ATOMIC BOMBING OF JAPAN.   Term Paper ID:17357 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Purpose & effects of U.S. decision to develop the bomb & use it on Japan, not so much to shorten the war as to demonstrate Amer. military supremacy.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Purpose & effects of U.S. decision to develop the bomb & use it on Japan, not so much to shorten the war as to demonstrate Amer. military supremacy. Paper Introduction: It was the 6th of August, that much we knew when the boys took off in the morning dew. Feeling nervous, sick and ill at ease, they flew at the heart of the Japanese (Yass 72). As they approached Hiroshima in the Enola Gay, they all had hopeful looks on their faces. "Not long now, folks . . . the Colonel and I are standing by and giving the boys what they want . . . There will be a short intermission while we bomb our target . . . My God!" (Yass 73) As the great bomb plummeted from the sky, the crew turned the plane broadside to get the best view, which was described as a "terrific spectacle." A mass of purplish gray dust about three miles in diameter, the lower part of the mushroom as well as the top was all boiling. The mushroom smoke had reached the same altitude of the plane when another mushroom arose just as turbu Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Thescientific discoveries which led to the atomic bomb began at theturn of the century when radioactivity was discovered. Even after the bomb-ing hadoccurred, Japan still persisted in negotiating before surrendering. Then all of a sudden a tremendous flash of light cut across the skyand blasted the earth over a radius of 8 yards from the center (Harson4). . The ultimatum hadbeen made clear, and the outcome was inevitable. Prime Minister Churchill and PresidentRoosevelt agreed that it was wise to carryon the project in theUnited States. "Report by Britain." New York Times 7 August 1945: 1.Fogelman, Edwin. . Wewere, therefore, twice guilty. In February1946, the Supreme Allied Headquarters announced the casualties in Hiroshimaas a result of the atomic bomb: dead, 78,15 ; missing, 13,983; seriouslywounded, 9,428; and slightly injured, 27,997. It was avictory that showed to the world an awesome power possessed onlyby the United States. As they approached Hiroshima in the Enola Gay, they all had hopefullooks on their faces. In fact, in July 1945, Japan had goneso far as making tentative proposals to the Soviet government, hoping theRussians would act as mediators in a negotiated peace. TheJapanese accepted these results August 14, and the documents of surrenderwere formally signed September 12, in Tokyo Bay. July 28, Japan rejected the Potsdam ultimatum by declaringthat "it was unworthy of public notice" (Fogelman 19). At the time, the United States had the necessaryindustrial and financial resources and would not have to stopother work needed to win the war. . . However, the research of atomic fission could not have beencompleted without the help of British and German scientists. The mushroom smoke had reached the same altitude of the plane whenanother mushroom arose just as turbulent as the other. During this time, Japan commanded forces ofsomewhat more than 5 million armed men. "The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb." Reader's Digest. 1946. The utmost secrecy and security measures surroundedthe project, in which largescale plants were created as locations ofresearch. Finally, August 1 ,Japan surrendered with the condition concerning the sovereignty of theEmperor. Japan probably would have fought to the end of hermilitary power despite her attempts to negotiate before thebombing. Bodiesof men, women and children were thrown about the streets and cries of theterrified wounded filled the air: "Everything had been scorched to theground, everything that still lived was waiting to die" (Lawrence 4). "Visit to Hiroshima Proves It World's-Most-Damaged City." New York Times 5 Sept. The question at hand was not whether the war would have endedwithout the use of the bomb, but whether a different course of action wouldhave induced an earlier surrender of the Japanese. However, after the bomb was dropped, the"unconditional" surrender demand was made conditional, and weagreed to the continuation of the Emperor on his throne. Although the United States was the only country to be ableto use such a power at the time, it was not exploited by bombingJapan. We dropped the bomb when Japanwas attempting to negotiate for peace, and we demanded uncondi-tionalsurrender, then dropped the bomb and accepted conditional surrender. The bomb was used forone purpose, not to secure peace to hasten victory. The final Japanese decision to accept these terms wasinfluenced by the atomic bomb. . Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum; destruction if Japan resisted and hope, if she surrendered, warned Truman ("New Age Ushered" 1).They clearly stated that the Japanese would be obliterated by atomicbombing, and in addition to this, Russia's declaration ofwar would be turned against them unless they surrenderedunconditionally. "Not long now, folks . Putnam's Sons, 1972. H. Hiroshima's death toll grew tremendously with each day. Works CitedBaldwin, Hanson W. 2 . "Let's Rebuild Hiroshima!" U.S. Thefundamental scientific knowledge of atomic energy was widely known in manycountries, both Allied and Axis, before the advent of war imposed securityrestrictions. 26.Stimson, Henry Lewis. Many of the thousands of peopleassociated with the project were given no more informationconcerning it than was absolutely necessary to complete aparticular job. The United States had planned an intensified sea and air blockage, and greatly intensified strategic air bombing, through the summer and early fall, to be followed on November 1 an invasion of the southern island Kyusu ...followed by an invasion of the main island of Honshu in the spring of 1946 (Fogelman 16). "Atomic Bomb Responsibilities." New York Times 12Sept. Japan'spersistent actions of negotiations before and after the bombings indicateshe would not have given up with-out a fight if the bombs had not beenused. It was hard to tell front from back (Yass 86).Other radiation effects were vomiting and diarrhea, baldness, and bloodspots under the skin, most of which resulted in death. The only warning given to Japan was the Potsdam ultimatum issued onJuly 26, when we already knew the Japanese had startedsurrender attempts. Then in 1942, expansion of the work and transfer of theproject to the War Department was recommended by this group, and approvedby President Roosevelt. The necessity of the atomic bomb is questioned by many whobelieve that more likely we should not have dropped it on Japan. Expected costs of casualties were more than 1 million to Americanforces alone. These citieswere equipped with all the religious, recreational, educationaland other facilities of a modern city. Mostdeaths and destruction occurred within a fraction of a second, althoughfire and rain (which was actually condensed moisture from the cloud of dustand fission fragments) added to the ruins for days after the blast. Their eyes, noses and mouths had been burned away and it looked like their ears had melted off. The decision was made to use the atomic bomb by the BigThree (United States, Russia and Great Britain) and all ofJapan's principle enemies. . However, as it was understood by the Alliedforces, Japan would persist in her fight to the end, literally to thedeath. As a result, only a few governmental officialsand scientists knew the entire story. For, at this time, the warwould last for only as long as Japan could resist, and therefore, she wasnot in a bargaining position. 1945: 4.------. There will be a shortintermission while we bomb our target. A technical demonstration of the bomb's power may been unfeasible but certainly a far more definite warning could have been given; and it is hard to believe that a target objective in Japan with but sparse population could not have been found (Fogelman 96).As soon as the Japanese rejected the unconditional surrender, the haveUnited States rushed to use the bomb. TheUnited States was creating a weapon to be used against its enemies, notnecessarily Germany. March1947. The atomic bomb represents the culmination of years of combinedefforts of science, industry, and the military. When research was first begun to develop atomic energy, the UnitedStates was in no way committed to the use of atomicweapons against any other power. It was more likely for her to continue fighting thansurrender, because at the time it appeared that was her intentunless her negotiations for peace were met. Also, the laboratory work andproduction plants would be out of reach Of enemy bombing, while Britain wasstill threatened with invasion at the time ("Text on Statements by Truman,"1). The Umton Engineer Works in Tennessee and the Handford Engineer Worksin Washington are examples of the large-size andisolated locations of these sites, necessary for security andsafety against possible but then-unknown hazards. 1947. "The New Face of War." New York Times 8 August 1945: 4.Belair, Felix Jr. If this were to occur, the Allied forces would be faced with theproblem of destroying Japan's armed forces consisting of 5 million men andsome 5, Kamikaze aircraft. New York: G.P. 26-27.Lawrence, W. Half of the victims died fromthe explosion, 3 percent from radiation burns and the remainder from otherradia-tion effects. "5 Plants Vanished." New York Times 8 August 1945: 1. "From Hiroshima: A Report in and a Question." Time 11 Feb. The blast was so powerful that it caused wooden as well as stone housesand build-ings to crash inward, leaving nothing but ashes of ruins. Hiroshima, the armycenter, was bombed August 6. The Allies made no promises other than those already given, whichsaid the Emperor's power must be by the Allied Supreme Commander. Feeling nervous, sick and ill at ease, they flew at the heart of the Japanese (Yass 72). Later, it was said by bothJapanese and American scientists that the radiation there was much lessthan the tolerance dose, meaning that one could live there forever (Baldwin4). Beginning in194 , scientific knowledge was pooled by the UnitedStates and Great Britain. 1945: 4.Siemer, Rev. John A. However, the situation changedas we poured more and more money ($2 billion worth) and effortinto the project. "Least Abhorrent Choice." Time 3 Feb. My God!" (Yass 73) As the great bomb plummeted from the sky, the crewturned the plane broadside to get the best view, which was described as a"terrific spectacle." A mass of purplish gray dust about three miles indiameter, the lower part of the mushroom as well as the top was allboiling. The Manhattan Project (the development of the atomicbomb) existed only to bring the war to a successful end more quickly thanwould otherwise be the case. During the summer of 1945, the main objective of the United States wasto bring a prompt and complete surrender of Japan,which would only be accomplished through complete destruction ofher military power. The decision made to use the bomb was just, and it probably savedcountless lives on both the United States and Japanese sides. If thePotsdam Declaration had promised to permit the Emperor to remain on hisimperial throne, there is no doubt that Japan would have surrendered. "Bomb Use To Go On." New York Times 1 September 1945:12.Daniel, Clifton. 1939, the work inthis field was researched worldwide, until particularly in the UnitedStates, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Denmark. . Hiroshima: The Decision to Drop the A-Bomb. It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Then again at 8 another siren sounded, signaling all wasclear; the people of Hiroshima began their day just as they would anyother. Soldiers, burned from the hips up, and where the skin had peeled, their flesh was wet and mushy . However, these vagueproposals included the retention of important areas conquered by Japan, andthus, they were not considered very seriously. Thus, strategic plans without the use of theatomic bomb were prepared. The Air Force was reduced to reliance onKamikaze (suicide) attacks, which inflicted serious damage upon our Navyforces (Fogelman 16). The Navyhad practically ceased to exist with the exception of a few ships forprotection against an invasion. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1964.Lawrence, David. However, thesedeaths resulted from the qamma rays emitted during the explosion and notfrom the radiation presented afterwards. It was a clear beautiful morning in Hiroshima when the siren soundedat 7 o'clock. . It is believed thatthe United States did not try hard enough. Late in 1939, the possibility of using atomic energy formilitary purposes was brought to the attention of PresidentRoosevelt. Such effects were mysterious burns not caused by thefires, but the neutrons, beta particles and gamma rays released by theexplosion which destroyed body cells and caused people's skin to literallyfall off. 11."The War Ends." Life 2 August 1945 25 -31.Yass, Marion. Other manufacturingplants on a much smaller scale were also developed for essential productionof valuable materials necessary for the research.since secrecy of this project was of the utmost importance, thework remained compartmentalized. At the end of 1941, the decision was made to go allout on research work, and the project was put under the direction of agroup of eminent American scientists in the office of Scientific Researchand Development. The Potsdam ultimatum was hardly construed as a directwarning of the atomic bomb, nor was it taken as such by anyone who did notknow of the disastrous consequences it could create. The purple clouds and flames below whirled around as the whole townwas pulverized: "Mission successful" (Yass 73). The Japanese Army was inbetter condition than the Japanese Navy and Air Force. . The strategic Bombing Survey says that it was the survey's opinion that certainly prior to December 31, 1945, and in all probability prior to November 1, 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated (Fogelman 99).It may be possible that the atomic bombs shortened the war, but not by morethan two months at the most. While at first it was said that we undertookthe development of the project so Germany would not get it first, the factremains that the project soon became an all-out effort to end the war. And they had no faces. Hiroshima. Thus, the bombing of Hiroshima would not affect the future of thosethat remained. The war ended the exchange of scientific knowledge on thissubject, and winning the war was all but a question of which nations wouldcontrol the discovery. However, not everyone believedthat the atomic bomb hastened victory or that it helped toconsolidate peace or to further the political aims for which thewar was fought (Fogelman 95). Nagasaki, the naval and industrial center, wasbombed August 9, when Japan still refused to surrender. News & World Report1 March 1946. It was the 6th of August, that much we knew when the boys took off in the morning dew. It looked as if itwere coming from a huge burning fire, and it seemed to settle back to earthagain. Despite Japan's position, there was no indication ofweakening in Japan's determination to fight rather than acceptunconditional surrender. Before the atomic bomb was dropped in August,Germany had been defeated, and the enemy, the Japanese, was in a hopelessposition by the time the Potsdam demand for unconditional surrender wasmade on July 26. the Colonel and I arestanding by and giving the boys what they want . . 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