World War II And The Atomic Bomb
World War II And The Atomic Bomb
“The names Hiroshima and Nagasaki are known around the world – yet most people remain ignorant of the reality and the meaning of atomic destruction.” (Hiroshima 3) A controversy exists over the use of the atomic bomb to end World War II. Many people believe that the atom bomb should have been dropped. It reduced the number of casualties that took place. Also, it required much less time than an all-out invasion.
The Atomic Bomb August 6th, 1945, 70,000 lives were ended in a matter of seconds. The United States had dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Today many argue over whether or not the US should have taken such a drastic measure. Was it entirely necessary that we use such a devastating weapon? Yes, it was. First, look at what was going on at the time the decision was made. The U.S had been fighting a massive war since 1941. Morale was low, and resources were at the same level as morale. However, each side continued to fight, and both were determined to win. Obviously, the best thing that could have possibly have happened would have been to bring the war to a quick end, with a minimum of casualties. “Those who dropped the first atomic bomb worked thereafter to demonstrate its destructive powers and to justify its use as a way of ending the war quickly so as to limit the number of combat casualties.” (Hiroshima 3)
What would have happened had the A-bomb not been used? The most obvious thing is that the war would have continued. U.S forces, therefore, would have had to invade the foreign island of Japan. Imagine the number of casualties that would have occurred if this invasion had taken place. Also, our forces would not only have to fight off the Japanese military, but they would have to defend themselves against the civilians of Japan as well. It was also a fact that the Japanese government had been equipping the commoners with any kind of weapon they could get their hands on. This means a Japanese citizen could have anything from a gun to a spear. And many unsuspecting soldiers might fall victim to a surprise spear attack! The death toll would be much greater, and...