A-bombing of Japan
On August 6, 1945, an American bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, obliterating the entire city. Two days later, another more powerful plutonium bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Facing total atomic annihilation, Japan surrendered. The atomic bomb was hailed for shortening the war, saving many American lives. It might have been true. But the real reason behind the A-bombing of Japan had been described by Dr. Leo Szilard, a top atomic scientist at the Manhattan Project.
Dr. Szilard had left behind an account of his meeting with Secretary of State designate and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee James Byrnes on May 28, 1945. The account clearly tells us the real reason behind the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan:
"Byrnes was concerned about Russia's post-war behaviour. Russian forces had moved into Hungary and Rumania. Byrnes thought it would be very difficult to persuade Russia to withdraw her troops from these countries, and that Russia would be more manageable if impressed by American military might. I shared Byrnes's concern about Russia's throwing around her weight in the post-war period, but I was completely flabbergasted by the assumption that rattling the bomb might make Russia more manageable ...
"I was concerned at this point that by demonstrating the bomb and using it in the war against Japan, we might start an atomic arms race between America and Russia which might end with the destruction of both countries. ... I was rarely as depressed as when we left Byrnes's house and walked toward the station."
Thus atomic bombs were dropped on Japan to demonstrate America's awesome military might to impress Russia. But it did trigger an atomic arms race between America and Russia as feared by Dr. Szilard, although they were spared of mutual destruction. Now that the U.S.-Soviet rivalry is over, America must tell the world the real reason behind A-bombing of Japan and apologise to the Japanese.
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