There are competing historical interpretations about the U.S. decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was the attack on Japan morally justifiable? Did it save lives by avoiding an invasion of Japan in November 1945? Were there other plausible alternatives to the use of atomic weapons and, if so, why were they not pursued?
Research the above topic and write an original research paper of 1,000 words or more. Present both sides of the argument and then express your opinion.
Other questions you might consider while researching and writing your essay are:
· Did Truman authorize the use of atomic bombs for political reasons—to intimidate the Soviets—or was his major goal to force Japan to surrender and bring the war to an early end?
· To what extent did subsequent justification for the atomic bomb exaggerate or misuse wartime estimates for U.S. casualties stemming from an invasion of Japan?
· Were the Japanese ready to surrender before the bombs were dropped? To what extent had Emperor Hirohito prolonged the war unnecessarily by not seizing opportunities for surrender?
· If the United States had been more flexible about the demand for “unconditional surrender” by guaranteeing a constitutional monarchy would Japan have surrendered earlier than it did?
· How greatly did the atomic bombings affect the Japanese decision to surrender?
· Was the bombing of Nagasaki unnecessary? To the extent that the atomic bombing was critically important to the Japanese decision to surrender would it have been enough to destroy one city?
· Would the Soviet declaration of war have been enough to compel Tokyo to admit defeat?
General Guidelines for a Research Paper
1. Be sure that your paper is 1,000 words, not including title page, notes or and bibliography, using standard one-inch margins, 12-point font Times New Roman and double spacing.
2. The paper should clearly answer the topic and state your opinion or position clearly. You should have a well-developed thesis or position, supported by evidence from sources that are cited in your bibliography.
3. You may present your paper in whichever style you are most familiar or comfortable in using (APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.)
4. Be sure to incorporate research from scholarly journals and internet sites that you find online or at your library.
5. Your bibliography should include at least three sources besides your textbook.
6. It must have a title page that includes your name and an appropriate title for your research paper.
7. The paper should express your ability to think critically about a topic and sources.
8. The paper should express your ability to combine information and ideas from different sources into a focused argument.
9. It is important that you use spell check and other grammar aids built into word-processing programs. Be sure to proofread the paper yourself and have someone read it before it is submitted, if possible.
10. Your final paper should be free of spelling, grammatical, stylistic and mechanical errors.
11. Although this is an opinion paper, avoid the use of first person (i.e. “I feel. . . .” or “In my opinion, . . . “)
