Creation of the Atomic Bomb - Essay Example

The Atomic Bomb The use of the atomic bomb during the war has always been a controversial Some argue that it was a crime against humanity while some contend that it had to be used. These views are mainly based on the experience that one has on warfare. There is a clear distinction between the soldiers who have been to actual war and the learned individuals who have never witnessed any way and only argue from an ethical perspective (Fussell, 9). This difference between views can also be as a result of the information that one has access to. Given both arguments, I agree with Fussell’s opinion that at the time, the use of the bomb was a necessity. It was a necessary evil that ultimately saved a lot of human lives. In war, there are no rules. As such, wars occur in places where the rule of law has failed to prevail. Therefore, expectations ascribed the deployment of the bomb were uncalled for. The situation at the time necessitated the use of the bomb and it performed as expected. Considering both sides of the argument below, the use of the bomb had many advantages that far outweighed the negative impact attributed to its use. The bomb helped save many lives. War analysts had estimated that it would take a full year for the Japanese to be completely subdued using ground combat. This was expected to result in the loss of about a million American soldiers, with millions more losing their lives on the Japanese side. This was made worse by the fact that the Japanese were not willing to surrender. They had a fighting mentality where the citizens, inclusive of women, were willing to die to defend their territory. The Japanese had retreated to caverns and the process of bringing them out was proving to be a bloody affair. Also on the battle field were British troops numbering about 200,000. These would have most definitely been killed in the forthcoming invasion. Sources familiar with the Japanese fighting style knew that would the invasion have continued, the Japanese would have emerged victorious (Cartmel, 231). Among the soldiers, the bomb was a welcome relief. Soldiers who had been injured were being constantly deployed and many had lost hope of ever going back home alive. Their injuries were being quickly dressed and then they were sent back to the battle fields. When they heard that the war was over, many cried tears of joy and relief. The bomb brought back hope in their lives (Fussell, 3). Many sat in silence and tried to think of a world with no war, the war had become such a big part of their life they had resigned to spending their lives in that manner until they die. This shows that the bomb helped restore their hope in humanity; they could now go back home and try to lead normal lives. According to Dobbs, (76), the bomb ended widespread brutality that was as a characteristic of the war. Captured American soldiers were beheaded and subjected to torture by their Japanese counterparts. Japanese soldiers were known to kill doctors and torture the injured. The use of bayonets on civilians was a common practice. This violence was not restricted to one side. American soldiers occasionally used captured Japanese soldiers as targets during practice. It was common practice to extract gold teeth from the mouths of Japanese soldier, even while they were still alive. There were extremes, a marine once cut off a Japanese hand and kept it as a war trophy.it was a common perception among the Americans that the Japanese were pests that ought to be exterminated. All the Japanese population was considered a proper military target. The end of the war, brought about by the bomb brought back civility to these individuals. Considering the amount of machinery that was being used and damaged, the use of the bomb helped further save costs associated with the war. Dozens of submarines, ships and airplanes were being lost in the war. Millions was also being spent on arming the soldiers and supplying support services. All this came to a stop when the bomb was dropped and subsequently the war ended. The bomb was the trigger for peace negotiations between the Japanese and other nations (Fussell, 10). Before the bomb, the Japanese had a fight to death mentality and were set for the forthcoming invasions. The surrender by the Japanese emperor after the second bomb marked the end of the war. However, this did not go well with the Japanese soldiers, some of whom opted to commit suicide rather than be surrender and be captured. Despite all the benefits that the bomb seemed to bring forth, there were those who had opposing views and tried to justify this. For instance, there was widespread public outcry that the bomb resulted in the killing of civilians (Schwartz, 78). This is however a biased view. Other invasions such as in Tokyo, Hamburg and Berlin had resulted in civilian casualties and no questions had been raised. In the headquarters on land, there was shame among the war heads because of this action; these did not have a first-hand experience of the war. This view was however not shared by the soldiers in the army bases who were preparing to go to the battlefronts. Another critic to the use of the bomb, John Kenneth, argues that the war could have come to an end within 3 weeks (Schwartz, 47). That it need not have been used. This view is misleading; the Japanese soldiers were killing an average of 7000 soldiers on a weekly basis. American vessels were being sunk in the oceans and planes being brought down. Captured American soldiers were being beheaded. At this point, any opportunity to end the war and save American lives was welcome. Historian Sherry Michael states that there could have been a bit more delay from the time the bomb was tested to the time of its actual use. He felt more could have been done so that it could be used more effectively. It was also clear at the time of deployment; extensive research had not been done into the after effects of the atomic bomb. Long term effects on the population in form of birth defects, leukemia and cancer had not been identified. When the bombs were dropped, the number of casualties was at an all-time high. Only weeks before, over 140,000 soldiers comprising of American and Japanese troops had killed themselves in an encounter, little was said about such deaths. The main purpose of the bombs was to bring the war to an end and it accomplished its mission. Leaflets were dropped in the Japanese towns requiring civilians to leave, but few did. Some of the deaths as a result of the bomb were due to ignorance and negligence. Those who argue against the use of the bomb are a class of imperialists who are different from the lower class citizens who flocked the army. Considering the experiences of the soldiers at the battlefront, the atomic bomb was a welcome reprieve. Works cited Cartmel, Andrew. Doctor Who: Atom Bomb Blues. London: BBC Books, 2005. Print. DOBBS, C. M. Triangles, symbols, and constraints: the United States, the Soviet Union, and the Peoples Republic of China, 1963-1969. Lanham, University Press of America. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution Press, 2010. Print. Fussell, Paul. Thank God for the Atom Bomb, and Other Essays. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990. Print. Schwartz, Stephen I. Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.s. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940. 1996.Print Read More