Atomic bomb dbq PDF

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argument on if the US should have dropped the atomic bombs or not...

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During World War II, 1939-1945, the United States was at war with the Axis powers. The war had been going on for 6 years and it was coming to an end. The US could not wait any longer for Japan to surrender, so they decided to take action and force it upon them. Scientists had been working on a new weapon that could wipe out entire cities, and it was time for this weapon to be put to use. In August of 1945, the US dropped two atomic bombs in Japan; one in Hiroshima and one in Nagasaki. These bombs killed thousands of people and caused Americans to question if this was the right thing to do. As more questions arose about whether it was necessary, the Americans that believed it was the right thing to do began to speak up. The Americans that believed dropping the bomb was the right decision had many reasons that supported their argument. A few years before, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Many saw the dropping of the atomic bombs as revenge for what had happened in 1941. In an interview with soldier William Guarnere, he is asked about his feelings on the dropping of the atomic bombs. Guarnere said he supported the decision to drop the bombs (document f). Within the interview he began to imply that he believed Japan deserved to be bombed. It was clear the William Guarnere did not care and just wanted revenge, and I assume many other soldiers felt the same way. In addition to revenge, Americans believed that dropping the bombs were the only way for the war to come to an end. In Harry Stimson's magazine article, he talks about how he feels about the situation. He said he understood how horrible the aftermath of the bombings was, but he believed it was the only solution to ending the war (document c). Many people had the same feelings as Stimson. Yes, what those bombs did to innocent people was a terrifying and horrible thing, but even if Japan as a country surrendered, what's to say the soldiers would? Another man talked about this issue and even made a list. In Bill Dietrich's list of reasons to drop the bombs, he brings up the fact that the Japanese demonstrated a near-fanatical resistance (document g). Just because the country has surrendered does not mean its citizens will. I believe that this was one of the reasons the president decided to drop the bombs. However, not all Americans saw it this way Many Americans had many reasons to not drop the bomb. People believed that it was an unnecessary thing to do. In his book, Admiral William E. Leahy talks about how strongly he disagreed with the bombings. He referred to the US people as barbarians for this action (document b). By dropping a bomb that hadn't been tested, no one knew what the aftermath could cause. There was so much unknown about the atomic bomb and many people did not support it because of that. Not many surivived the bombings, but of the few that did they could tell you how horrifying it was. In his diary, Michihiko Hachiya describes what happened when the bomb was dropped. He writes about feeling his skin getting hot but only on one side of his body, and about seeing so many people around him just dropping dead (document e). The owner of the diary worked at a hospital. He was not an evil man; he was an innocent civilian. Luckily he survived but thousands of other innocent people were killed in the bombings. The atomic bomb wiped out anything and everything in its path and this is why so many people did not support it. In fact, in an article that was featured in the Nippon Times, the bombings were described as a crime against humanity. The author questioned how any human being can let loose such a

destructive weapon (document d). Many Americans saw the atomic bomb as a horrible weapon that should have never been used. They also thought it was only dropped to make up for all the money spent to make it. This action caused a major argument throughout the country. Whether you supported dropping the bomb or not, this event caused an uproar in the american people....