Read the following document with arguments for and against the use of the Atomic Bomb. Then, write 4 reasons in SUPPORT of the Atomic Bomb and 4 reasons AGAINST the bomb. Finally, write a short paragraph explaining which argument was more persuasive.
Read the following document with arguments for and against the use of the Atomic Bomb. Then, write 4 reasons in SUPPORT of the Atomic Bomb and 4 reasons AGAINST the bomb. Finally, write a short paragraph explaining which argument was more persuasive.
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Read the following document with arguments for and against the use of the Atomic Bomb. Then, write 4 reasons in SUPPORT of the Atomic Bomb and 4 reasons AGAINST the bomb. Finally, write a short paragraph explaining which argument was more persuasive.
Transcribed Image Text:Name
Yes/No - Using the Atomic Bomb
Harry S. Truman – President of the United States William Leahy - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff
"The world will note that the first atomic bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. . . . If Japan does
not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war
industries and, unfortunately, thousands of civilian lives
will be lost....
"Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used
it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl
Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and
executed American prisoners of war, against those who
have abandoned all pretense of obeying international
laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the
agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and
thousands of young Americans."
- from Public Papers of the Presidents
"It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous
weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no
material assistance in our war against Japan. The
Japanese were already defeated and ready to
surrender because of the effective sea blockade and
successful bombing with conventional weapons...
"The lethal possibilities of atomic warfare in the
future are frightening. My own feeling was that in
being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical
standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages.
I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and
wars cannot be won by destroying women and
children."
- from I Was There
Reasons Truman gives to support using the bomb: Reasons Leahy gives against using the bomb:
Whom do you think makes the more persuasive argument? Explain your answer.
Expert Solution
Step 1: General debate surrounding atomic bomb
A considerable amount of debate exists surrounding the ethical and legal use of atomic bombing. These debates were stirred particularly after the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. While some schools of thought argue that the use of atomic bombing should be considered a crime against humanity, opposing schools of thought assert that bombing is necessary to win a war. Let us look into more details below.
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