Throughout history many important decisions have been made that have had a great impact on the world and culture. One outstanding decision was Harry S. Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. This decision had drastic effects throughout the world and brought an end to the war and Japan's imperial empire.

The United states had no choice but to enter World War II after their naval base in Pearl Harbor had been bombed. "The war was converted into a global conflict when Japan struck at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7 of the same year (1941)" (Burns 1030). President Franklin D. Roosevelt referred to the incident as " a date that will live in infamy". Immediately after the bombing the US armed forces were mobilized and made their way towards the Pacific and European theaters. Although victory in Europe occurred on May 7, 1945, the war in the pacific would wage on for four additional months. Between the United States entering the war on December 11, 1941 until its end, they would follow a strategy of "island hopping" in the pacific. They would advance to Japan capturing any helpful islands on the way

As the American navy advanced closer to Japan every day, a new weapon was being tested by a team of physicists. This revolutionary weapon would be known as the atomic bomb. "The atomic bomb could destroy entire cities and their inhabitants, a weapon developed in secrecy in the United States by scientists from Europe and America, some of whom were exiles from Nazi or fascist oppression" (Burns 1035). Throughout President Roosevelt's terms of office the A-bomb was not even considered to be used against the Japanese. But when Harry S. Truman took office on April 12, 1945 the weapon seemed to be the only solution to the war. " The historic message of the first explosion of an atomic bomb was flashed to me (President Truman) in a message from Secretary of War Stimson on the morning of July 16. The most secret and the most daring enterprise of the war had succeeded. We were now in possession of a weapon that would not only revolutionize war but could the course of civilization and civilization" (Truman 415). The bomb was seen as a quick and efficient way to end a long tedious war that had already taken so many lives.

The time had come for the United States to drop the atomic bomb. "Hiroshima was destroyed at 8:15 a.m., on August 6, 1945" (Alperovitz 416). The atomic was the final alternative in making Japan surrender. "On August 6, a single atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, completely obliterating 60 percent of the city. Three days later a second bomb was dropped, this time on Nagasaki. President Truman warned that the United States would continue to use to bomb as long as might be necessary to bring Japan to its knees" (Burns 1035). Japan immediately acknowledged the Allies terms of conditional surrender on August 14 1945 approximately a week after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

, which would serve as refueling stations for ships and aircraft and also provide much needed rest for their brave soldiers.

Those opposed of using an atomic bomb had a plan similar to that used in the invasion of Normandy. "The Joint Chiefs of Staff set the official twofold American strategy in May 1945. First, the ongoing campaign of blockade and bombardment would continue at an accelerating tempo through October. Second, there would be a two-phase invasion of Japan, commencing in Kyushu in November 1945 followed by a ' knock-out blow' at the Kanto plain in March 1946. Once her cities were ravaged and her capital was captured, Japan would then capitulate and foreclose the necessity of further campaigns to defeat the several million American soldiers and sailors spread across much of Asia an the Pacific" (Frank 333). This plan was never put to use and the amount of lives that would be lost were saved.

Another reason that Truman wanted to drop the bomb was to display America's power. This was known as atomic diplomacy. Scientists working on the bomb even felt that only displaying the power of the bomb in tests could provoke Japan to surrender. Many scientists did not want the bomb to be used as a weapon. Before the end of the w

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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)