Hiroshima
Every year at this time, there are misrepresentations as to why President Harry Truman(D), signed the order to use atomic weapons to end the war with Japan. This is usually in the form of “half-truths,” i.e., information that doesn’t support the underlying agenda, no matter how relevant, is ignored.
Unless noted, most of the source information comes from wikipedia, “Surrender of Japan.” (1)
It was General Douglas McArthur with Admiral Chester Nimitz who ran the Pacific campaign, then into it’s forth year.
The Japanese fought under a very ridged code of conduct called Bushido (The Way of the Warrior). To Japan's people becoming a prisoner of war was the ultimate dishonor and betrayal of their emperor and moral code. (2)
In 1945, it was clear to Japanese leaders that the war wasn’t going well. Hardliners favored fighting one last "decisive" battle that would inflict so many casualties on the Allies that they would be willing to offer more lenient terms. “We can no longer direct the war with any hope of success. The only course left is for Japan's one hundred million people to sacrifice their lives by charging the enemy to make them lose the will to fight.” – (War Journal of the Imperial Headquarters). Those who favored a peaceful end to the conflict hoped term could be negotiated via the Soviet Union.
On April 5, the Soviet Union gave notice that it would not renew the five-year Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact. The Soviet ambassador in Tokyo, went to great lengths to assure the Japanese that the period of the Pact's validity has not ended.
On June 30, Japan’s ambassador in Moscow tried to establish "firm and lasting relations of friendship.” However, unknown to the Japanese, back in 1943 at the Tehran Conference, it had been agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan once Nazi Germany was defeated. As a result, Stalin and Molotov strung out the negotiations with the Japanese, giving them false hope of a Soviet-mediated peace.
On July 26, the United States, Britain and China released the Potsdam Declaration, announcing the terms for Japan's surrender. On July 28, Japanese newspapers reported the Declaration had been rejected, with the Prime Minister saying, “The only thing to do is just kill it with silence. We will do nothing but press on to the bitter end to bring about a successful completion of the war.”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff estimated 367,000 American Deaths. The Navy Department estimated 400,000 to 800,000 deaths. The same department estimated that there would be up to 10 million Japanese casualties. This was one of the reasons why President Truman authorised the use of the atomic bomb in an effort to get Japan to surrender. (3)
Some argue that it was the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria on August 9 that lead to Japan’s ultimate surrender. “The Soviet invasion and occupation of the defunct "Manchukuo" marked the start of a traumatic period for the more-than-one-million occupants of the puppet state who were of Japanese descent.” … “With Soviet support for the spread of Communism, Manchuria provided the main base of operations for Mao Zedong's forces.” (4)
(1) Surrender of Japan- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan
(2) Bushido's Influence on WWII- https://theworldwars.wikispaces.com/Bushido's+Influence+on+…
(3) Operation Downfall - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/…/…/operation-downfall/
(4) Soviet Japanese War - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet–Japanese_War_(1945)
Unless noted, most of the source information comes from wikipedia, “Surrender of Japan.” (1)
It was General Douglas McArthur with Admiral Chester Nimitz who ran the Pacific campaign, then into it’s forth year.
The Japanese fought under a very ridged code of conduct called Bushido (The Way of the Warrior). To Japan's people becoming a prisoner of war was the ultimate dishonor and betrayal of their emperor and moral code. (2)
In 1945, it was clear to Japanese leaders that the war wasn’t going well. Hardliners favored fighting one last "decisive" battle that would inflict so many casualties on the Allies that they would be willing to offer more lenient terms. “We can no longer direct the war with any hope of success. The only course left is for Japan's one hundred million people to sacrifice their lives by charging the enemy to make them lose the will to fight.” – (War Journal of the Imperial Headquarters). Those who favored a peaceful end to the conflict hoped term could be negotiated via the Soviet Union.
On April 5, the Soviet Union gave notice that it would not renew the five-year Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact. The Soviet ambassador in Tokyo, went to great lengths to assure the Japanese that the period of the Pact's validity has not ended.
On June 30, Japan’s ambassador in Moscow tried to establish "firm and lasting relations of friendship.” However, unknown to the Japanese, back in 1943 at the Tehran Conference, it had been agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan once Nazi Germany was defeated. As a result, Stalin and Molotov strung out the negotiations with the Japanese, giving them false hope of a Soviet-mediated peace.
On July 26, the United States, Britain and China released the Potsdam Declaration, announcing the terms for Japan's surrender. On July 28, Japanese newspapers reported the Declaration had been rejected, with the Prime Minister saying, “The only thing to do is just kill it with silence. We will do nothing but press on to the bitter end to bring about a successful completion of the war.”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff estimated 367,000 American Deaths. The Navy Department estimated 400,000 to 800,000 deaths. The same department estimated that there would be up to 10 million Japanese casualties. This was one of the reasons why President Truman authorised the use of the atomic bomb in an effort to get Japan to surrender. (3)
Some argue that it was the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria on August 9 that lead to Japan’s ultimate surrender. “The Soviet invasion and occupation of the defunct "Manchukuo" marked the start of a traumatic period for the more-than-one-million occupants of the puppet state who were of Japanese descent.” … “With Soviet support for the spread of Communism, Manchuria provided the main base of operations for Mao Zedong's forces.” (4)
(1) Surrender of Japan- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan
(2) Bushido's Influence on WWII- https://theworldwars.wikispaces.com/Bushido's+Influence+on+…
(3) Operation Downfall - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/…/…/operation-downfall/
(4) Soviet Japanese War - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet–Japanese_War_(1945)