The Japanese were also responsible for the damage incurred by the two atomic blasts. They were informed about the attack and volunteered for the actions taken against them. The early 20th century was marked by a rise in nationalism. Nationalism is defined as an embracement to one's own country. Citizens during this time felt a stronger unity and connection to each other, and embraced their relationship with the government more than ever before. Japanese citizens knew the risk of starting a war against the Allies and therefore accepted the potential risks and responsibilities their government put upon them. President Truman also explicitly warned the Japanese. In the Potsdam Declaration, the Commander in Chief threatened, "The inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland." The United States notified Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki of a devastating attack planned in the near future. The two leaders chose to ignore the warning. The bombings in World War II were ethical because they saved countless lives, allowed for the immediate end to the war and the beginning of reconstruction, and Japan was warned of the impending attacks.
Atomic weapons were also used by the Soviet Union and United States during the Cold War. While the actual execution of nuclear missiles in foreign policy changed, their use was still ethical and saved lives. The possession and threat of nuclear arms by the two super powers ensured a locked stalemate. Weapons with the potential to kill millions served the greater good by preventing another violent war following World War II. Neither side could enter into full scale conflict without the total obliteration of both parties. Also, as tensions grew, both sides looked to alternatives to ensure that inevitable battles remained small and contained for fear of nuclear attack. Starting with President Kennedy, the U.S. army was modernized to fight more effectively on practical battlegrounds instead of relying on nuclear arms. The United States adopted a policy of "Graduated Deterrence" where the U.S. response would be equitable to the attack against it. Ultimately atomic weapons during the Cold War ensured that tensions between the two nations didn't lead to all out war. Instead, it forced both sides to invest in smaller, more efficient army units, trained to combat other ground forces. Nuclear arms prevented major loss of life during the second half of the 20th century. During the periods of the Cold War and World War II, the United States conducted numerous tests related to the atom bomb, radiation, and chemical warfare. While some were injured or killed during these tests, they still remain ethical because the aims of these tests were to help the larger population and scientific community while those subjected to were generally informed and consented to the tests. Physician Walter Reed established the ethics of modern testing that ensured future experiments would be fair and moral to those subjugated. Reed wanted to test a theory related to yellow fever, but to do so, it was necessary to inject subjects with the disease. Before continuing Reed searched for volunteers, informed them of the risks involved, and offered financial compensation. It is because of his research that many lives were saved in the early 1900s. This method of informed and consenting patients is what makes dangerous practices moral.
During World War II, the American Committee on Medical Research was faced with confronting Malaria. The disease was taking heavy lives in the Pacific Theater and made progress difficult. According to Moreno, Malaria infected nearly 300 million people a year, and killed close to 3 million. In 1942, the committee looked for subjects to test treatment. Volunteers were needed who were both informed of the danger with contracting Malaria and given financial compensation. During wartime, the feeling of nationalism and national pride was at its height. Americans not directly involved in the war effort wanted to do what they could and volunteered their lives eagerly. This sentiment also transcended educational or class barriers. Aristocrat prodigy Nathan Leopold, a volunteer for the experiment was quoted saying, "I wanted very badly to do my bit" (Moreno 33) and commented that other volunteers, "they saw a chance to do something decent and worthwhile" (Moreno 34). Those arguing that U.S. practices weren't ethical might point to other experiments, such as the one done on Nathan Schnurman. Schurnman, an American Sailor, volunteered for an experiment for new sailor clothes, but was actually subjected to prolonged exposure to mustard gas, which he protested. The argument could be made that the sailor did not volunteer for this experiment. This would be an error. Nathan was a member of the American Armed Forces, because of this he volunteered to do anything the country asked of him in the name of the U.S. and its well-being. As a U.S. Navy Sailor, he consented to have his life risked for his country. Furthermore, Schnurman was not ordered to do the experiment he volunteered of his own free will, and was compensated for his pain; he was given a paid leave of absence. Atomic Bomb testing was also ethical because of the amount of publicity it was given. There was a significant public awareness of the tests. According to Winkler, most Americans supported the tests through out the 50s, and many detonations were televised live. Americans were in general, aware of the locations in the United States where these tests were common. By continuing to live in these areas, Americans consented to be being near the test sites. President Eisenhower Also distributed pamphlets during his tenure to also increase awareness of the tests. Furthermore, most of those within the blast of the bomb were American Soldiers. The goal was to train the army corps to be prepared for a battle involving nuclear weapons. While the argument might be made that these individuals did not consent to the test, by volunteering the U.S. Army, they consented to voluntarily lay down their lives in the name of the United States. There are very few records of individuals killed or fatally injured due to testing. The AEC stated the tests were, "harmless…any possible danger was offset by the knowledge gained by the tests" (Winkler 103). According to the Atomic Energy Commission, levels during the tests were always kept at quantities that were safe to humans nearby. The results of atomic testing ensured the prolonged stalemate with the Soviet Union, and allowed for the establishment of the Federal Radiation Council which set safe national standards for nuclear radiation. Most of those involved in the U.S. tests volunteered, either directly like Leopold and the Malaria experiments, or indirectly like the American Soldiers. The benefits of these tests ensured a long, relative peace between the U.S. and Soviet Bloc and greatly benefited the scientific community. The dropping and the atomic bomb and the continued use of human subjects during scientific testing in the 20th century continues to be a controversial subject. It is because the actions carried out saved many lives and that those hurt were informed and volunteered that these methods were moral. It is because of the debate surrounding these actions that science has continued to evolve. From these earlier practices, more rigid experimental methods are enforced. These new regulations protect the patient and continue to ensure that those sacrificing their safety to aid others are not injured without fully understanding the risks involved. The modern world will continue to benefit from the actions taken by the United States during the 20th century.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
As World War II was coming to an end during 1945, the creation of one of the most destructive weapons known to humanity occurred within the United States. This weapon, known as “the atomic bomb,” was used on the two Japanese cities: Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in a death toll unprecedented by any military weapon used before and an immediate, unconditional surrender. Some historians believe President Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb in order to intimidate the Soviet Union whereas others believe it was a strictly military measure designed to force Japan’s unconditional surrender. In the Report of a Scientific Panel of nuclear physicists, some scientific colleagues believed the atomic bomb was a “purely technical demonstration” to induce surrender. Other scientists believed that the use of the atomic bomb will improve international prospects in that they are more concerned with the prevention of war than with the elimination of this special weapon (Doc G). Thus, the United States dropped the atomic bomb to both force Japan’s unconditional surrender and to intimidate the Soviet Union.…
- 949 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
President Truman authorized atomic bombs to be dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The two bombings killed at least 129,000 INNOCENT civilians. During the following months, more people died from the effect of burns, radiation sickness and other injuries. Six days after the Nagasaki bombing Japan surrendered and World War II ended.…
- 374 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Throughout history, the United States has found itself as the center of controversy. A most notable event that is still debated across many public forums is the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Historians and politicians alike have questioned the justification of the United States’s decision. After taking careful consideration of both sides of the argument, it can be determined that the Unites States was not justified in its actions.…
- 755 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In early August 1945 atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These two bombs quickly yielded the surrender of Japan and the end of American involvement in World War II. By 1946 the two bombs caused the death of perhaps as many as 240,000 Japanese citizens1. The popular, or traditional, view that dominated the 1950s and 60s put forth by President Harry Truman and Secretary of War Henry Stimson was that the dropping of the bomb was a diplomatic maneuver aimed at intimating and gaining the upper hand in relations with Russia. Today, fifty-four years after the two bombings, with the advantage of historical hindsight and the advantage of new evidence, a third view, free of obscuring bias and passion, can be presented. First, the dropping of the bomb was born out of complex infinite military, domestic and diplomatic pressures and concerns. Second, many potentially viable alternatives to dropping the bombs were not explored by Truman and other men in power, as they probably should have been. Lastly, because these alternatives were never explored, we can only conjecture over whether or not Truman's decision was a morally just one, and if indeed it was necessary to use atomic energy to win the war.…
- 3540 Words
- 15 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Truman knows that this nuclear bomb has the capacity and power to end the war with Japan but he also knows that this is one of the most terrible weapons man have ever made. The Allied forces demanded that the Japanese surrender conditionally so Truman would not have to use the nuclear bomb. Japan refused to surrender so “on August 6, 1945 a plane called the Enola Gay dropped on of the bombs on the city of Hiroshima. Instantly 70,000 Japanese children were completely vaporized.” (US History 4) Also, in the following months and years an additional 100,000 people died from their burns and radiation sickness. Two days after the first use of the nuclear weapons the United States dropped another atomic bomb but this time it was on Nagasaki, which 80,000 Japanese people died. Only eight days after the United States had dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima the Japanese had surrendered. Many military analysts believe that the Japanese were on their knees and that the use of nuclear weapons was completely unnecessary and the United States government was accused of racism because there would be no way that the U.S. would use these bombs on white civilians. There is a huge ethical debate about the decision to drop the two bombs on japan and it is a debate that will never get resolved because nobody knew…
- 1526 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
The dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945 by the Americans is a very controversial issue with no definite answer. Both sides of the issue have very justifiable arguments. Reasons for dropping the bomb include the fact that Truman’s options were limited at this point in the war, that the bomb did have the desired outcome of Japans surrender and that the majority of reasons America had for dropping the bomb are justifiable. On the other hand, the atomic bomb was complete new technology and there is no way that Japan could have possibly been ready for it and for that reason the dropping of the atomic bomb is very much morally and ethically wrong. It is also important to consider that two bombs were dropped, both with different motivations and it is quite possible that while one is justifiable, the other is not.…
- 1576 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
Regardless of General Grove’s speech to the world in 1962 that the use of the world’s most destructive weapon was completely justified, there are still many main factors which were available to the United States and its allies. This marked the birth of the nuclear age which was to last for decades to come. It brought death and destruction…
- 2168 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted the atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 6, 1945, the United States B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb intended for the purposes of attack. Ironically dubbed as ‘Little Boy’, the bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima instantly killing approximately 80,000 people. Three days later, on 9 August, a second bomb, ‘Fat Man’, was descended on Nagasaki killing 40,000 people. Shortly after successfully testing history’s first atomic explosion in New Mexico, on July 16, 1945, the order to drop the atomic bomb on Japan was issued on July 25. The decision to drop these bombs was influenced by the order of US President, at the time, Harry Truman. The two events are the only examples of use of nuclear weapons in war to date and this is because of the horrendous outcome and consequences that were inflicted on Japan, as well as the United States.…
- 2627 Words
- 11 Pages
Powerful Essays -
A majority of citizens in Japan did not give a lot of thought into whether or not the bomb was ethical. The citizens were, understandably, preoccupied attempting to discern the catastrophe that had transpired in their beloved city. Most of the citizens were “too busy or too weary or too badly hurt to care that they were the objects of the first great experiment in the use of atomic power” (49). The citizens directed their efforts on rebuilding the city, “statisticians began to say that at least a hundred thousand people had lost their lives in the bombing” and there were “sixty-two thousand out…
- 490 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
On August 6th and 9th, 1945, President Truman followed through with one of the most difficult decisions in American history: the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although this act was a heart-rending sacrifice of nearly 199,000 Japanese civilians, it was necessary to end to World War Two, seeing the Japanese had no motive to surrender.…
- 55 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
This was the direct result of the decision to drop the two atomic bombs. The use of these bombs impressed the Soviet Union and showed them, along with the rest of the world, that the United States possessed great military strength (Dietrich, 1995). This allowed the U.S. to gain more control and influence in international affairs than its other allies. The bombings showcased to the rest of the world what the United States was capable of, therefore when the Soviet Union and other countries developed their own nuclear weapons, the U.S. had effectively protected itself under the idea of mutually assured destruction. This is why dropping the bombs was necessary. It showed the world what the United States was able to do, and in turn he United States gained for influence around the…
- 758 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Maddox, Robert J. Weapons for victory: The Hiroshima Decision Fifty Years Later. Columbia MO: University of Missouri Press, 1995.…
- 2599 Words
- 11 Pages
Best Essays -
The Hiroshima atomic destruction remains a historical uncertainties and ethical dilemmas. The use of atomic bombs marked forever the relationship between the US and Japan, and the controversy over the use of atomic weapons will no doubt continue indefinitely. Historiography and comments on the issue are gigantic. Each generation of Americans and Japanese revisited the issue, and the following will no doubt continue. Indeed, the moral justification for the destruction of two Japanese cities is clear and final. This is indeed what the author of HIROSHIMA trying to trace in his book in which he tries to highlight the reasons for the use of the bomb. The tone of the other epic and trajique rest and Revelle character who in his melodrama remains…
- 945 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, however, three days later, August 9, another bomb was released on Nagasaki. President Truman came down to a decision in bombing Japan in hope of swiftly ending the war, essentially saving numerous Americans and Japanese lives. But, because of Japan’s gruesome and barbaric actions in the past, the use of atomic bomb accounted justified. However, his decision is heavily criticized as people have suggested other alternatives; such as implying that the Operation Downfall, another name for invading Japan, would have been a better solution, given how defeated Japan was. Other historians have challenged and argued these justifications by stating that Truman saw only compelling reasons by…
- 199 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
Throughout history there have been many controversial issues regarding a nations safety. The United States had to make many decisions in order to protect itself, and most of the decisions were not always supported by all. Some of these decisions have left a major mark and impact on not only the county itself, but also the world. In August 1945, the decision to drop two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a major world event that continues to be mentioned and have an impact today. To this day, that decision is still argued. Ultimately, the event successfully ended a world war, and that cannot be argued.…
- 111 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays