World War Two and the Atomic Bomb

World War Two and the Atomic Bomb

World War II is one of the most historic points in the

history of the world. The war was by far the most

devastating in the history of the world. There were many

controversial actions during the war, but one of the biggest

was the decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs.

The atomic bomb should have been used to end the war because

it saved more lives than continuing the war.

The official bombing order was signed on July 25, 1945,

by Thos. T. Handy and sent to General Carl Spaatz. The

bombing order called for additional bombs for the targets in

Japan when called on by the project staff. The bomb was set

to be dropped the first time the weather permitted after

August 3, 1945 (Dannen, screens 1-2). Little Boy was more

powerful than the largest bomb ever used, the British Grand

Slam. The bomb was more destructive and potent than twenty

thousand tons of T.N.T (Statement, screens 1-2). On August

6, 1945, the B-29, Enola Gay, dropped the bomb, Little Boy,

on Hiroshima at 8:15 and 17 seconds (Hirschfeld 14,17).

The dropping of the bomb caused much controversy

throughout the world. People did not think that we had the

right to drop the bomb and kill many people who weren't

fighting in the war. The number of arguments for and

against the dropping are many. Some are also in the middle,

for instance, "The Japanese had been very cruel to prisoners

of War. Some Americans believed they deserved to be taught

a lesson" (Why, screen 1). The statement can be taken as

either we should have gotten them back, or that dropping the

bomb was only revenge.

Many people disagreed with the dropping of the bomb for

many different reasons. The bomb had cost two bil...

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put an abrupt end the war,

Little Boy and Fat Man, the most destructive weapons

ever conceived by the mind of man, had stamped finish to

the bloodiest, most destructive conflict in man's

history. August 14, 1945. World War II was finally

over (Hirschfeld 205).

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Dannen, Gene, E-text. Atomic Bomb: Decision-Official

Bombing Order, July 25, 1945. 1995-1998. 28 March

2000 .

Goodman, Philip. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Decision to

Use the Atomic Bomb. 29 April 1998. 28 March 2000

.

Hirschfeld, Burt. A Cloud Over Hiroshima. New York:

Julian Messner, 1967.

Snow, A.C. "How the A-bomb saved my life." News and

Observer 26 March 2000, final ed.: D2. 28 March 2000

.

Statement by the President, August 6, 1945. 28 March 2000

.

Why Did They Drop the Atomic Bomb? 27 March 2000

.