To save half a million American lives To what extent was this the main reason for the dropping

g of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

On August 6th, 1945, in Hiroshima, a city relatively unscathed by World War 2, 70,000 people were annihilated within 1 minute. As Radio Tokyo stated: practically all living things-human and animal-were literally seared to death. This was caused by the first atomic bomb dropped on a civilian population, a particularly vicious bomb which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Even today people are suffering from the effects of the atomic bomb, making the reason for why America dropped the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki a contentious, emotive and especially relevant issue which sparks debate even now; not only did these two bombs kills hundreds of thousands of people but their effect on the World can be felt even today. This essay will be looking at why the atomic bombs were dropped: was it to save 500,000 American lives, to stop the spread of Communism in Asia, so the cost of the Manhattan project could be justified, due to racism and revenge for Pearl Harbour or so Truman could assert his masculinity? The main historical approach is that the bomb was dropped to save, as Truman put it, half a million American lives 1. Although US Historian Walker clearly agrees with this, he disagrees with the figures There was no evidence that he received information...an invasion...would cost...500,0002.

Truman, Harry, 1955, 1945 My year of decisions: Memoirs by Harry S. Truman, Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company pp. 417 2 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.39

1 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

However, he does concede the bomb was used primarily to save lives Primary objective...always been to win the warat the lowest cost in American lives3 . This is in direct contrast to another historian, Takaki, who clearly believes that although the bomb was used to save lives it was by no way the most influential reason the United States didnt use the atomic bomb simply to end the war and thereby save American lives4. Walker argues that the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in July 1945, killing 880 young Americans5 clearly would have prayed on Trumans mind considerably. Truman had been in the Missouri National Service through World War 1, and so he would have also felt fraternally towards Americans in the war and although the hundreds of thousands was a fabrication, as agreed by Takaki and Walker, the US had still lost many thousands in the war hitherto. As well as this, according to Alonzo Hamby, the US was confused about Japans willingness to surrender. Though they received news of The Emperors telegram drafted by the Japanese Foreign Office, asking Stalin to receive Prince Konoye on a mission regarding termination of the war (indicating they were ready to surrender), they were also intercepting telegrams from between Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo and Ambassador Naotake Sato in Moscow, which led them to believe the opposite was true.6

Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.92 4 Takaki, Ronald, 1995, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, USA: Little, Brown and Company, pp.52 5 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.74 6 http://www.historytoday.com/MainArticle.aspx?m=10040&amid=10040

2 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

Also, Truman in his memoirs wrote It was their (the committee) recommendation that the bomb be used against the enemyIt was their conclusion that no technical demonstrationwould be likely to bring the war to an end7. This outlines how Truman wanted to drop the bomb as the quickest way to end the war, which would have of course saved American lives. However, this argument is certainly flawed. Walker argues that Truman had been affected by the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, however Truman mentioned it no where in his memoirs or diary, indicating it didnt play a large factor in Trumans decision making. Furthermore, Trumans memoirs are unlikely to be objective because they were written by Truman himself, and he had to make it appear as though he had done the right thing. His memoirs were first published in 1955, when the atomic bomb was still fresh in many peoples minds, and most people were still active and alive who had been involved in the Manhattan Project. Finally, at a meeting held at the White House on Monday, 18 June 1945, Truman received specific information that casualties should not exceed Luzon, which was sited as 31,0008. This certainly undermines Trumans claim he wanted to save 500,000, and makes it hard to trust anything written in Trumans memoirs. It was also generally accepted that an invasion of the Home island, starting at Kyushu9, was extremely unlikely10 (the US
7

Truman, Harry, 1965, 1945 My year of decisions: Memoirs by Harry S. Truman, USA, Signet books; The New American Library of World Literature, pp.462 8 http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/pre-cold-war/hiroshimanagasaki/white-house-meeting-1_1945-06-18.htm 9 Southern most point of mainland Japan 10 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.5

3 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

government knew that the Japanese most probably would not last until November 1).

Many historians believe that the atomic bomb was used predominantly to induce the end of the Pacific War before the USSR could become involved and spread Communism throughout Asia. Professor Ronald Takaki clearly supports this view, stating that the bomb was linked to Russian expansionism and that because Russia had promised to join the war three months after May 7, and the U.S invasion of Japan was scheduled for November 1, the US would have to end the war before Russia would have declared war against Japan and would have leverage at the peace table. Everything depended on the atomic bomb test scheduled for July 1611. This clearly shows that Takaki felt an important reason the bomb was used was to prevent Russian leverage at the peace table which would have aided the spread of Communism in Asia. Takaki supports this, quoting: Russia was our enemy, and the project was conducted on that basis12 and though he later places undue emphasis on racism as the major factor, his statements about preventing Russian expansion is clearly valid. However, J. Samuel Walker clearly disagrees, As an added incentive, using the bomb might provide diplomatic benefits13. He downgrades the role of the USSR as simply an additional, not particularly important bonus14; Trumans
11

Takaki, Ronald, 1995, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, USA: Little, Brown and Company, pp.65 12 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.65 13 Walker, J. Samuel, 1997, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, USA: The University of North Carolina Press, pp.94 14 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.95

4 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

foremost consideration in using the bomb immediately was not used to frustrate Soviet ambitions in Asia or to show off the bomb.15 However, both these historians seem to ignore USSR-USA relations before Potsdam, which had been contentious at best. Prior to Potsdam, Harry Hopkins had been sent to Moscow from 26 May-6 June 1945, to discuss some of the issues between the USSR and USA. Here it became evident of the rift between the USA and USSR, which was clear evidence that there was little chance of a post-war relationship between USA and USSR16 (contrary Walkers statement: he [Truman] and Byrnes17 still hoped that they could get along with Stalin in the post-war era18). Their relationship during World War 2 (known as the uneasy alliance) was borne out of necessity to prevent Hitler. Furthermore, neither Takaki nor Walker even mention the USAs involvement in the 1919-1921 Russian Civil war19; an attempt by the Americans to usurp the Bolsheviks, which would have led to undeniable tension and lack of cohesion between the two countries long before the outbreak of war. Clearly, the decision to use the atomic bomb would have been massively affected by the earlier tensions that the USSR and USA had had before the war. One historian who favours the view that the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima to prevent Russian expansion is Gar Alperovitz, who argues that the Americans dropped the bomb because they didnt want to wait and find out if
15

Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.95 16 US Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States, The Conference of Berlin, I, reprinted in LaFeber [94], pp. 62-64 17 US Secretary of State 1945-47 18 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.95 19 Gaddis, John Lewis, The Cold War, London: the Penguin group, pp. 87

5 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

a Russian invasion would end the war as expected; they didnt want Russian involvement in Japan at all, thus dropping the bomb was not done to end the war and save lives, but to try and make the Japanese surrender before the Russians could join: a Russian declaration of war seemed likely to precipitate surrender without an invasion. Although the United States had desperately wanted Russian participation in the war only a few weeks earlier, Japanese power had so deteriorated that U.S decision makers actively sought ways to avoid or slow down a Soviet declaration.20 If the USA had wanted to simply end the war quickly and save lives, they would have allowed Russia to remain in the Potsdam Proclamation21, cementing their place in the war. However, they instead chose to cut the Russians out, indicating strongly that the USA didnt want them in the war. This view is further supported by Alperovitzs statement: U.S officials had gotten so caught up in the idea that once demonstrated the bomb would be important diplomacy toward Russia that when evidence of Japanese willingness to surrender came in, they could not or would not act upon it22. Clearly the fact that the bomb could be used in regards to Russia overrode all other issues; the Americans were unwilling at this point to seek another way to end the war as they had to use the bomb to end the war as quickly as possible and thus prevent the Russians joining in.
20

Alperovitz, Gar, Atomic Diplomacy Hiroshima and Potsdam: The Use of the Atomic bomb and the Confrontation with Soviet Power, pp.25 21 On the recommendation of Secretary of State Byrnes, Russia was excluded from the Potsdam declaration, as it would have indicated to the Japanese that any hopes of the USSR staying out of the war was an illusion. 22 Alperovitz, Gar, Atomic Diplomacy Hiroshima and Potsdam: The Use of the Atomic bomb and the Confrontation with Soviet Power, pp.9

6 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

Concerns about the USSR must have played an integral role in the decision to use the bomb; their opposing ideologies meant that neither could get along long-term. Furthermore, Truman wrote in his diary believe Japs will fold up before Russia comes in. I am sure they will when Manhattan appears over their homeland23, which indicates that at the very least Truman was presuming the bomb would prevent Russian involvement. To prevent Russian expansion in Asia clearly was the most significant reason why Truman dropped the atomic bomb. Revenge and racism against the Japanese is another factor considered for why the bomb was dropped; its a factor considered by Walker and Takaki considers it the main reason, though it was clearly not as important as containing the USSR. In all likelihood, it would have played a relatively small part in why Truman dropped the atomic bomb. Walker agrees that there was mass racism in the USA against the Japanese: Americans felt an especially deep hatred of the Japanese for racial reasons24 although he overall comes to the conclusion Truman didnt authorize solely or primarily for those (racist) reasons25. Overall, Walker places little overall on racism. However, Takaki leans towards blaming Trumans racism, although at points he counters this and is inconsistent. He states that Truman was swept into the anti-Japanese maelstrom of race hate and revenge. He, too, was bitter
23

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/ferrell_book/ferrell_book_chap 5.htm 24 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, USA: pp.21 25 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.96

7 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

and angry26. Takaki offers no evidence as to how racism was the motivating factor, except that Truman was a racist; Privately Mr. Truman always said nigger27, however then goes on to state that Truman was a thoughtful and sensitive man28. Even more bizarrely, Takaki then goes on to explain how

America was built upon racism, how the Americans viewed Asian immigrants as a yellow peril29 and describing Hiroshima as the crucible of Race in American history30. Takaki describes the history of racism in America, proving his point that racism was prevalent in the USA but not that that it was a reason why the atomic bomb was dropped. He clearly seems to believe that by convincing the reader that the USA was racist, he can prove that the bomb was in fact dropped for revenge and racism, two facts which do not correlate. Its understandable however, why Takaki would ignore other evidence, as he is a professor of Ethnic Studies and seems determined to find racial reasons, ignoring any other evidence (he typically writes race-orientated books such as Race and culture in Nineteenth-Century America and Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity in America). Also, Truman himself stated (according to Walker) that the Japanese had been repaid many fold31 for their attack on Pearl Harbour, which implies an element of revenge, however, its still highly improbable that racial motives would have been a major factor. This is because the Potsdam declaration, although it
26 27

Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.99 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.97 28 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.150 29 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.80 30 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.65 31 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.79

8 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

didnt tell the Japanese about the atomic bomb, did warn the Japanese to surrender; if America just wanted revenge they would never have given the Japanese a chance to surrender. The Potsdam declaration32 warned the Japanese that they would face prompt and utter destruction if they didnt surrender.33 It also left an opening for the retention of the emperor which was in direct contrast to the USAs previous stance of unconditional surrender, indicating that the USA was anxious to end the war as soon as possible, even if this meant conceding to Japanese demands. Furthermore, if the Americans had been motivated by racism they would not have stated in the Potsdam declaration that Japan would not be enslaved as a race or destroyed as a nation34. The fact that the USA even warned Japan to surrender is evidence in itself that they were not motivated by revenge; if they had been they would never have warned them, as the Japanese hadnt regarding Pearl Harbour. Takaki places equal importance on the belief Truman dropped the bomb to prove his masculinity. According to Takaki, Truman had an inferiority complex 35 and as a child was regarded as feminine36. He then goes on to cite how Truman had been bullied as a child; The boyscalled him sissy37 and how Truman was pleased that Stalin was shorter then he38 as he wanted to show his masculinity (hence the pugilistic39 terms used to describe the first atomic

32 33

Issued by the USA, China and Britain http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c06.html 34 http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c06.html 35 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.110 36 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.110 37 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.109 38 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.113 39 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.115

9 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

bomb) and not do the sissy thing40. Finally, the atomic bomb symbolised virility41. This argument in unsubstantiated and not covered by either Walker or Alperovitz, indicating that it isnt widely corroborated, and that Takaki often makes very tentative judgements. A less compelling view is that the bomb was dropped so the US government could justify the immense money they had spent on the Manhattan Project. It had employed 130,000 people and cost almost $2 billion42 and is a factor covered by both Takaki and Walker, albeit briefly. Takaki states If the project were dismantledso much money had already been committedthere would be relentless investigation and criticism.
43

This clearly shows that Takaki believed that the cost of the atomic bombs was

an element in the reason why the bomb was dropped, however, as he doesnt mention this again, and this a very small paragraph, Takaki clearly doesnt believe it was a particularly important factor. This is similar to Walker, who agrees that the atomic bombs were not used justify the cost; As a corollaryTruman wanted to justify the expense and effort required to build the atomic bombs44. America in 1945 had a strong economy which had thrived during the war; though they had spent almost $2 billion, America could afford it. The amount of money they spent in Europe post-1945, with Marshall Aid and the Truman

40 41

Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.112 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.115 42 http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/ynamregetsthebomb.html 43 Takaki, Ronald, Hiroshima: Why America dropped the atomic bomb, pp.39 44 Walker, J. Samuel, Prompt and utter destruction: Truman and the use of the bombs against Japan, pp.94

10 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

doctrine is evidence of Americas thriving economy; they were the richest country in the World. Therefore, its likely that monetary issues wouldnt have been too significant a factor in the use of the atomic bomb. However, this view is entirely opposed by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, who in 1985 produced a leaflet stating General Groveswas desperate to see the fruits of his labours before the end of the War. The bomb had been developed at a cost of $2000 million. It would have been difficult to justify not using it after such a vast financial investment. Two types of bomb had been developed. Nagasaki was simply an experiment to try out the second type.45 These are just suppositions, facts are assumed and placed together in an emotive fashion; although its true that the Manhattan project had been a vast financial investment, theres no proof that Groves was desperate and this source overlooks any other possibility for why the bomb was dropped. As a leaflet from the CND, its clear that its not from an objective source; its biased against the use of the Atomic bomb, and as such isnt accurate. The CND is a very left wing organisation, and the leaflet was produced in 1985, a time when Europe was very much anti America, anti Reagan and anti atomic weapons. Therefore its unlikely for this to be very relevant at all, especially as its role as a leaflet is to persuade rather then provide actual proof. Admiral Leahy, however, in his memoirs also states It was my reaction that the scientists and others wanted to make this test because of the vast sums

45

Text book?????

11 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

of money that had been spent on the project. Truman knew that.46 This appears to support the view the bomb was dropped to justify the cost of the Manhattan project, though Leahy also states that President Truman faced the decision as to whether to use it. He didnt like the idea, but was persuaded that it would shorten the war against Japan and save American lives47. Clearly Leahy believes that Truman himself was motivated to save lives, although the scientists from the Manhattan Project werent. Leahys memoirs were written during the 1950s, when Truman was still alive, and Leahy and Truman had been good friends throughout the war, so its possible that Leahy wrote that Truman dropped the bombs to save lives to appease Truman. Overall, Leahys memoirs are more then likely biased as Leahy worked for the US government and was a personal friend of Truman, so this source isnt objective. On the whole, this is an unlikely factor because there were far more important things for the US to worry about, such as the spread of the USSR. That the atomic bombs were dropped to save half a million American lives is a myth, and though theres no reason to speculate that Truman wouldnt have wanted to save American lives where possible its clear that this isnt the main reason the bomb was dropped. It was the need to prevent Russian expansion that played the main role. The USA and Russia traditionally had a poor relationship, with opposing ideologies and beliefs its understandable that
46
47

Leahy, Fleet Admiral William D., 1950, I was there, London: Victor Gollancz LTD, pp. 514 Leahy, Fleet Admiral William D., 1950, I was there, pp. 513

12 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M

they feared one another and also understandable why the USA would have been desperate to prevent Russian expansion in Asia; the USSR had already spread uncomfortably far throughout Europe at this point and the USA had to prevent the the bear seizing anymore of the World. Other factors would have played a role as well; Truman would have wanted to justify the cost of the bombs, and probably would have harboured a racist attitude, however its clear these factors are in no way as significant as the desire to prevent Russian expansionism.

13 Holly Maria B. Daher, 13M