Analyzing a Historic Decision The Decision to Drop the Bomb

Oliver Vickery November 15, 2013 SRA 231 Section 2 Submitted in partial fulfillment of SRA 231

1. Purpose Statement Summarize the key factors and decision points leading to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6th, 1945.

2. BLUF: United States President Harry Trumans desire to end World War II as quickly as possible with the least amount of American casualties was the key factor in the decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan. President Truman decided to utilize a maximax strategy to end the war. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima is one of the most controversial decisions in history and triggered the nuclear arms race that would persist for decades after the fact. Many factors and a series of decision points led to the decision to drop the first nuclear weapon used against another nation. The bombing led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands Japanese citizens and changed international relations forever. 3. Background On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy conducted a surprise military strike on the United States Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Prior to this attack, the United States maintained an isolationist strategy towards the war that was unfolding around them. While the rest of the world became swept up in the war, the United States did everything in its power to avoid joining the fight and managed to remain out of the war for two years after it began. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan was primarily fighting and attempting to invade China. The United States was a key supplier to China and Japan concluded that they would have to defeat the United States to be successful in their mission. Japans surprise attack left the United States with no choice but to retaliate against Japan. Soon after, the United States Congress declared war on Japan causing the United States to enter World War II. Throughout the war, the United States was secretly developing weapons of mass destruction through The Manhattan Project. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt signed off on an atomic research program that would eventually become code named The Manhattan Project (Bellis). This project would ultimately lead to the creation of the atomic bomb that would prove to be a major factor in the end of the war. After the successful American occupation of Okinawa and Iwo Jima, the United States conducted a campaign of fire bombings against Japan in hopes that the Japanese would surrender. Over 300,000 Japanese citizens were killed as a result of these fire bombings (Alperovitz, pg. 132). Japan refused to surrender despite Nazi Germany surrendering in May 1945. President Harry Truman was tasked with the decision to use the weapons of mass destruction developed through The Manhattan Project or conduct an amphibious invasion of the entire country of Japan known as Operation Downfall. President Truman decided to maximize the outcome and ordered to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6th, 1945 and another atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9th, 1945. Japan surrendered six days later on August 15th, 1945. As a result of the bombings, tens of thousands of

Japanese citizens were immediately vaporized from the initial detonation while hundreds of thousands of Japanese citizens died from complications and illnesses from radiation poisoning from the aftermath of the bombings (Alperovitz, pg 135). 4. Key Decisions and Events The key decision point that directly led to the bombing of Hiroshima was President Trumans decision to drop the atomic bomb instead of conducting a large invasion of the entire country of Japan. This decision was influenced by many factors and was the result of a series of key decisions. Trumans decision was primarily based on the number of American casualties he believed would result from each option to end the war. World War II had dragged on for years and President Truman wanted to end the war as quickly as possible while limiting the addition of even more American casualties to the already high number of them. In order to force the Japanese to surrender, the United States was planning a large-scale land invasion of main island of Japan known as Operation Downfall (Wainstock, pg. 191). Truman used recent battles against Japan to help determine the best course of action to end the war with the least amount of American casualties. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, over 6,800 American soldiers were killed while over 19,000 were wounded. In addition, during the Battle of Okinawa, over 12,500 Allie soldiers were killed while over 38,900 Allie soldiers were wounded (Wainstock, pg. 120). President Truman used these numbers to estimate the number of casualties to be expected if an invasion of the main island of Japan were to be conducted. The islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa are much smaller in size than the main island of Japan and the Japanese army was more deeply entrenched in the main island. The number of American casualties would exceed the number of casualties in the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In addition, the war would continue for years with an invasion and President Truman desired to end it as quickly as possible (Wainstock, pg. 201). President Truman ultimately decided to use a maximax strategy by maximizing the reduction of American casualties and maximizing the reduction of time taken to end the war. President Truman determined that dropping the atomic bombs was the more efficient and appropriate strategy to achieve the goals he inherited from President Roosevelt and to benefit the United States as a whole. Japans Stubbornness Another key decision point that led to the bombing of Hiroshima was Japans decision to refuse to surrender at all costs prior to the bombings. The Japanese believed that it is dishonorable to surrender and would rather die fighting than to surrender. After the United States invaded and occupied the key islands Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the United States conducted a campaign of fire bombings on Japanese cities in hopes to persuade Japan to surrender. The United States targeted Japanese cities such as Tokyo with the fire bombings. During this time,

many of the structures in Japanese cities were built out of wood and paper which made them susceptible to burning. The firebombings proved to be devastating and accounted for the deaths of over 300,000 Japanese citizens. The number of Japanese casualties that resulted from the firebombings outnumbered the number of casualties resulting from the two atomic bombs by a significant number. The United States, United Kingdom, and the Republic of China called upon Japan to surrender with the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender. This proclamation called upon Japan to unconditionally surrender and give up all military power. In addition, the Proclamation declared that if Japan did not surrender than Japan would face prompt and utter destruction. There was no mention of weapons of mass destruction within the proclamation and at the time Japan had no idea what prompt and utter destruction entailed. Obviously, Japan chose not to comply with the proclamation and decided to continue fighting until death. Japans rejection of the proclamation led to the tough decision that President Truman had to make. It was clear that Japan was not going to surrender on their own accord and the United States had to force them to surrender. Justifying the Cost Another major decision point that led to the bombing of Hiroshima was President Franklin Roosevelts decision to approve the Manhattan Project and begin the research and development of weapons of mass destruction. Physicist Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt urging the development of an atomic research program. President Roosevelt saw no need or purpose for such a program. However, the President hesitantly approved the program and began to proceed slowly (ushistory.org). It was not until 1941 that the project officially became known as The Manhattan Project. President Roosevelt believed that secrecy of the project was critical and only a select few knew about the project to ensure the Germans, Japanese, and the Soviets did not become aware of the program. Vice President Harry Truman did not learn of the program until after he became President (ushistory.org). The Manhattan Project spanned several years and employed over 120,000 employees (ushistory.org). As a result, the project was very expensive and cost the United States $1,889,604,000 in 1945 United States dollars (Wainstock, pg. 256). This amount would equate to around $26 billion in United States dollars based on todays standards. After spending so much money on the war, President Truman wanted to justify the steep price that the United States paid to develop the weapons that the country had invested so much time and resources into. In addition to the high price the United States paid, President Truman had the mindset that weapons were built and meant to be used and if the United States had the weapons then they should be used (Alperovitz, pg. 110). President

Truman decided to use a maximax strategy in regards of what to do with the United States newly developed weapons of mass destruction. The President got the most use out of the countrys large investment while ending the war as quickly as possible. While the decision may not have been the most diplomatic by todays standards, the President achieved exactly what he wanted to while justifying the large cost the country had to pay to develop the nuclear weapons. Intimidating the Soviets President Trumans decision to drop the bomb was strongly influenced by the Soviet Unions control over Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union was proving to be a dominant global authority due to their military control over Eastern Europe. President Truman saw the Soviet Union as a potential threat to the United States in the future and took into consideration the statement that would be made with the dropping of the atomic bomb. This result helped Truman decide upon a maximax strategy of dropping the bomb. The atomic bomb would impress the Soviet Union and send an intimidating message to them that the United States is the dominant military force in the world. Truman did not anticipate the lasting repercussions that would result by dropping the atomic bomb. The use of the atomic bomb led to the start of the nuclear arms race that occurred for several decades after World War II and even to this day. President Trumans decision to intimidate the Soviet Union led to the Cold War that created several decades of tension between the two dominant powers in the world. To this day, countries strive to develop nuclear weapons because today they stand as a sign of military dominance. 5. Lessons Learned As a result of President Trumans decisions to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, the world has learned how devastating the effects of a nuclear weapon are. Since the bombings of Japan, no other nuclear weapons have ever been used on another nation. Tens of thousands Japanese citizens were immediately vaporized from the bombing and hundreds of thousands japanese citizens died as a result of radiation poisoning from the bombings. As a direct result of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a nuclear arms race was triggered which led to the Cold War. During that time period, the United States and many other countries learned about the tension and hostility that can occur when two major powers have nuclear weapons in their arsenal. The Soviet Union had nuclear missile aimed at the United States while the United States had their own nuclear missiles pointed right back at the Soviets. During this time period, the world lived in fear as nobody knew what the end result would be. With one press of a button either one of these nations could have started a nuclear holocaust and afflict devastating damage to the entire world. As a result of dropping the bombs on Japan, nuclear weapons have become a symbol of military superiority. People saw the damage that the atomic bombs did

to Japan and modern nuclear weapons are even more powerful. Even to this day, nations strive to develop nuclear weapons to gain military superiority. The United States has encountered many instances of diplomatic tension between countries striving to develop their own nuclear weapons program. The United States has learned that military decisions have lasting diplomatic repercussions. Truman chose to drop the bomb for many reasons, but mainly to end World War II as quickly as possible with the least amount of American casualties. However, this radical decision led to years of diplomatic tension with other major forces in the world for many decades after the fact. Today, the United States takes the diplomatic effects into account when making military decisions as a result of the aftermath of dropping the nuclear bombs. Personal Lessons Learned This case has taught me a significant amount about diplomacy and the lasting repercussions a decision can have on the world for years to come. Today, I observe the tension and disputes between the United States and other countries attempting to create a nuclear weapons program. I always hear about North Korea testing their nuclear weapons and the fear of a terrorist organization such as Al Qaeda getting their hands on one. I never fully comprehended the reasoning for why these countries are trying so hard to develop their own nuclear weapons program. When I researched the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima I soon discovered that this one event was just the start of a long series of events that were triggered as a result. My research led me to the aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bombs and the international disputes that resulted. I learned about the decades of stalemate between the Soviet Union and the United States and ultimately how it all led to the current international political scene that we observe today. It fascinated me that decades of international relations and politics could be significantly influenced by a single decision made by one man. Throughout my entire research I wondered what President Truman would have decided upon doing knowing all of the lasting repercussions that would result from his decision. In addition, I learned a lesson that I could apply to my own life as well. While no decision I will make in my life will ever be of the same magnitude as the one that President Truman had to make, the fundamental principles are still the same. While a decision may grant me exactly what I desire quicker and more efficiently, there might be other repercussions from my decision that might have longer lasting effects. President Truman was thinking more of the short term than long term with his decision to drop the bomb. His decision and the end results have taught me to take into consideration all the possible effects a decision can have. 6. Citations: 1. Alperovitz, Gar. The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb. New York: Vintage Books, 1995. Print.

2. Bellis, Mary. History of the Atomic Bomb and The Manhattan Project. Inventors. Web. 28 October 2013. <http://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/atomic_bomb.htm>. 3. The Manhattan Project. US History. Web. 28 October 2013. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/51f.asp>. 4. Wainstock, Dennis. The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb: Hiroshima and Nagasaki: 1945. Enigma Book: New York, 2011. Print.