Question

Dropping the Atomic Bomb

Unit 6-The World Wars
World History B

In the summer of 1945, the United States successfully tested the world’s first atomic bomb. With a full scale invasion of Japan on the horizon, U.S President Harry S. Truman had a decision to make. Should he authorize the use of this new super weapon or move forward with an all out invasion of the Japanese mainland?
What were the arguments for dropping the atomic bomb?
What were the arguments against dropping the atomic bomb?
What would you have done if you were U.S President Harry S. Truman? Would you have dropped the atomic bomb? Yes or No. Explain your reasoning.
Works Cited page

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The arguments for dropping the atomic bomb included ending the war quickly and preventing further loss of American lives. The invasion of Japan was expected to result in heavy casualties on both sides, and using the atomic bomb was seen as a way to force Japan to surrender without the need for a costly invasion.

On the other hand, the arguments against dropping the atomic bomb included concerns about the moral implications of using such a devastating weapon and the potential long-term effects on innocent civilians. Some critics also argued that Japan was already on the brink of surrender and that the use of the atomic bomb was unnecessary.

If I were U.S President Harry S. Truman, I would have dropped the atomic bomb. While the decision to use such a destructive weapon is difficult and controversial, I believe that it ultimately saved lives by bringing a swift end to the war. The potential casualties of a full-scale invasion of Japan outweighed the moral concerns of using the bomb in this specific situation.

Works Cited:
- "Dropping the Atomic Bomb: Arguments For and Against." ThoughtCo, 22 Mar. 2021, www.thoughtco.com/dropping-the-atomic-bomb-1779995.
- "Hiroshima 75th Anniversary: Atomic Bomb Survivors Share Vision of Peace." National Geographic, 6 Aug. 2020, www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/08/hiroshima-75th-anniversary-symbols-peace/.