What arguments did Truman consider when deciding to use the atomic bomb on japan?

Answer 1

Reasons to support the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan include that it was the most viable way to force the Japanese to surrender. Also that the war would end faster by doing so, and that it would claim fewer lives than an invasion.

Answer 2

There are several schools of thought on this matter. The most widely held belief is that after months of island hopping through the pacific and seeing the fanaticism of the Japanese defenders and the cost of American life's. It was therefore the view of many American commanders that the price of of invading the Japanese mainland would be too high. There are some grounds for this argument there is no denying that American casualties in the pacific had been higher than initially expected, and the American president (Truman) who had fought in the great war (which had a profound effect on him and several key world and military leaders in ww2). Had no desire to preside over the wholesale slaughter of American soldiers (and possibly even that of Japanese civilian's). However there really was no military need to invade the Japanese mainland, this was a country on its knees. Reports found after the war in Japan show that the government of the day recognised that food shortages were so dire, come 1946 the general population would begin starving en mass. War production was on the point of collapse. Civilian domestic production especially agriculture was almost non existent. Fuel was nonexistent( the American pacific fleet used more fuel in 1945 than the entire domestic use of Japan). With the war in Europe over and combining the American fleets of both theatres of operations the Japanese mainland islands could have been easily blockaded and the hither to crippling air campaign against Japan could have continued unabated. (67 Japanese cities had been bombed most suffering over 50% destruction more civilians died after a 350 plane fire bomb raid of Tokyo than died after either nuclear bomb attack.) So there is proof that while it may have taken longer Japan could be brought to her knees with no loss of American life. There are those who have suggested that Truman's attitude was we have spent so much time and resources on the bomb we may as well use it. I however think the following is the plausible explanation. In the early months of 1945 it was becoming clear to the American administration of the day that they had a big problem looming on the horizon. That problem was the Soviet Union, it was becoming clear that the Russians were determined to occupy all territories that they forced the German from. The Americans had no desire to engage the Soviets in open war fare to stop the soviet expansion. So a means was needed to be employed to influence the Soviets to stop them in their tracks. Hence the use of the nuclear bomb. Unfortunately the bomb failed in both instances. The first to be a weapon of such mass destruction that it ended the war in one blow ( yes two devices were employed but it was not the military success they were thought to be but rather they afforded the Japanese emperor the ability to persuade the military of his country to finally surrender) and secondly the Russians were not greatly deterred by the use of the bomb (the American emissary sent to deliver the news to Stalin of the result of the bomb was caught of guard when all Stalin is reputed to have said was "OK. I have no doubt others will dispute the reasoning I have given and I have not even entered into the morale argument of the use of the "bomb". for years this debate will go on I would just finish with this thought no nuclear device was used in the European theatre of operations yet over half a million German civilians were killed in bombing raids, and we have all but accepted the morality of their deaths.

Answer 3

Truman did not go through much in deciding. He was a ww1 veteran so he tired of war, United States had lost to many service members and sending more troops to Japan's main land would be many lives lost.

Answer 4

1. To end the war quickly.

2. To collapse Japan's means to make war.

3. To save many American service members life's.