World War II (1939-1945) U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died. He was at the beginning of his 4th term as President on April 12, 1945 and the war was not yet over. His death impacted the nation. Truman succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945. Vice-President Truman is pictured below with President F. D.R.
President Truman`s strategy was to defeat Hitler first and then Japan. After defeating Hitler with the help of Russia in the Spring of 1945, America invasions of the island of Iwo Jima and Okinawa brought American forces closer than ever to Japan. Truman warned Japan to give up and surrender, but Japanese leader Hideki Tojo refused to give up. Truman’s alternatives were to fight a land battle and lose many more soldiers or end the war quickly with the “manhattan project” atomic bomb. He decided to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in August 1945.
A cloud rose over the city of Hiroshima on August 7, 1945, killing 70,000 Japanese citizens. Even though the first bomb was dropped, Hideki, Tojo refused to give up. Then two days later the second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki which killed at least 80,000 Japanese citizens. After this Japan didn’t have another choice than surrender. The Allies successfully concluded World War II in August 1945 on what became know as “V-J Day”.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/51g.asp
bonita • Feb 10, 2015 at 12:14 pm
The reason why the United States won the war was cause of dropping the Atomic Bombs. For the Us was a victory,but for japan was a destruction not only in material destruction but even civilian life. I think the was a bad decision dropping the mortal atomic bombs.
lex • Feb 6, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Hideki Tojo pride wasn’t worth all the lives that were lost. Read a comment that and I couldn’t agree more “It was done to create peace by creating fear”, it’s sad that it took two bombs for Japan to decide to surrender. Great article by the way!
EMV • Feb 5, 2015 at 2:25 pm
Although we won the war there was quite a lot of collateral left after the war. Many people choose to look over the fact that thousands of innocent people died because they mainly look at the fact that we won and that’s enough for them. I personally don’t agree with the method that was used to win the war although I understand why Truman chose to drop the atomic bombs instead of sending in more soldiers. Either choice would not have truly been a win for anybody, in whatever scenario many innocent people would have died maybe less people in one scenario rather than the other. And that’s just the savage center of the war that cannot be undone.
Infumous • Feb 4, 2015 at 9:01 am
I enjoyed the connections that were put together this was a vivid article and the atomic bomb was a good strategy for the win of our country. We showed Japan,Nagasaki, and Hiroshima that we had a higher advantage and they deserved it because their behavior was reckless. P.S Hitler was a savage, smh.
wanakita • Feb 4, 2015 at 8:40 am
I believe it is not humane to drop bombs and kill millions of people eventhogth they are harming other people. does killing people that kill other convert us into murders too. I love the idea on trying to get rid of those who harm for pleasure, but dropping bombs and kill innocent people is debastating. Kids babys that might be different race and color, but just came into this earth to suffer the atomic bomb devastation. It is horrible!
Rockstar • Feb 4, 2015 at 8:27 am
I really enjoyed reading this article, but the sad part many innocent people who not involved in the war died. also,that bomb stopped the war which saved many solders and innocent people in both sides.
dr95mike • Feb 3, 2015 at 2:45 pm
The atomic bomb simbolized the victory of one but the many lost of others. It was a good idea to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki because we showed Japan that we are for more advanced then they are. We showed them that we are a super power who will not show weakness but strentgh throughout all battles. Nobody wants to drop bombs onn each other because there is always a huge lost, but as long as everybody continues to fight and create battes/wars with each other, this world will never truly be in peace.
jtb22314 • Feb 3, 2015 at 9:27 am
The drop of the Atomic bomb was a historic event in history, science, and politics. This day gave a new prespective into mankind and just how awful it can be. The atomic bomb was apart of a domino effect starting from WW1. The atomic bomb droppings were another thing that showed how badly humans treat each other and how much sacrifice is required to achieve something greater then just winning a war. It was done to create peace by creating fear.
workingmemory • Feb 2, 2015 at 9:19 pm
that was a very radical idea to use the atomic bomb to end the war quickly. I agree it did end the war quickly but at what cost the effect of the atomic bomb were not totally known and effected many generations