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Hiroshima: Was it Necessary

 

            Since the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan at the end of World War II there has been much debate as to whether or not it was really necessary. The American government led by President Harry S. Truman were not justified and did not have a good enough reason to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Although this act eventually led to the surrender of Japan it was not necessary and had disastrous effects. Thousand of innocent civilians were killed or seriously injured, while there is proof that Japan was already ready to surrender. Despite the American view that revenge should be taken against Japan because of Pearl Harbor, it did not have to be achieved in such a horrific way. It is hard to imagine how a country could knowingly distroy another nation using nuclear warfare. This mistake made by the United States has now become known as one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century.
             On the morning of August 6th, 1945 (8:15am) an atomic bomb known as the "Little Boy"" was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. The bomb destroyed more than 13km ² of the city and killed and seriously injured the city's population of 350 000. The victims were mostly composed of women and children. Those that weren't killed instantly by the explosion were seriously injured. These victims were exposed to radiation and were slowing dying due to their radiation sickness. "Having found the bomb. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans"" (President Truman, 1945). President Truman may have felt he would be saving the lives of many Americans, yet he and the U.S government thought little about how many innocent non-military individuals they would injure and kill along with the city they would destroy with the dropping of the Atomic bomb. There were other ways to ensure Japan's surrender without agreeing to engage in such a horrific act.


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