Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)
After recently watching those two movies about the battle for Iwo Jima, I found it intriguing when I discovered that today is the anniversary of the day the US dropped the first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. I clicked on the link in my “This Day In History” widget, and read about this day 62 years ago. I listened to President Truman’s speech following the decision to drop the bomb. I watched some videos from the history channel online. Again, I was fascinated.
What most blew my mind was the position of Harry Truman. How do you actually ever feel you have the authority to make such a decision? How did he actually pull the trigger? I read one article that reminded me that the America of the 1940s was not the same one as today. In many ways that’s really sad. But perhaps in the way of viewing people of various ethnic backgrounds as equals… we are certainly better off today than we were then. So some have suggested it was easier because they were just “Japs”.
I should hope not, but certainly a possible explanation.
Because really, how do you decide to do that? The logic given in his post-dropping speech was that the Japanese would fight to the death. Killing up to “half a million” US soldiers. Dropping the bomb saved lives. While I agree that this is true, I do side with critics who believe that estimate is ridiculously high.
When he gave the order to drop the bomb, I’m sure it was not taken lightly. I’m sure agonizing thought went into it. And, it had been a long war. It was time for it to be over, and this weapon could pretty hastily ensure that it would be.
But at what cost?
I am not sure I could ever make such a decision. In retrospect, you’re glad it ended the war, but as is everything surround a war, it’s just so sad and ugly.
I borrowed a couple books from the library tonight on Hiroshima. One is just named Hiroshima by John Hershey. Supposed to have some eye witness accounts. Was written as the rubble was still smoldering. The second is a series of two books, The Memoirs of Harry Truman. That, too should prove interesting, as the hardest thing about Aug 6th 1945 for me to grasp is what actually was going on in Truman’s mind? How do you make that call??
I’ll likely share some thoughts from the books soon… just thought I’d post this on the day we dropped the bomb.
Happy 62nd anniversary of the first atomic bomb! (Now there’s something to celebrate!) 😉
If you research a bit more, you’ll find that Truman’s decision to drop the bomb was totally motivated by the desire to intimidate Stalin using the ‘power’ in US hands. Japan was actually ready to surrender … the dropping of the bomb was unwarranted … Truman’s speech was full of propaganda to justify his decision. (Hmmmm…. sounds like another president we all know …)
The radiation left behind after the dropping of ‘the bomb’ will continue to affect countless generations of not only Japanese people but everyone and everything on the planet … as radioactive isotopes were carried into the atmosphere and the resulting fallout contaminated food, water and air. The startling increase in cancer/leukemia and fetal deaths following WWII and the peacetime atomic explosions undertaken in many countries around the world including the US & USSR in the 50’s & early 60’s … has proven that the effects of radiation exposure are cumulative.
The arrogance of man that he would ever even consider placing at risk all that God has created ……..
You decide … did dropping the bomb save lives?
(There is a fascinating (scary) article @ http://www.ratical.org/radiation/SecretFallout/SFchp8.html)
Lois