US Dropping of Two Atomic Bombs on Japan Research Paper

US Dropping of Two Atomic Bombs on Japan - Research Paper Example The historical event During the final stages of the World War II (WWII), United States of America dropped two atomic bombs on the Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Under the executive order of Harry Truman, the US president, the US dropped Little Boy, a uranium atomic bomb, on the city of Hiroshima, the 7th largest city in Japan. This was on 6th August, 1945. The uranium bomb was so powerful that within minutes half of Hiroshima city vanished. The city was unbelievably destroyed. Out of its 90,000 buildings, more than 60,000 were utterly demolished (Rezelman et al, 2000 and Adamsand Crawford 2000). Information from Harry S. Truman Library & Museum (1946) reveals that as brief as it was, the flash of the explosion emitted intense radiant heat travelling through the air at the speed of light. The explosion was, therefore, followed instantly by flash burns. The US estimates that 60,000-70,000 people were killed and 140,000 others were injured (Rezelman et al, 2000). On 9th August, 1945, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima, Fat Man, next nuclear weapon was dropped in Nagasaki over the north factory. It was exploded at a height of 1,800 feet above the city in order to attain a maximum blast effect. At its blast, buildings collapsed, there was shortages of electric systems and as a result of this, as well as a wave of secondary fires which contributed to massive deaths. Most of the casualties to the inhabitants of the city were caused by primary heat waves. Many others were burnt and killed when their homes, offices or other buildings were burst into flames. Flying debris also contributed to more injuries. 39% of the buildings standing were destroyed. Air was being drawn back to the middle of the burning area, a firestorm of winds immediately followed and because of this, trees were uprooted. The bomb killed 42, 000 people and injure d over 40,000 more (Rezelman et al, 2000 and Adamsand Crawford 2000). The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (2000) estimates that within the 2-4 months after the bombings, 90-000-166,000 people in Hiroshima were killed by acute effects of the blasts, while 60,000-80,000 were killed in Nagasaki but roughly half of the death in each case occurred on the first day. During the two explosions, the causes of deaths were generally the same. Thousands died instantly from flash or flame burns, falling debris and other secondary causes; over the following months others died from acute radiation sickness and other conditions arising from compounded effects of injuries and sicknesses. Most of the people who died were civilians (Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, 1946). Analysis of the historical and contemporary causes of the event On 7th December, 1941, Japan invaded Thailand. It then moved to invade British Malaya and the Pearl Harbor in the US territory of Hawaii. This war was referred to as the Pacific war or the WWII. The war saw the US, China and UK as members of the Allied Powers coming together against the Empire of Japan. The allied power wanted Japan to withdraw from the WWII. On 26th of June 1945, the Harry Truman, the US president, Winston Churchill, the UK Prime Minister and Chian Kai-shek, the chairperson of the Nationalist government of China, issued a document called the Potsdam Declaration. The Potsdam Declaration document which was agreed upon during the Potsdam conference outlined the terms of surrender for Japan. The ultimatum clearly stated that, if Japan did not pull out of the WWII, it would face quick and utter destruction (Villa,