Were the Atomic Bombings of Japan Justified? Flashcards
When did Germany surrender and what did it end?
Germany surrendered May 8th ending war in Europe
What were Japan and America still doing after the war ended?
Japan still fighting - America fighting brutal battled to capture small islands in Pacific e.g. Iwo Jima so they could use them as airfield bases for future invasion of Japan
What were the Island in the Pacific Ocean that America was trying to capture for the invasion of Japan?
- Iwo Jima and Island - 8mi squared, 2600 American casualties
- Okinawa, 82000 American casualties
What did America do to Japan in particular Tokyo?
Japan subjected to intense area bombing - Tokyo destroyed in firebombing, infrastructure completely destroyed, attack in March 1945, killed 100,000 civilians
Where and when were the two atomic bombs in Japan dropped?
- 1st atomic bomb - Hiroshima - 6th August 19465
- 2nd atomic bomb - Nagasaki - 9th August 1945
Who created the atomic bombs?
Jay Robert Openheimer
When was Jay Robert Openheimers bombs read and what was it nicknamed?
Summer 1945 - his bomb was ready and nicknamed ‘Little Boy’
What did Openheimer spend time calculating?
spent time calculating at which height it would kill max no. of people despite his humanitarian values
Why did Openheimer argue for the bombs?
argued for atomic bomb as chance it could stop war and showed the world damage the atomic bomb could do
Effects of First Atomic Bomb:
- 400 children and 10 teachers in a school died from instant burning except 1
- mass blinding from flash, caused radiation sickness
Approximately how many people died from both atomic bombs?
300,000
What did Openheimer reign?
Openheimer resigned post for making atomic bombs - reflected a lot on the consequences of creation of atomic bomb
Use of Atomic Bombs was Justifiable:
- Truman wanted to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki to avoid the invasion of Japan
- Japan’s leader of military had determination to fight on and didn’t stop after first atomic bomb
- only dropping of both atomic bombs made Japan reconsider and caused an Emperor to step in
- Japanese losses would’ve been far greater without bombs
- Trumans choice of bombs was least terrible
- atomic bombs shortened war, ended invasion
- decreased no. of losses on both sides
Against use of Atomic Bombs:
- 6 generals thought there was no need to drop bombs as Japan was on the verge of surrender anyway
- even if people think the first atomic bomb was necessary the second one in Nagasaki was almost certainly unnecessary
- eithical reasons - mass killing
