Why the bombs were dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
By Suminundu
@Suminundu (192)
Malaysia
July 18, 2010 5:44pm CST
Hi my beloved mylotters, when I was studying World History for my undergraduate degree, one of the history questions that was asked and which I could not answer properly was "Why was the bomb dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945?" One of the reasons I gave was 'to test the bomb on human being after the first one was tested on the desert.' It was a totally wrong and unethical answer. My history professor rebuked that the bomb could never ever been created with the motive of testing its power on human being. So I had to read history books carefully before I could give my history professor the satisfactory answer. What would be your answer? Let us share our knowledge of history.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@chexmex12 (22)
• United States
18 Jul 10
Well the bombs were dropped because the Nagasakians were pooping on the Hiroshimians.The world started to smell very bad and when the odor came to the United States the Americans just could not take it anymore. We we're forced to drop the bombs on them.
1 person likes this
@Memnon (2170)
•
19 Jul 10
Principally because the US suffered sufficient casualties in the Pacific war, 100,000+, that they felt that an assault on mainland Japan could cost millions of US lives. That was obviously unacceptable to US leadership and public.
They felt that the first bomb would shake Japanese resolve. When it did not, they dropped the second, which eventually did.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
19 Jul 10
this is a very interesting question... i went to Hiroshima in November last year and visited the Atomic Bomb site and also the historical museum that told me the stories about this horrible event... and one of the explanation given why these two places are chosen to drop the bombs were because they were the most suitable cities compare to the other cities in Japan after the Americans calculated all the factors... and the Americans did an extensive research first before finally choosing these two cities as the most suitable ones to drop the bombs... take care and have a nice day...
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
19 Jul 10
The official story is that the bombs were dropped to stop the conflict (save lives) and convince Japan that they had to surrender. Unofficially, I have read that Japan was ready to surrender conditionally (the condition being the safety of the Emperor), but that the US wanted an unconditional surrender.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
19 Jul 10
What we were told was that these were dropped to stop the war. Which of course they did. We were told that many lives, American lives were save by doing this.
I know how I felt about the error in this reasoning at the great age of ten when I was taught this. I have been anti war ever since. What could ever be said to the people who suffered this terrible thing to justify it
@cursoralbert99 (412)
• Malaysia
19 Jul 10
my answer will not based on history so, this is basically on my opinion.
Why the bombs were dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Well, from what I know and read, these 2 place were once industrial city for Japan Empire was. They produce their military equipments and military vehicles assembly mainly at these 2 cities. So to disable and demoralize the japanese troops, the Allied, bombing this 2 cities and it happen to be working.
As for the bombs, they are experimental and proven working. First ever atomic bombs tested in this world.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
19 Jul 10
dogsnme explained it the best. The bombs were dropped to end a war that would not have ended otherwise. The stakes were so high that using these weapons was the only logical option. It worked.
