Dropping the Atomic Bomb

By 1945, the war in Europe had been going on for almost six years. It ended on May 8, 1945, which is celebrated as V-E Day or Victory in Europe Day. It had been the most costly war in history, covering four continents, taking millions of lives, and costing billions of dollars. With the war in Europe over, all of the focus was turned to the Pacific. On August 6, 1945 the first of two atomic bombs was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan followed three days later with Fat Man being dropped on Nagasaki. The war was over on August 15, 1945, and Victory over Japan Day was celebrated. The dropping of the atomic bomb remains the controversial decision of the war to this day with he main question is being was it really necessary to drop the atomic bombs? To understand the reasoning behind the dropping, first we must go back to the origins of the making of the bomb at the Manhattan Project.

The Manhattan Project was authorized by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939 with backing from scientist Albert Einstein. He signed for the funding of up to $2 billion to research the technology to make the bomb. By this time, scientists on the Allied side had already feared that Nazi Germany had been investigating into such weapons of its own. Einstein expressed his concern with the German Nuclear Weapons Program in his letter when he mentioned that "Since the outbreak of the war, interest in uranium has intensified in Germany. I have now learned that research there is carried out in great secrecy and that it has been extended to another of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes, the Institute of Physics."# This is very important statement that has been made. The Germans have already begun to look into the possibility of obtaining nuclear power and making nuclear weapons for military use. If they had unlocked the key to creating such a weapon, they very well would have won the war. The United States beginning the Manhattan Project was imperative to the overall war effort.

The key ingredient to the making of the bomb was the element uranium. After important work, which was done by Leo Szilard and Enrico Fermi, uranium was found to have the potential to be an important source of energy. This new discovery would also lead to the construction of bombs. Einstein describes this new type of weapon as "a single bomb of this type that might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory."# This is significant to the development and eventual use of the bomb as it tells of the massive destruction one bomb could bring which would be a deciding figure on the outcome and ending of the war.

As the bomb neared completion and perfection the selection of targets for dropping the atomic bomb began in the spring of 1945 with cooperation from the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, and his Headquarters. Some of the most important considerations were "the range of the aircraft which would carry the bomb and the probable weather conditions in the target areas."# There was also the importance of having a primary and secondary target for each mission in case of the weather conditions interfering with bombing the target. Most importantly, the "selection of targets to produce the greatest military effect on the Japanese people,"# which was done with the hope of shortening the war.

Another important consideration in the decision of picking targets was the morale effect that would be afflicted upon the enemy "since the atomic bomb was expected to produce its greatest amount of damage by primary blast effect."# After the initial blast, great fires were to follow, so the targets were to contain a large percentage of closely-built frame buildings that would be venerable to damaged caused by blast and then fire. Also, the extent of the maximum blast effect of the bomb was taken into consideration. It was estimated to extend over an area of 1 mile in radius. This lead to the selection of targets that contained a densely built up area that should be very close to the already estimated value. Also, the selected targets were to have a high military strategic value. The primary target "should be relatively untouched by previous bombing, in order that the effect of a single atomic bomb could be determined."#

Before the atomic bombs were dropped other air raids on Japan had already happened. "A single fire bomb raid in March killed nearly 100,000 people and injured over a million in Tokyo. A second air attack on Tokyo in May killed 83,000."# Also, in attempts to slowdown Japan's military capabilities, the United States Navy had cut the islands' supply lines. The generally accepted view of the time was that the Japanese would fight to the bitter end, and because of their willingness to fight until death, a costly invasion of the home islands seemed the most likely maneuver in ending the war in Japan. However, some "American policy makers held that successful combat delivery of one or more atomic bombs might convince the Japanese that further resistance was futile"# and that finally surrendering would be better than risking absolutely everything.

On August 7, 1945, President Truman announced to the public "Let there be no mistake; we shall completely destroy Japan's power to make war. It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth."# The Japanese government knew that something that had never been witnessed during a war was going to happen to them. They were warned almost two weeks before the first bomb was dropped of their fate and that is plenty of time to evacuate an entire city to save civilian lives. Also, it is clearly stated that the primary objective was to take away Japan's ability to fight, make, and continue this devastating war. There was an attempt made to give Japan the opportunity to surrender and avoid the dropping of the bombs altogether and tens of thousands never would have had to die on those two days. However, their leaders rejected this ultimatum, thereby rejecting any attempt at a peaceful resolution, and the United States government then went along and did exactly what it said it would do.

The Japanese government responded with contempt to the statement of warning that was given to them at Potsdam. Their prime minister ignored the warning and later the Tokyo radio went on telling the people that the government would "mokusatu" the declaration and continue to fight on. When Truman recalled the Potsdam Conference he stated that "When we asked them to surrender at Potsdam, they gave us a very snotty answer. That is what I got.