Now, on the 58th anniversary of the only time in history the atomic bomb was used, we are still.
left with the same question, a question that still generates heated debates. Was the United States justified.
in dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? My response has always been, yes. It was.
necessary that we have Japan's unconditional surrender, keep Russia out of East Asia and cut down on.
the cost of lives, Japanese and American. To insure these things, the United States was forced to drop.
the atomic bomb.
It was absolutely essential that the loss of American lives be decreased. By July of 1945, it was.
estimated that there had been ". more than 1 million casualties, including those killed, missing in action,.
and wounded."(July 1945: The Moment of Decision) Especially of note is the fact that two of the battles.
with the highest casualties were those at Okinawa and Iwo Jima, against the Japanese. Though defeat.
was inevitable, the Japanese fought on preferring suicide to capture. The Japanese continued to fight,.
even though the financial cost of a prolonged war could mean the collapse of their economy and the.
starvation of thousands. The president, Harry Truman, was also advised of the horrendous cost of human.
life a normal invasion of Japan would require. There was a force of ". more than 2 million well trained,.
well equipped Japanese soldiers ready to defend the main islands at any cost if invaded."(Truman's.
Decision to Drop The Bomb) In addition, the local women had been taught, if necessary, to defend.
themselves and their country with sharpened bamboo sticks. It was estimated that it would cost 250,000.
American lives and millions of Japanese lives to take Japan by invasion. These losses are unacceptable.
when there are other means available. The atomic bomb created a horrific death toll, in the end it saved.
lives, American and Japanese.
It was also important that we obtain Japan's unconditional surrender.
