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Atomic Bomb

On July 16, 1945, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, the world was forced into a new age. With the first successful testing of the atom bomb humanity demonstrated to itself its own horrifying nature. However, it was human nature which dictated the development of such a weapon. WWII was coming to an end. The Nazi administration had been crushed and all that stood before the U.S. and total victory was Japan. Nevertheless, the allies had already seen the horrible effects of an assault against a determined and prepared enemy during its invasion of Normandy. furthermore, the horrific casualty rates suffered on D-Day would, it was estimated, pale in comparison to the invasion of mainland Japan. An approximated one million casualties was expected for taking the Japanese homeland. It was this notion which has led some to consider the Truman administration's decision to use the atomic bomb as the deciding factor. However, this interpretation of events is misleading.
The victory in Europe was now overshadowed by, to paraphrase the words of Winston Churchill, the iron curtain which had descended over Eastern Europe. The world was now split between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. The two powers were now in direct conflict with each other, capitalism vs. socialism. In examining the use of the atom bomb on Japan, you have to take into consideration the relationship that was developing between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The atom bomb was a weapon which gave its wielder an obvious advantage over that of its wielder's counterpart, in this instance shown by peacekeeping between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The question, "Should the atom bomb have been used?" is really, "Why was the atom bomb used?" Therefore, the idea of the atom bomb's use is not yes or no but, rather, by the reasons which may have necessitated its use, representing itself in the form of atomic diplomacy or the use of the atom bomb as indirect coercion on the negotiations which were to take place between...