Trumans Decision to use the atomic mom - 1507 Words

Truman’s decision to use atomic weapons has long been a controversial subject throughout the decades after he used it. Many scholars and people who surrounded the president at the time published memoirs and books about the decision to use the weapon. As years went, more works of writing and information were released which added more information to the vast knowledge we have of the decision to drop the bomb and of what the Japanese faced after the event took place. J. Samuel Walker wrote a book called Prompt utter destruction which uses new knowledge gained about the bomb and new information the Japanese released, which Walker said, â€Å"has greatly enriched our understanding of the agonizing deliberations in Tokyo over ending the war†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Walker did a good job in pointing out that if Truman hadn’t use the bomb would result in more American troops dying and Truman’s â€Å"public capacity to govern would have been, at best, sever ely undermined† (94). From my perspective every president would like a high approval ratings and Truman would have been seen badly in the public. Walker suggests that â€Å"using the bomb might provide more benefits in make the Soviet Union more amenable to American wishes† (94). Before the Conference of Potsdam President Truman was very worried going in, but after a successful test of the atomic bomb in New Mexico the President change and his self-confidence increase. The conference in Potsdam was to get the Soviets in the war. Walker also said the growing differences in between Russia and The US also a reason to drop the bomb. I believe that Walker is right about impressing Russia because Russia was also working on an atomic bomb but they were beaten the Americans. Walker wrote of the lack of incentive not to bomb Japan. I agree with this statement because the bomb could potentially speed up the end of the war, the Soviets would likely be more in favor to the US positions. One thing to point out that bombing was seemingly harmless to the United but there were still civilians in the city when the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan. The US did not see an incentive