Truman's Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Truman's Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb - Essay Example There were discussions on several occasions about the need to warn the Japanese civilians on an impending attack. While on the surface this seems morally admirable, it was considered a vain action and may have imperiled millions of civilians and military personnel.2 By June 1 1945, the industrial infrastructure had been decimated, but Japan showed no signs of surrendering.3 The unwillingness of Japan to reach a military surrender prompted the Truman administration to pursue the plan of using the bomb. Though it would ultimately be Truman's decision, he carefully considered the other options and weighed the opinions of his closest advisors. The Truman administration had little trust in Russia's long-term intentions in regards to the Asian continent. There were millions of American and Japanese lives at stake. Truman's decision would involve all these stakeholders in a Kohlberg stage five thinking that recognized "...national self-interest itself must be limited and compromised".4 Truman had reached a moral decision based on the interests of the world at large, and the stakeholders involved. Truman has been criticized for acting in his own political interests. However, there was a plan on the table to warn Japan, but this plan was discarded due to the real possibility of the bomb being a dud5.