it. The risk and secrecy were

intense.

The science behind the bomb was risky, uncertain, and extremely dangerous. Even some

of the greatest minds in the world doubted it. “Most physicists initially may have thought an

explosive chain reaction unlikely, but the possibility could not be entirely discounted.” (OSTI

n.d) people working on the bomb thought that a super weapon like this was an impossible feat.

Now we know it was possible and worked, but after the development it took some time to reach

the president. The Park Service stated;

“In mid-July, President Harry S Truman was notified of the successful test of the atomic

bomb, (however didn’t know of the project as VP) what he called “the most terrible bomb in the

history of the world.” Thousands of hours of research and development as well as billions of

dollars had contributed to its production.”

The nation placed so much money and hope into this weapon. Truman trusted and relied

on the atomic bomb a great deal. He knew that any standard attacks would be suicide. The
destruction on American forces from Okinawa and Iwo Jima played a large part in the decision

to drop it. “Truman was afraid that an invasion of Japan would look like "Okinawa from one end

of Japan to the other.” (OSTI n.d). We could not take another massive lost just to barely win

another battle. He knew that the dropping of the bomb was inevitable. Where to drop it was

harder than choosing why to drop it. President Truman also took into consideration the nation,

not just the war. He had an aim to demilitarize and break down that part of Japan. Truman

recognized the culture of Japan and didn’t try to disrupt that.

“Truman stipulated it should not be a city of traditional cultural significance to Japan,

such as Kyoto. Truman did not seek to destroy Japanese culture or people; the goal was to

destroy Japan’s ability to make war.” (NPS 2015)

Truman decided on dropping at Hiroshima and Nagasaki because they were small areas that had

a large military presence. Truman was ready to drop the bombs, but even he, didn’t know the

awesome power they contain.

Truman allowed the release of the bombs on Japan. On August 6th, 1945 “Little Boy”

was dropped on Hiroshima. This resulted in the most intense show of military and destruction.

President Truman started his address to the nation a short time after the drop with “A short time

ago a US airplane dropped a single bomb on Hiroshima” (CriticalPast 2014). In his address he

went on to describe what the bomb was and what it was able to do and what it did. Common

knowledge now is how destructive the bomb truly was. “The explosion carrying more power

than 20,000 tons of TNT and visible for more than 200 ms succeeded” (Demarest n.d). This was

also addressed in the speech. Giving the nation a look at the bomb. Before the dropping the and

most important individuals didn’t know what the bomb could truly do. The dropping on
Nagasaki stretched across the whole island. Fire range and radiation reached a large majority of

surrounding areas (AASC 2017)

The bomb did what was needed. It leveled land and destroyed cities and killed many

people. Not only instantly but in weeks and years to come. As soon as the bomb was detonated

the power was shown. “70,000 residents died instantaneously in a searing flash of heat. Three

days later, on August 9, a second bomb, Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki. Over 20,000 people

died instantly” (Demarest n.d). The second bomb was only there because of the stubborn ways of

Japan. The first bomb should have been enough to stop the war; when no surrender was issued

the U.S decided to finish the fighting with the second. We decided to end the war in a great

fashion that could be seen for a long time after. Not only did the bomb vaporize people but it also

kept radiation in the air for an extended time. This was seen by different diseases and

complications in the people in the area.

“deaths began to occur from purpura (radiation disease), which was often associated with

epilation, anemia, and a yellowish coloration of the skin. The so-called bone marrow syndrome,

manifested by a low white blood cell count and almost complete absence of the platelets

necessary to prevent bleeding, was probably at its maximum between the fourth and sixth weeks

after the bombs were dropped.” (AASC 2017)

Both Fat Man and Little Boy had a destructive outreach much farther than the slandered blast.

The bombs had such a lasting impact that people are

still calling it a war crime, many historians and current

day politicians think it is a war crime. When it comes

to direct destruction and trauma Japan had committed more atrocious things in their war

campaign. The bomb caused fewer traumatizing effects than the Rape of Nanking that happened

early in the war. The Japanese killed around 350,000 Chinese citizens (Newsweek 1997). More

than both of America’s atomic bombs. The U.S had the power to stop the Japanese and finally

decided to put an end to the war

We now know that the bomb was a needed end to one of the most destructive

international wars in history. From the sacrifice of our soldiers we knew we had to end the war.

Truman wanted revenge and even stated it in his speech after the drop. “The Japanese started the

war in the air at pearl harbor and we have finished it manyfold it (the bomb) harnesses the most

basic force of the universe” (CriticalPast 2014). Truman, knowing the destructive power

authorized the use of the bomb. The world waited for the end of the most destructive war in

history and maybe ever. The United States recognized it was the sole factor to stop it. He wanted

to ensure that Japan would surrender, that is why he dropped two bombs. If he didn’t drop the

atomic bomb the war could have not ended anytime soon.
 Sources

CriticalPast. 2014. “President Harry S. Truman Reads Prepared Speech after Dropping of

Atomic Bomb on ...HD Stock Footage.” YouTube. YouTube. April 8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Ib4wTq0jY.

Demarest, Chris. 2019. “Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum.” Atomic Bomb-

Truman Press Release-August 6, 1945. Accessed April 22.

https://www.trumanlibrary.org/teacher/abomb.htm.

Editors, History.com. 2009. “Iwo Jima.” History.com. A&E Television Networks. October

29. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima.

“Espionage and the Manhattan Project.” 2019. Manhattan Project: Espionage and the

Manhattan Project, 1940-1945. Accessed April 22.

https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1942-

1945/espionage.htm.

“Harry S Truman's Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb (U.S. National Park Service).” 2017.

National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. October 27.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/trumanatomicbomb.htm.

“Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll.” 2007. Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll. October

10. http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/cab/200708230009.html.

MyFootage.com. 2010. “1945 Harry Truman Announces Victory Over Germany WWII.”

YouTube. YouTube. June 30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV-go1cuzgE.

Staff, Newsweek. 1997. “Exposing The Rape Of Nanking.” Newsweek. March 13.

https://www.newsweek.com/exposing-rape-nanking-170890.