Paper Summary:

The paper outlines Harry S. Truman's presidency and looks at the history of the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project. The paper explores the motivations and justification behind Truman's decision to bomb Japan's cities and considers the American public's support for this move. The discusses the view that bombing Japan would cost fewer lives than if America invaded Japan, but also considers the opposition of those who were against this type of warfare. The paper addresses the sentiment today about Truman's decision and concludes that whether it was right or wrong, the world must now ensure it never happens again.

Outline:
Harry S. Truman
The First Atomic Bombs
The History of the Atomic Bomb and the Manhattan Project
Motivations, Oppositions and Actions
Earlier Presidential Statement and Other Motivations
Pathway of Truman's Order, President Truman's Own View and Values
Only One Bomb to be Authorized
To Save American and Japanese Lives
Looking Back: Was the Decision Really Necessary?
The Bomb Reverberates Today
Today's Sentiments About Truman's Decision

From the Paper:

"The first nuclear fission weapons were made from fissionable materials, uranium tetrafluoride and plutonium nitrate. Both are radioactive and toxic metallic elements. They were brought in from Hanford into a secret laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico in late 1944. Leading physicist Robert Oppenheimer and his fellow chemists gave form to the materials. The produced 1 gun-type uranium bomb, called "Little Boy," and two implosion-type bomb, called "Fat Man." "Little Boy" contained 135 pounds of 90% pure fissionable material, 2 pounds of which were equivalent to 15-16,000 tons of TNT. As the war with Japan proceeded and when a costly allied invasion appeared clearly possible, President Truman approved the use of these nuclear weapons against selected Japanese targets."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bellis, Mary 2003. The first atomic bomb blast, 1945. Eyewitness to History. Availablefrom http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/atomictest.htm
• ------------- 2009. History of the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project. Available fromhttp://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com
• Bernstein, Baron J. 1998. Truman and the a-bomb: targeting non-combatants, and his defending the decision. The Journal of Military History (July). Vol 62 number 62 pp 547-70.
• Capital Journal. 2001. Truman's decision saved millions of US, Japanese lives. Topeka Capital-Journal. Available from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20010528/ai_n11764966?tag=content;col1 (March 22, 2009)
• Deseret Morning News Editorial 2005. The bomb still reverberates. Deseret News (Salt Lake City). Available from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20050806/ai_n14862803?tag=content;col1

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