An important argument for the use of the atomic bomb was the distrust of the Soviet Union by the British and eventually the Americans. The British distrust is demonstrated in a memo of a meeting between the US and the UK on July 22,1943 where Winston Churchill states that "it would never do to have Germany or Russia win the race for something that might be used for international blackmail" [Document 12, pg. 42]. Both of these countries were afraid that the USSR might try to expand its influence after the war, and neither of them wanted to see the USSR with atomic power or wanted to lose their advantage in postwar negotiations. The US and UK were right about the USSR's aims at expansion. Concern over Russian expansion was mentioned in Stimson's diary entry on July 23, 1945 where he writes about Russian concerns for

By 1945, the US had the Japanese forces on the run. The planned invasion of Japan is discussed in the President's meeting on June 18, 1945 with the Joint Chiefs of Staff [Document 52, pg.151]. In this meeting, the fanatical resistance of the Japanese is discussed along with the decision to continue with the "operation" before the planned assault on November 1 and to wait for the Japanese response. US leaders were uncertain when the Japanese would surrender, but they all agreed that eventually they would have no choice. The US knew of the "Japanese maneuverings for peace" on July 16, 1945 but wanted an unconditional surrender from the Japanese and presented them with the terms of surrender in the Proclamation of the Potsdam Conference [Document 74, pg. 215]. The Japanese did not want to lose their emperor and wanted it instilled as a condition of their surrender. In fact, many Japanese leaders had made the decision to end the war by May 1945 but were trying to convince the Japanese military leaders and to hold out for their condition for surrender. Unfortunately, Radio Tokyo broadcasted that Japan would not surrender and continue to fight on July 28, 1945, and had not responded to the Allies terms for surrender. This is part of the reason for the orthodox view.

influence in the Pacific and present expanding influence in Eastern European countries [Document 73, pg. 209]. This fact really made the US want to keep the USSR from entering the Pacific and be able to influence the postwar outcome there. Again, this was another factor that meant the atomic bomb would have to be dropped if it would result in shortening the war and keeping the USSR out of the Pacific. These fears could be seen as part of the revisionist view.

Many, but not all scientists were against the use of the bomb. In a report by A. H. Compton, E. O. Lawrence, J. R. Oppenheimer, and E. F

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