On April 12, 1945, the then president, Franklin Roosevelt, died of a brain hemorrhage, and the vice-president, Truman, was appointed into office. It was then that he was informed not only of the fact that research was being done into atomic bombs, but also that the scientists were well into constructing such a weapon. The first bomb constructed was named ‘Gadget’, a uranium bomb. During early July 1945, assembly began on Gadget at Alamogordo, New Mexico. Approximately six thousand scientists were working at Alamogordo, and billions of dollars were spent in research and construction. On July 16, 1945, at 5:29 am, Gadget was detonated at the test site in

A significant decision was made in dropping the atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945. The results of the Manhattan Project, the extensive cost involved, the potential saving of lives and end of war, and the intimidation of the USSR were all major factors which faced President Truman in making his decision. Despite the arguments of immorality, they were factors which significantly influenced Truman’s decision. They were factors which Truman could not ignore, and so he decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945.

Truman quickly realised that the interests of the Soviet Union were becoming incompatible with those of the United States. He realised that once Japan were defeated, America and the USSR would no longer have a common enemy. Truman saw the atomic bomb as a potent diplomatic weapon. Roosevelt’s administration lacked the deciveness to disagree with the Stalin’s demands, and this had characterized the United States – Soviet relationship for the past year or so. Now, however, Truman had a means of gaining the upper diplomatic hand in the relationship. At the Potsdam Conference in Germany, in July, 1945, Truman elaborated to British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, the results of the Manhattan Project, but did not inform Stalin, whom he did not trust. The USSR declared war on Japan shortly after the Hiroshima bombing, and Truman did not want Soviet troops to pour into Japan because he didn’t want to share control of Japan with Stalin. Truman was advised that an arms race would ensue after World War 2, and now he was equipped with a significant advantage – the atomic bomb. This factor gave the United States a new level of power over the USSR. This was a significant reason why the decision was made to drop the atom

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