One of the Deep Questions

Jasmine had asked me: what is your opinion of the atomic bomb in '45? I had asked her the same question. So, if you haven't read my "fun" answers, click here. If you have, feel free to read this paper I wrote on the subject of the atomic bomb. I would like to know you girl's imput!

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In leadership, one is often called upon to make decisions. They must decide whether or not to sign or veto a bill; with whom they should have diplomatic relations; how they should respond to a crisis. Each decision made has lasting repercussions. You cannot change the course once the order has been given, the duty being fulfilled. You cannot go back in history (having the privilege of hindsight) and redo errors. Thus, every decision, every order, every decree, should be given much deliberation. The pros and cons should be weighed over and over again before word is pronounced.

However, even the most careful planning and thinking has room for fault and disaster. Man is human; only the Lord is above mistakes. A president has only so many resources open to him. Whereas God has the past, present, and future available to His knowledge, a president can only act on the here and now. What he sees is what he gets.

In the course of history, Presidents have been called upon to make some very weighty decisions. One is not more important than the other. Yet, the subject of using the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945, had to have been one of the most difficult. President Harry Truman was given the pleasure of making the call.

Civilian life is a precious blessing from God. Each human being, be they white or black, perfect or handicapped, has intrinsic value. While society might deny that fact, it is engrained in the Bible. Thus, the decision of killing innocent lives is not one to be taken lightly. Unnecessary bloodshed can stain the hands, and the annals of history, forever. With this in mind, one must ask the question, “Did wanting to bring about the end of World War II warrant the use of atomic warfare?”

Until 1945, atomic bombs were not used. In fact, the first wars were fought with swords, shields, cannons, and fists. When the twentieth century dawned, however, a new era of combat was at hand. Mustard gases, hand grenades, machine guns, tanks, bombers—all made appearances in the first two world wars. Yet the atomic bomb ushered in something even more new; once it was first used, nuclear war would become just as ordinary as fighting with guns are. Nuclear war would also bring war to the home front. Thousands upon thousands would no longer be thrust into battle’s grip via factories and rationing; they would be killed by radiation fallout and all of the other ramifications of the atomic bomb.

That side of the atomic bomb was a weighty one to consider. The powers that be knew what would happen to those cities that would receive the “punishment.” They would be destroyed with effects that would last longer than the initial hit. However, there was the other side to ponder. The United States wasn’t the only country that had the atomic bomb. Yes, we were farther along than anybody, but that doesn’t mean somebody else wouldn’t have figured it out. What would have happened if on that fateful August day we had not used ours—but the enemy later did?

One’s first obligation is to protect their own. The United States had already been hit on December 7, 1941; Pearl Harbor had taken a surprise hit from the Japanese. Another such disaster would not have been welcome to the American people. A nuclear attack would have been far worse upon the geographical, psychological, and emotional state of the nation. It certainly would have crippled the most powerful nation in the world. With this in mind, the leadership in Washington had to consider the fact that if we didn’t drop the bomb first, someone else would be dropping it on us, our loved ones, and our way of life.

President Harry S. Truman decided that using the atomic bomb on Japan had less drastic of consequences on us if we used it first. So, we did. We bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing many, many lives. By doing so, we brought Japan to its knees. Within days, the devastated nation surrendered and World War II ended. American boys came home, the world was left to rebuild, and Japan had to rise among the ashes.

When one just glances briefly at history now, the atomic bomb almost appears to have no significance. It has its place in our textbooks, but no one has used it since. Japan is one of the most technological, powerful, affluent nations is the world. It can seem as if all is well. And yet, is it? The bad parts are recorded right along with the “good” parts.

One should never envy a president; his decisions lay on his shoulders. He is responsible for a nation. He, not us, has to make the important calls. And while we might have a problem with nuclear war and the atomic bomb, we have to ask ourselves if we would do anything differently than they. I, for one, will say that I do not know. I do not like atomic bombs; the threat of their future use lies heavily upon the world. Yet, I love my home and should it be threaten….it puts things in an entirely different light.