The Effects of the Atomic Bomb

1597 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hiroshima, August 6, 2018 Book Notes

The Effects of the Atomic Bomb Some regard the atomic bomb as “the thank God for the atom bomb”. This places God on the U.S. side and regards the bombs as our saving grace. This bomb forced the Japanese to surrender which in turn proved the U.S. to be the heroes who saved the American’s lives.1 The Americans intended on ending the war but did not expect to end it with such a large number of casualties. The results of the atomic bomb and how it effected the Japanese people both emotionally and physically will be addressed. “The bombs marked both an end and a beginning—the end of an appalling global conflagration in which more than 50 million people were killed and the beginning of the nuclear arms race and a new world in which security was forever a step away and enormous resources had to be diverted to military pursuits”.2 They planned to invade Kyusha in the South on November 1st, and Tokyo and the Kanto area in Honshu in March of 1946. There was a long road ahead of them so the sooner the war ended, the better. But this was no excuse for the U.S. to kill millions of people.3 “In Japan, as might be expected, popular memory of the atomic bombs tend to begin where the American narratives leave off…Rubble everywhere. A silent, shattered cityscape. In this regard, the heroic narrative differs little from a Hollywood script”.4 Today we have the Smithsonian Institution that represents the trauma that many of the people today do not have imprinted in their memory. This is a way for all people, who were both present and not present, to pay their respects to the participants and the victims in World War II.5 In creating the Smithsonian, the Americans initially wanted to reflect deeply upon the occurrences by design... ... middle of paper ... ... the War in Asia,” The Journal of American History 82 (1995): 1124. - Ernest Hook, “The Exclusion of Minor Malformations in the Study of Mutation in the Offspring of Survivor of Atomic Bomb: Methodological, Not Sociopolitical, Rationale,” Journal of the History of Biology 30 (1997): 239-242. - Kenzaburo Oe, Hiroshima Notes, trans. David L. Swain and Toshi Yonezawa (New York: Grove, 1996). - Toyofumi Ogura Letters From the End of the World: A Firsthand Account of the Bombing of Hiroshima trans. Kisaburo Murakami and Sigeru Figil (New York: Kodansha International, 1982). - “Physical Damages Caused by the Nagasaki Atomic Bombing,” http://www-sdc.med.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/n50/disastewr/Damage-ic.html (28 Feb. 2000). - Report of the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack (New York, 1972).

Show More
Related

  • The Benefits of Dropping an Atomic Bomb on Japan

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ar the use of weapons of this magnitude, the American idea of the Japanese people has changed, and we now have set up preventions in the hope of avoiding the use of nuclear weaponry. John Hersey provides a satisfactory description of the atomic bombing. Most writers take sides either for or against the atom bomb. Instead of taking a side, he challenges his readers to make their own opinions according to their personal meditations. On of the key questions we must ask ourselves is “Are actions intended to benefit the large majority, justified if it negatively impacts a minority?” The greatest atrocity our society could make is to make a mistake and not learn from it. It is important, as we progress as a society, to learn from our mistakes or suffer to watch as history repeats itself.

    Read More

  • Atomic Bomb In World War 2

    385 Words  | 1 Pages

    Atomic Bomb in World War 2 During World War II the United States government launched a $2 billion project. This project, known as the Manhattan Project, was an effort to produce an atomic bomb. This project was taken on by a group atomic scientists from all over the world.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Thank God For The Atom Bomb

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    In August of 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, completely obliterating both cities, killing well over a hundred thousand people. Days after the second atomic bomb was dropped, the Japanese surrendered and the world’s deadliest war came to a close. Opinions on the bombing vary greatly even today, over fifty years after the event. Some fully support the bombings, citing them as a necessary means to an end of the war, saving thousands of Allied lives. Others see these bombing as morally and ethically wrong and view the events as a massacre of innocent civilian lives. Paul Fussell, the author of “Thank God for the Atom Bomb”, is of the former and strongly believes the atomic bombs were not only necessary, but a much better solution to ending the war than any land invasion or traditional warfare method could have produced. Paul Fussell not only describes the benefits to the use of the atomic bomb, but also addresses common counterpoints to his argument. As a veteran of World War II, Fussell uses his personal experiences to further support his stance on the atom bomb. Paul Fussell relies heavily on statistical data and his personal experiences in war as an appeal to the emotions of the readers to establish and

    Read More

  • Ww2 Dbq Analysis

    908 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to end WWII, the world’s most infamous war, drastic measures had to be taken to restore peace, such as the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities by the United States. However, that particular decision by America, clearly caused more harm than good. Many reasons make this claim true, one being the excess amount of destruction and killing the bombs caused and another being the influence this act left on the world. Dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not the solution the world needed to end WWII.

    Read More

  • The Social Impact of the Atomic Bomb

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the largest social impacts of the atomic bomb is that the atomic bomb instills fear into people for nuclear explosion and war. Before the first atomic bomb was dropped, a typical war meant that the people feared for casualty, physical pain and loss of love ones. With the new age of the atomic bomb, every coming war has a potential to become a nuclear war, and a nuclear war brings a new type of fear. This new fear is the fear of the end of the world and humankind.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Paul Fussell's Essay Thank God For The Atomic Bomb

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a matter of minutes, more than 100 thousand lives were lost, and many families would be destroyed forever. Within the next few months no one knew almost 40,000 more lives would be lost from lasting effects on their bodies. The atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, gave almost a clear ending to the war. This may seem like a brutal way to end the war, but by killing those people it saved lives on both the Japanese, and the American sides of the war. Paul Fussell gave us an insight into the war that not many Americans had heard before writing the essay Thank God for the Atom Bomb. All over America, we believed that the bomb was to hurt others and give us an advantage. Fussell helps Americans understand that the bombing was

    Read More

  • Prompt and Utter Destruction

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Upon reading “Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan” by J. Samuel Walker, a reader will have a clear understanding of both sides of the controversy surrounding Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The controversy remains of whether or not atomic bombs should have been used during the war. After studying this text, it is clear that the first atomic bomb, which was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, was a necessary military tactic on ending the war. The second bomb, which was dropped on Nagasaki, however, was an unnecessary measure in ensuring a surrender from the Japanese, and was only used to seek revenge.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Atomic Bombing

    465 Words  | 1 Pages

    It all happened so quickly. At first there was nothing, then there was a plane. Suddenly, there was a subduing light, then… nothing. This is what an innocent Japanese citizen would have witnessed at the time that the U.S. dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Violence resolves nothing; cliché aside, innocent lives were unjustly taken that day. Despite all this, it gave us hope. Hope for a bright tomorrow that showed us the faults of our past and taught us not to repeat them in the future. The atomic bomb had been not only extraneous, but there were other ways to force Japan to surrender.

    Read More

  • Ronald Takakis Hiroshima

    2111 Words  | 5 Pages

    Although WW II ended over 50 years ago there is still much discussion as to the events which ended the War in the Pacific. The primary event which historians attribute to this end are the use of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the bombing of these cities did force the Japanese to surrender, many people today ask “Was the use of the atomic bomb necessary to end the war?” and more importantly “Why was the decision to use the bomb made?” Ronald Takaki examines these questions in his book Hiroshima.

    Read More

  • The Atomic Bombs in Japan

    1389 Words  | 3 Pages

    On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima without any precedent. The explosion viciously destroyed four square miles of the city and killed 90,000 and injured 40,000. (Weber, “Was Hiroshima Necessary?”) Three days later, a second atomic bomb stroked the city of Nagasaki which killed approximately 37,000 people and injured 43,000 (Weber, “Was Hiroshima Necessary?”). These actions of the United States still remain controversial today and the United States’ abuse of power and morality can be questioned. ‘Were the dropping of atomic bombs in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki a justified way to end World War Two?’. The answer is no, the bombings were not justified as Japan was already militarily and economically devastated, the explosion slaughtered thousands of guiltless civilians and President Truman seemed to have other political and experimental intentions rather than bringing an immediate end to World War Two.

    Read More

  • Effects of the Atomic Bomb

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    Effects of the Atomic Bomb There were many effects of the atomic bomb. There were Social, Economic, Military, and Political effects. When the bomb exploded at 08:16:02there was a short bright flash of light accompanied by a heat wave lasting only 1/10th ofa second. At ground zero people ceased to exist within a certain distance peoples eye balls melted. When the blast happened it sent off two shockwaves one headed towards the earth and the other shot up into the air sending the Enola gay into major turbulence.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On The Use Of The Atomic Bomb

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most contest and debated topics in recorded history was the decision by the United States to drop the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This essay will research the question was the decision to use the atomic bombs against Imperial Japan truly necessary to ending the World War Two? The reason why a decision made over 60 years ago is still worth investigating today is because of its direct implication the choice made by the United States still has in today’s society. There are still existing tensions between the United States and japan for the usage of the atomic bombs. For example, as of May of 2016, when current United States president visited japan, people were still asking for the United States to apologize for their decision from 1945. Furthermore, the question is worth investigating because of the scale of the destruction of just these two bombs alone. Each bomb was responsible for killing over 50,000 men, women, and children instantly and leaving toxic radiation levels for years to come.

    Read More

  • Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: A Critique

    1548 Words  | 4 Pages

    On August 6th, 1945, American planes flew over the city of Hiroshima in Japan. With them they carried an atomic bomb with a force unlike any previously imagined named “Little Boy”. It was dropped directly on Hiroshima in a necessary act of justice, as the United States likes to call it. Three days later, on August 9th, a second atomic bomb named “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, once again called necessary and just. The destruction brought an end to the war, but was it truly worth it? No, it wasn’t. America’s use of atomic bombs on Japan during World War II was not justified due to the murder of civilians and the American government’s neglect of scientific opinion.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Effects Of The Atomic Bomb

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    When contemplating the dramatic shifts in technology regarding weapons of warfare, one can be considered diabolical and destructive beyond belief: the atomic bomb. The first to ever be unleashed onto victims of war was on August 16, 1945 on Hiroshima, Japan. The effects that came about ranged from social and morality problems to economic destruction. The scariest part of this weapon lies in its ability to end the entire world population in the touch of a simple button. Death, injury and physical damage are only some aspects of the effects caused by the use of one. The effects are endless; radiation can drive people out of the impact zone for years, economies and ecosystems will collapse from the damage, not to mention the thousands of innocent

    Read More

  • Hiroshima And Nagasaki Persuasive Essay

    3835 Words  | 8 Pages

    On August 6th 1945, the first Atomic Bomb, “Little Boy,” was dropped on Hiroshima, and three days later on August 9th 1945, the second atomic bomb, “Fat Man,” was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan’s industrial capital. The decision to use the Atomic Bomb against Japan was a poor one considering the damage, the devastation, and the amount of people left dead, injured, or suffering the loss of a family member or a friend, all for the sake of quickly ending the ongoing War. When the Japanese had realized that they were the only ones left in the war, Germany their ally, was already beaten out of the war and all efforts were now concentrated at them, the Japanese began suing for a peaceful end to the war. Apart from the fact that Japan had been suing for a peaceful end to the war, there were a number of alternative routes of action that the Americans had at their fingertips, and could have taken advantage of at a moment’s notice, which could have possibly saved a lot of lives, both American and Japanese. After analyzing the amount of damage and the amount of lives lost as a result of the dropping of the Atomic Bomb, it becomes evident that dropping the bomb was not worth a quick end to the war.

    Read More

More about The Effects of the Atomic Bomb

Open Document