WWII Atomic Weapons Were Justified

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Messia

Daniel Messia

Mrs. Mirrow

American History

2/5/05

Term Paper

WWII Atomic Weapons Were Justified

        World War II introduced new advances on the battlefield. One of these advancements was the creation and use of an atomic bomb, the most destructible weapon of the time. During World War II the use of atomic weapons was justified. They were used by the United States upon Japan to help end the war. On August 6 and 9, 1945, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by the first atomic bombs used in warfare. The event was not good or evil, right or wrong. The United States considered few other options to defeat Japan to end World War II, but none other would hold to be as helpful for the United States. The use of the atomic bomb was justified by a few heavy reasons. The Japanese race held certain beliefs of supremacy that would have them continue fighting to the very end. For economic reasons, The U.S. had to use the atomic bombs on Japan. This would help nations including U.S., Japan, and Russia with paying for the war had it continued on longer. Militarily, the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was in the best interest for the U.S. for it saved the lives many troops from both nations. Due to political reasons between the two governments and what they wanted, the U.S. had little choice but to use the atomic bomb. Japan had also committed social atrocities that left the U.S. to use the atomic bomb for world safety. The United States was left in a position where the atomic bomb was the wisest and best military tactic to pursue for the benefit of themselves and the rest of the world. These issues helped the justification of using an atomic bomb on a country twice in order to receive peace and an end to war on a world scale.

        The Japanese of that time period had beliefs of supremacy and racism. They believed that they were direct decedents from God. Every one else to them was of a lesser-being. This left the United States in a situation where the atomic bomb would be the best option to pursue. Combine the beliefs of the Japanese and with their power they were still a force to be reckoned with even in the late stages of the war. The Japanese planned to continue to fight until the very last soldier in order to win this war. The United States was in a situation where they had to destroy the Japanese army to obtain surrender on their behalf. But Japan was unwilling to have Unconditional Surrender and had their Emperor give up his throne. It is shown that the Japanese found that the Proclamation sent to them was not clear enough for them and they denied it:

                The proclamation demanded "the unconditional surrender of all the         Japanese armed forces" … It made no mention of Japan's central surrender         consideration: the retention of the Emperor's position … What made this crucial         was that the Japanese believed their         Emperor to be a god, the heart of the         Japanese people and culture … The absence of any assurance regarding the         Emperor's fate became Japan's chief objection to the Potsdam Proclamation In         addition, the proclamation made statements that, to the Japanese, could appear         threatening to the Emperor: "There must be eliminated for all time the authority         and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into         embarking on world conquest" and "stern justice shall be meted out to all war         criminals" (        long.com/hiroshim.htm).

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The emperor was believed to be a God to the Japanese, and to lose his guidance leaves the Japanese with no purpose for existence. This caused Japan to further the war and fuel its people to fight. The Japanese had also been using barbaric war tactics through out World War II. They believed the war would be over once they eliminated their target or every one of their soldiers was dead. This left the United States in the position to stop Japan and defeat them, thus using the atomic bombs. The United States could have agreed to a surrender agreement ...

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