Attack on Hiroshima & Nagasaki

   On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped a massive atomic bomb on a city of Japan called Hiroshima. This atomic bomb flattened the city, killing tens of thousands of civilians. While Japan was still trying to recover from this devastation three days later, the United States struck again, this time, on Nagasaki.

   It has been debated in class whether these attacks can be justified or not. In my opinion it can. The alternative was much worse. What many people don't realise is that the USA was at WAR with Japan. WWII was a total war, not a small argument. In total, about 70 million people were killed. This war was serious.

   By the end of 1944 Japan knew they would lose, yet they still fought as hard as they could. Before the bombings had taken place, plans or an invasion of Japan were discussed called "Operation Downfall". If the planned invasion of southern Japan and Tokyo Bay had taken place, the estimates of the attack put casualties of 1,000,000 on the Allied side and 10,000,000 on Japan's side.


   In my opinion, going by the facts, I think that this bombing was completely justified. It saved many lives from the allied side from being lost. It saved money and other resources. However, I do believe it was wrong that they killed innocent people such as children, but it was a war. If Japan had those two bombs they would have done the same thing. Morality didn't really exist in that time period. Hence the term "war" ...