3. The Atomic Bomb

     By 1945, the Japanese had suffered defeats and great casualties. By June, the Japanese lost 110,000 troops, and the Americans, 12,500. America was getting ready to end a long, bloody conflict; the battle between Japan and the United States. President Truman was faced with the decision of an invasion on Japan, or to use the new technology of the Atomic Bomb. Truman chose the bomb. A warning was given to the Japanese on July 16. They did not respond, so on August 6, 1945 The US dropped an atomic bomb on the city Hiroshima. Three days later another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The Japanese surrendered on September 2.

     The dropping of the bombs is a widely controversial topic; even in my own mind I am uncertain if I would have done the same thing or not. I am in some ways surprised that the US went through with it, especially dropping two bombs. I am also surprised that we gave one single warning, and not more. I agree with the choice in some ways, as well, because it finally put an end to the war. There were alternative options, but no matter the alternative, lives were at risk. The biggest thing to me is the amount of lives the US wiped out, and wrote off as a war expense.

Atomic Bomb