More than half of a decade after the United States of America dropped the Atomic Bomb on two cities in Japan in 1945, there is still an enormous debate over it. The decision to drop the Atom Bomb created a huge impact on Americans and forever changed the way that other nations view the United States. Gar Alperovitz’s book, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, discusses many viewpoints of people involved with the decision before and after the bomb was dropped. This book makes it very apparent that there were many more sides to this huge decision that what most books tell. Some of the main arguments in Alperovitz’s book about the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb include whether or not it was really necessary, why an attack on civilians, and how does the United States justify using the Atom Bomb if they are against the notion of using chemical weapons. At the time the United States decided to drop the bomb, many felt that Japan would surrender within days; others felt it would be months. After the defeat of Germany, the war was near its end. Either way, surrender from World War II was in the near future.
The decision to drop the A-Bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan were first made because Hiroshima was consid

Though Arnold felt the dropping of the bomb was unnecessary, he felt there were political implications in the decision and he did not feel it was the military’s job to question it. Among some of the Air Force leaders, Major General Curtis E. LeMay said, “the atomic bomb had nothing to do with the end of the war at all.” (Page 335).

There is no possible way to justify the dropping of the bomb on innocent people like Tamiko Tomonaga and Sachie Tashima and be against the use of chemical weapons by other countries on the United States. Ever since we dropped the bomb, the United States opened all doors for the use weapons of mass destructions. We cannot be hypocrites and say that it is wrong to use these weapons because we started it in the first place. Killing and injuring innocent people is wrong and that is the bottom line. It is the soldiers and government officials that should be involved in wars and their effects, not civilians. The United States started this terrible movement, and now our mistake has gotten out of hand.

Committee also recommended on May 31, 1945 “that we should seek to make a profound psychological impression on as many of the inhabitants as possible.” (Page 524). This quote indicates that the United States was not only interested in ending World War II; they wanted a dramatic ending to show the world who was boss.

The President’s Chief of Staff, Admiral William D. Leahy said,