- What are (a) the similarities and (b) the differences (if any) in the reasons given by Leathy (Source F) and Hart (Source H) for condemning the use of the bomb?
The similarities in these articles is that both authors agree that it was not necessary for the bomb to b dropped on Hiroshima or Nagasaki because Japan was ready to surrender as stated in Source F, “…the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and were ready to surrender…” and is also stated in Source G, “This surrender was already sure, and there was no need to use the weapon.”
The difference in these two sources is that they are written by two different authors who saw this in a complete different way. Leahy saw this from the point of view as the chief of staff to Roosevelt and Truman where as Hart, a historian, saw his perspective years later after he had collected evidence to come up with a conclusion. Leahy states in his source that Japan was ready to surrender due to a number of reasons such as; the sea blockade that the United States had placed in the east, the starvation that had overcome due to war, and also the bombing of regular weapons in the country but scientists wanted to test the Atomic bomb. Hart as a historian states, “But president Truman and most of his chief advisors were now as intent on using the bomb to accelerate Japan’s collapse as Stalin was on entering the war against Japan before it ended, in order to gain advantageous position in the Far East.” The United States wanted to make sure that Russia did not claim any “spoils” from the war that were to be gained in the Far East. Truman and his men dropped the bomb to interfere with Russia’s plan to gain land at the end of the war.
- One historian has stated that the real target of the A-bomb was not Hiroshima but Moscow. Comment on the validity of this statement.
This statement could be in all actually a true statement because in the article “No, He Had Other Options” by Alperovitz evidence states, “As the diary of one official put it they wanted to end the war before Moscow got in so much of the kill. Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestals’s diaries record that Mr. Brynes was most anxious to get the Japanese affair over with before the Russians got in.” The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th 1945, the Russians entered the war on August 8th 1945, and the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9th 1945. This shows that the Americans dropped the bomb to interfere with Russia’s invasion of Japan. The Americans wanted to demonstrate to the rest of the world their military abilities and they succeeded in doing so by dropping the Atomic Bomb. The Russians had already violated the Yalta Agreement of 1945 because when she advanced her military into the 38th Parallel of North Korea. Americans deny that the reason they dropped the bomb on Japan was for new power of political gain. Americans believed the bomb was dropped to end the war and save lives. They knew that the bomb was so powerful that it might destroy more than was needed to be destroyed.
- With reference to their origin and purpose assess the value and limits of Sources A, B, and G for historians who are analyzing the reasons for the dropping of the bombs.
Source A written by Brynes who was Truman’s Secretary of State and source B written by Makins, the Secretary of the Combined British-American Policy both these men were high ranks in the decision making of the dropping of the Atomic Bomb. Source G was later written by Hart who was a historian; he was in no way involved with the government and stated his perspective from viewing different sources that were used as evidence. Both Makins and Brynes mention in their articles that the bomb was dropped on Japan to save lives and to end the war in a more effective way. Sources A & B have a biased point of view because of the scenario that they are in, being that both authors were involved with the United States government at the time, and also understanding the issue at first hand. Makins and Brynes know the motivations that the United States government had in dropping the bomb such as keeping Russia away from Far East. Hart on the other hand looks back and states that a strategic reason would have been more important. Also he believes that there was no need to drop the bomb on Japan because they were ready to surrender. In his article he states, “This surrender was already sure…” making this not a personal statement. Hart has the advantage of looking at two biased views and coming up with an objective that suits the situation.