Debating History Atomic Age - 947 Words

Rickey Nelson Core 145 Professor Culpepper May 1, 2015 Debating History – Atomic Age Towards the end of World War II, the belief that Americans had of the war was one of invading Japan and ending the war in traditional style and in traditional surrender. However, to the efforts of J. Robert Oppenheimer and fellow associates changed the course of warfare and history by creating the atomic bomb. The Manhattan Project The Manhattan project was a very key point in history that involved the production of the bomb and of course the plan on attacking Japan. When World War II started, J Robert Oppenheimer, who was a professor at the University of California, Berkley was the guy who oversaw the whole Manhattan project Plan. Now since the plan†¦show more content†¦On August 6, 1945, President Harry Truman informed the world that an atomic weapon had been detonated on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The first atom bomb caused major damage to Hiroshima. â€Å"An estimated 130,000 people were killed during this bombing. Two days later, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. On August 9, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, where 80,000 Japanese people perished. After the two horrific bombings, Japan has had enough. Japan finally surrenders on August 14, 1945. The Decision to Bomb Japan After the first ever atomic bomb was successfully tested, President Truman wanted to end the war as quickly as possible. However he did not want the ending of the war to be a major hurt to the United States. After President Truman consulted with his cabinet, he decided that he wanted to Bomb Japan without completely taking it off the map. Truman knew that an assault on the island would result in devastation to the country of Japan and to United States soldiers. He also knew the cost of funding a war for at least another two years we be unbearable on the United States economy. Something else that persuaded Truman to drop a bomb on Japan was â€Å"Japan s fanatical defense of Okinawa, including its kamikaze attacks, which claimed more than 12,000 US lives. There was every reason to expect a great number of US casualties in any invasion of Japan.† So since President Truman gained all of that information, he came to the