Why did the USA Drop Two Atomic Bombs on Japan in 1945?

The Atomic Bombing of Japan

On 6th August 1945 the Americans dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a military base.Three days later they dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, the planned landing point for the US invasion of Japan.On 10th August 1945, the day after the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan surrendered.

Terror Bombing

Terror bombing was used by both sides during the Second World War.

The tactic was first perfected by the Germans who used it as a key part of their Blitzkrieg attacks in both Europe & Russia/.Both the RAF & USAF bombed Germany throughout the war.

The main aim of terror bombing was to destroy key industrial and military centres and their workers in the hope of destroying morale.

The Fire Bombing of TokyoThe capture of Iwo Jima and the total destruction of the Japanese air force meant that the USA could now bomb every major Japanese city.

In May 1945, the USA decided to firebomb the capital city Tokyo.

It was hoped that the massive civilian casualties would break Japanese morale and force them to surrender.

Enola Gay B – 29 Superfortress

Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese

city of Hiroshima. It was flown by Paul Tippets on the right

The A-Bombs used over Japan; Little Boy (left) and Fat Man (right)

Hiroshima Nagasaki

Map Showing the Damage Done to Hiroshima

The centre of the explosion

was hotter than the surface of

the sun!

Photograph of Hiroshima

Survivors from Hiroshima

These victims are covered in

blisters created by radioactivity

Photo of atomic bomb exploding over Nagasaki (9 August 1945)

Burnt remains of the

victims of Nagasaki

Casualties from the US bombing of Japanese cities in 1945

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

Fire Bombing ofTokyo

140000

Hiroshima 100000

Nagasaki 81000

Killed

Different Interpretations

Why did the USA drop

The Atomic Bombs on

Japan?

Eastern Europe

A military weapon to end the war quickly, save lives and keep the Russians out

of the war.

Revenge for Pearl Harbor and Japanese

war crimes against Allied prisoners of war

To test the weapon on live human beings to see what affect it had.

To frighten the Russians so that they wouldn’t confront the

West.

Interpretation 1: Military Weapon

The war in the Pacific was expensive for the USA.

For example, on Iwo Jima it took five weeks of bitter fighting at a cost of more than 24,000 casualties before the USA took the island.

In taking another island, Okinawa, the US incurred a further 20,195 dead and 55,162 wounded.

US Government

estimated that

both Japan & the USA

would each lose

250,000 soldiers during

the invasion of

Japan!

Interpretation 1:Military Weapon

“..it was done to save 125,000 youngsters on the

American side and 125,000 on the Japanese side from getting killed

and that is what it did. It probably also saved a half million youngsters on both sides from being maimed

for life.

Harry Truman, 1963

Casualty Figures for 1945

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

USA

Japanese

USA 6,800 3,793 20,162

Japanese 22,000 113,593 98,654

Iwo Jima Luzon Okinawa

The Japanese government threatened to put to death 400,000

Allied prisoners of war if the USA invaded Japan!

Interpretation 2: RevengeOn 7th December 1941, 2400 American servicemen, six battleships and ten other ships were destroyed during a surprise attack by the Japanese. Roosevelt described the Japanese attack as a ‘day that shall live on in infamy’ because the Japanese didn’t declare war on the USA or give any warning that they were about to go to war.

Revenge for Pearl Harbor

“Pearl Harbor was done while we were at peace with Japan

and trying our best to negotiate a treaty with them… All you have to do is to go out and

stand on the keel of the Battleship in Pearl Harbor with

the 3,000 youngsters underneath it who had no

chance whatever of saving their lives.. It was plain murder!” Harry Truman, 1963

Interpretation 2: Revenge POWsThe Japanese religion Bushido believed that people who surrendered were cowards and should be mistreated.

Allied prisoners of war were beaten, deliberately starved, tortured, worked to death and even experimented on with chemical & biological weapons by the Japanese.

Some were even crucified on trees and beheaded by their captors!

There was a strong feeling in both the USA & Europe that

the Japanese should be taught a lesson!

Interpretation 3: Frighten the Russians

At the Yalta Conference in March 1945, the big three agreed that there should be early free elections in Eastern European countries like Poland as soon as the war was over.With the death of Roosevelt in April 1945, Harry Truman became the President of the USA.Truman did not trust Stalin to keep his promises.

RIP

Interpretation 3: Frighten the Russians

By the time the big three met again at Potsdam on 23rd July 1945, Stalin did not trust the Americans.

He wanted to create a buffer between USSR (Russia) and Western Europe to protect her from future invasions.

He started putting his Communist supporters into power in the Eastern European countries that he controlled.

He is trying to spread Communism!

We have been attacked twice in less than 25 years!

The USA

dropped the first

atomic bomb

14 days later!

Interpretation 3: Frighten the Russians

Russian Historian: Vadim Nekrasov, 1984

“Officially the Americans claimed that the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was

aimed at bringing the end of the war nearer and avoiding

unnecessary bloodshed and casualties. But they had entirely

different objectives. The purpose of the bombings was to

intimidate other countries,

above all the Soviet Union.”

Interpretation 3: Frighten the Russians

By October 1944 the Japanese had been cut off from 80% of their oil supplies.The US secret service had cracked the Japanese diplomatic codes and knew that they wanted to surrender before they dropped the bomb!

The use of this barbarous weapon was of no assistance to our war

against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated.

Admiral Leahy, 1950

Interpretation 4: To Test the WeaponThe Atomic Bomb cost $2,000 million to develop!Many of the Scientist & military advisors were keen to test the atomic bomb to sell what affect it would have on human beings.No one knew about the affects of radiation from a nuclear explosion.Later many US & British troops were exposed to radiation from the testing of nuclear weapons.

Interpretation 4: To Test the Weapon

A demonstration of the bomb might best be made on the

desert or on a barren island. Japan could then be asked to

surrender.

Robert Oppenheimer, June 1945

Interpretation 4: To Test the Weapon

A demonstration in an uninhabited area was not

regarded as likely to make Japan surrender. There was the danger of the test being

a dud. Also we had no bombs to waste

Henry Stimson, American Secretary for War, 1945

Conclusion: Now You Decide!

Why did the USA drop

The Atomic Bombs on

Japan?

Eastern Europe

A military weapon to end the war quickly, save lives and keep the Russians out

of the war.

Revenge for Pearl Harbor and Japanese

war crimes against Allied prisoners of war

To test the weapon on live human beings to see what affect it had.

To frighten the Russians so that they wouldn’t confront the

West.

Counting the Cost

Hiroshima 100,000 Nagasaki 81,000

POWs 400,000 US 250,000 Japanese 250,000

US Invasion of JapanUse the Bomb

What would you do?