Were the Atomic Bombings of Japan Justified?

Question 1

When did Germany surrender and what did it end?

Answer 1

Germany surrendered May 8th ending war in Europe

Question 2

What were Japan and America still doing after the war ended?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What were the Island in the Pacific Ocean that America was trying to capture for the invasion of Japan?

Answer 3

• Iwo Jima and Island - 8mi squared, 2600 American casualties
• Okinawa, 82000 American casualties

Question 4

What did America do to Japan in particular Tokyo?

Answer 4

Japan subjected to intense area bombing - Tokyo destroyed in firebombing, infrastructure completely destroyed, attack in March 1945, killed 100,000 civilians

Question 5

Where and when were the two atomic bombs in Japan dropped?

Answer 5

• 1st atomic bomb - Hiroshima - 6th August 19465

- 2nd atomic bomb - Nagasaki - 9th August 1945

Question 6

Who created the atomic bombs?

Answer 6

Jay Robert Openheimer

Question 7

When was Jay Robert Openheimers bombs read and what was it nicknamed?

Answer 7

Summer 1945 - his bomb was ready and nicknamed ‘Little Boy’

Question 8

What did Openheimer spend time calculating?

Answer 8

spent time calculating at which height it would kill max no. of people despite his humanitarian values

Question 9

Why did Openheimer argue for the bombs?

Answer 9

argued for atomic bomb as chance it could stop war and showed the world damage the atomic bomb could do

Question 10

Effects of First Atomic Bomb:

Answer 10

• 400 children and 10 teachers in a school died from instant burning except 1
• mass blinding from flash, caused radiation sickness

Question 11

Approximately how many people died from both atomic bombs?

Answer 11

300,000

Question 12

What did Openheimer reign?

Answer 12

Openheimer resigned post for making atomic bombs - reflected a lot on the consequences of creation of atomic bomb

Question 13

Use of Atomic Bombs was Justifiable:

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Against use of Atomic Bombs:

Answer 14

• 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