1) Summarize the critique in the video. Explain the author's claims, reasoning, and evidence.
The video, The Untold History of the United States Chapter 3: The Bomb, persuasively explains how Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb is a morally decadent one, as it was based on many political motives rather than ethical concerns during World War II. The following are three of the most important claims in the documentary. First, the United States could win the war without the use of the atomic bomb. This is claim is backed up by many American generals, who claimed that the bomb is unnecessary. Moreover, the Japanese was already preparing to surrender because of their telegraphs, which was intercepted by the United States. With such evidences, the use of the atomic bomb was unnecessary, but for political purposes. Second, the Americans did not attempted to have Japan surrender but dropped the bomb both due to political maneuvers that include the prevention of Soviet interference in Japan. The Americans did not want the Japanese to surrender by preventing Soviet signature on a treaty delayed the Soviet’s breaking of relationship with the Japan. This allowed Japanese embassy to continue its diplomatic method of trying to negotiate a peace deal. For the Americans, the delaying of Soviet invasion meant that their “actual” enemy would not occupy Japan like Eastern Europe. Then by dropping the bomb, the United States tried to show the Soviet Union of its might, a flawed political decision that only launched the nuclear arms race. Thus, the dropping of the bomb, as the film pointed out, was caused by political motives. Third, Truman, the president who decided to drop the bomb and was believed by the Americans to be a heroic man for making a great decision, is not as kind and great a man as he is depicted. For example, Truman laughed jubilantly after he received the news that the bomb was dropped on Japan, while he pushed for the bomb to be dropped on Japan despite the warning of scientists and cabinet members. His mistake nearly resulted the end of humanity, while he threatened or even punished those who challenged his decisions. Yet he was depicted as a heroic president by documentaries and books for saving “millions” of lives, an exaggerated number that increased years after Truman stated that the bomb has saved thousands of American lives. Therefore, Truman’s benignity and morale base for his decision was overly exaggerated, as he is arguable a terrible leader and an unethical decision maker for both the United States and the world.
2) Evaluate the evidence on your own and respond to the following EQ:
---Why did the United States drop two atomic bombs on Japan, and was the atomic bombing justified?
After watching the documentary, I discovered much about the dropping of the atomic bomb. The evidences provided by it effectively and explicitly support the documentary’s claims. Nevertheless, there was a contradiction in the film: since the United States wished to prevent Soviet intervention in Japan and knew that Japan wanted to surrender as long as the Emperor would live, why didn’t the United States requested Japan to surrender under the condition that the Emperor would live? This contradiction was not addressed in the film as a counter argument makes the film partially illogical, especially in the sections about American and Soviet meetings.
The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in order to show the Soviet Union of its strength, end World War II to decrease American casualties, and prevent the Soviet Union from occupying Japan as it did in Eastern Europe. This combination of reasons led Harriet Truman to drop the bomb, unjustifiably, because of the repercussions of it. First, this leads to a nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States, potentially bringing the world to an end. Second, there were many other simple methods to end the war and the suffering, such as promising that the Japanese Emperor could live. Thirdly, the dropping of the atomic bomb was unnecessary to bring the war to an end. Lastly, Japan was not given enough time to response and surrender before the dropping of the second atomic bomb. Therefore, The United States dropping of the two atomic bomb was not justified, but merely for political purpose.
The video, The Untold History of the United States Chapter 3: The Bomb, persuasively explains how Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb is a morally decadent one, as it was based on many political motives rather than ethical concerns during World War II. The following are three of the most important claims in the documentary. First, the United States could win the war without the use of the atomic bomb. This is claim is backed up by many American generals, who claimed that the bomb is unnecessary. Moreover, the Japanese was already preparing to surrender because of their telegraphs, which was intercepted by the United States. With such evidences, the use of the atomic bomb was unnecessary, but for political purposes. Second, the Americans did not attempted to have Japan surrender but dropped the bomb both due to political maneuvers that include the prevention of Soviet interference in Japan. The Americans did not want the Japanese to surrender by preventing Soviet signature on a treaty delayed the Soviet’s breaking of relationship with the Japan. This allowed Japanese embassy to continue its diplomatic method of trying to negotiate a peace deal. For the Americans, the delaying of Soviet invasion meant that their “actual” enemy would not occupy Japan like Eastern Europe. Then by dropping the bomb, the United States tried to show the Soviet Union of its might, a flawed political decision that only launched the nuclear arms race. Thus, the dropping of the bomb, as the film pointed out, was caused by political motives. Third, Truman, the president who decided to drop the bomb and was believed by the Americans to be a heroic man for making a great decision, is not as kind and great a man as he is depicted. For example, Truman laughed jubilantly after he received the news that the bomb was dropped on Japan, while he pushed for the bomb to be dropped on Japan despite the warning of scientists and cabinet members. His mistake nearly resulted the end of humanity, while he threatened or even punished those who challenged his decisions. Yet he was depicted as a heroic president by documentaries and books for saving “millions” of lives, an exaggerated number that increased years after Truman stated that the bomb has saved thousands of American lives. Therefore, Truman’s benignity and morale base for his decision was overly exaggerated, as he is arguable a terrible leader and an unethical decision maker for both the United States and the world.
2) Evaluate the evidence on your own and respond to the following EQ:
---Why did the United States drop two atomic bombs on Japan, and was the atomic bombing justified?
After watching the documentary, I discovered much about the dropping of the atomic bomb. The evidences provided by it effectively and explicitly support the documentary’s claims. Nevertheless, there was a contradiction in the film: since the United States wished to prevent Soviet intervention in Japan and knew that Japan wanted to surrender as long as the Emperor would live, why didn’t the United States requested Japan to surrender under the condition that the Emperor would live? This contradiction was not addressed in the film as a counter argument makes the film partially illogical, especially in the sections about American and Soviet meetings.
The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in order to show the Soviet Union of its strength, end World War II to decrease American casualties, and prevent the Soviet Union from occupying Japan as it did in Eastern Europe. This combination of reasons led Harriet Truman to drop the bomb, unjustifiably, because of the repercussions of it. First, this leads to a nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States, potentially bringing the world to an end. Second, there were many other simple methods to end the war and the suffering, such as promising that the Japanese Emperor could live. Thirdly, the dropping of the atomic bomb was unnecessary to bring the war to an end. Lastly, Japan was not given enough time to response and surrender before the dropping of the second atomic bomb. Therefore, The United States dropping of the two atomic bomb was not justified, but merely for political purpose.
The picture above is an American bomber, nicknamed "Enola Gay" after the pilot's mother. This plane dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan in the morning of August 6th, 1945.