The Morality of the U.S. Bombing Hiroshima - 1348 Words

The Morality of the U.S. Bombing Hiroshima On August 6 and 9, 1945, the only atomic bombs ever used in warfare were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The mass destruction and numerous deaths caused by those bombs ultimately put an end to World War II. Was this the only way to end the war, however? Could this killing of innocent Japanese citizens had been avoided and the war still ended quickly. This paper will go into this controversial topic. First, a summary of the events leading up to the bombing and the events that followed: With the end of the European war, the Allies focused their efforts on Japan. Though they were losing miserably, the Japanese continued to fight†¦show more content†¦The report was done by Col. Stafford Warren, Chief of the Manhattan Projects Medical Section. It showed that the potential for radioactive fallout from the test was an important concern. Fallout from the test exposed a family living 20 miles from Ground Zero to dangerous 4 levels of radiation. The radiation monitors were so concerned they asked permission to talk to the family to see how they feel (Schull 70). Dead jackrabbits were found more than 800 yards from zero. A farm house three miles away had doors torn loose and suffered other extensive damage. The light intensity was sufficient at nine miles to have caused temporary blindness. Several observers at 20 miles were bothered by a large blind spot for 15 minutes after the blast. It was determined that exposure to this light from 5 miles away would cause severe damage to the eyes. Thus causing damage sufficient to put the enemy out of action for several days if not permanently. This is if they survived, of course (Schull 77.) The next day Leo Szilard and 69 co-signers at the Manhattan Project Metallurgical Laboratory petitioned President Truman to not use the atomic bomb on Japan. This version of the petition is updated from the first one and comes at an appropriate time following the test on the dayShow MoreRelatedThe Destruction Of The War Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesOn August 6th 1945, a U.S aircraft titled ‘Enola Gay’ flew over Hiroshima to drop the most infamous atomic bomb in history. This bomb instantly vaporized everyone within a 1KM radius of the drop point, leaving the rest to die slowly from lethal burns or poisoning. Then three days later, another devastating bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. While there were no American deaths as a result, 200,000 Japanese citizens, mostly children, elders and women perished as a result of these attacks.Read MoreThe Cold War By Kenneth Rose s One Nation Underground1320 Words   |  6 Pagesnuclear bombings. The Cold War, in conjunction with the inventions of (total destructive) bombs, generated new dangers, fears, and morality issues among Americans, which led to further increased fears. 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