Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War 2 - AP United States History

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Let's Bomb

The atomic bomb created an explosion equivalent to 20,000 tons of TNT, which if used on people, would be morally abhorrent; therefore, the atomic weapon should not be used without sound reasoning. By looking at previous battles with the Japanese, the alternative to the atomic bomb, a land invasion, would result in a loss of millions of lives. The repercussions of not dropping bombs would be devastating to both Japan and the United States. The dropping of atomic bombs on Japan was necessary because the bomb saved lives of civilians and soldiers, the Japanese would not issue an unconditional surrender, and it showed the world our immense power.

Dropping the bombs allowed the war to end sooner and with fewer casualties. In the case of an invasion of Japan, millions of casualties were expected. It was clear that the Japanese civilians were going to join the fight, so arguing that the atomic bomb brought unwarranted civilian deaths is incorrect.

Children were being trained to be carpet bombers, dying "honorable" deaths by strapping explosives to themselves and blowing themselves up while underneath tanks. The American casualties were expected to be in the hundred-thousands, because in previous fights, such as the Battle of Okinawa when the American deaths totaled 18,000 and the Japanese 120,000. Also, when we invaded, the Japanese would have executed hundreds of thousands of Allied POWs, which were freed when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombings. If we tried to occupy Japan, like how we are occupying Iraq, there would be thousands of deaths from terrorist attacks. Moreover, the Japanese believe that the most glorious and honorable way to die is in battle, because it will please the Emperor. The daunting task of invading, securing, and occupying Japan would be bloody and probably take years. The simplicity...