(WWII) Was the dropping of the atomic bomb a military necessity?

Question

yes, the one in Japan.

Answer 1

No it certainly was not a military necessity. Before the bombs were dropped, Japanese surrender was allready being negotiated. At the Potsdam Conference, the allies had laid down their terms for surrender - the Japanese were at the time unwilling to accept these in full, as the emporer wanted to remain head of state. The Americans used the bombs as a tool to ensure they got unconditional surrender as early as possible.

The dropping of the bombs was a diplomatic luxury, but never a military necessity.

Answer 2

Needed: Less lives were lost with the bomb than would have otherwise been lost.
The war would have cost more money and gone on much longer.

Not needed: Japan didnt surrender until the Russians declared war on them, a day after the second A-bomb was dropped.
We told the entire world that Hiroshima was not a military target, just like we did for Dresden-this increased the number of civilian deaths.

Answer 3

After the experiences on Okenawa, the Americans reached the conclusion that a fight to the death on Japanese soil would cost the US military 100s of thousands of casualties and Japanese would run into millions. Dropping the bomb avoided that. Overall, the casualty rate from the bombs was less than that of a conventional attack.

Answer 4

Absolutely. It not only saved American and allied soldiers' lives, it saved Japanese lives as well. If conventional bombing was begun on a wide scale like it had been in Germany, hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians would have been killed, being that most of the cities were primarily wooden-structured and they would have burned more fiercely than Hamburg or Dresden. All those who castigate the U.S. for dropping the bombs has not done their homework and read the history books.

Answer 5

Yes, I think so. Did you know huge ambition of Germany and Japan at that time? Were you ever aware of war casualties and atrocities due to their armed forces? Did you know about Pearl Harbour attack by Japan, comfort women, and holocaust by Nazi? Nowadays Germany and Japan are 2 peaceful leading nations, but at that time they were like hungry lions. Unless you bring your weapon, they were unstoppable. It's too bad there were so many casualties in Hiroshima & Nagasaki, but there seemed no other way to fight them. Allies didn't want to kill civilians, they destroyed the two cities because they are important cities for Japanese armed forces support.

Answer 6

Yep Japan was realy to fight down to the last man with sticks if need be.

May more would have been killed on both sides.

Answer 7

I think it was bullshit that we dropped the bomb on innocent people. I would rather fight face-to-face than be a shameful coward and bomb civilians to scare the enemy into submission. I'd join the army if it meant saving babies from being massacred. Can you look at a baby and say the collateral damage is worth it?

Answer 8

eh...i think that it stopped the pacific front of the war pretty well...BUT...such a horrible thing to do to other humans! I think it was a revenge for pearl harbor thing....and revenge is not all it's cracked up to be...

Answer 9

yer right kerbauch

Answer 10

BE THAR FIRSTUST WITH THE MOSTUST!