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English 2 Honors

12-11-2020

On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first ever atomic

bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, a second B-29 bomber dropped

another A-bomb on Nagasaki, killing at least 40,000 people. “What more could one ask from an

act of war? But the two bombs each killed at least 40,000 people and perhaps as many as

100,000. Numerous attempts have been made to estimate the death toll, counting not only those

who died on the first day and over the following week or two but also the thousands who died

later of cancers thought to have been caused by radiation” (The Atlantic, 1). The bombing of

Hiroshima was not morally justifiable for many reasons, but mostly because of the sheer number

of human lives taken and affected; the number of casualties is still unaccounted for due to how

many other illnesses that it indirectly affected the victims. This also led to many other issues

with victims who lost their parents and had nowhere to go. “The exact number of dead can never

be known, because whole families indeed, whole districts were wiped out by the bombs; because

the war had created a floating population of refugees throughout Japan; because certain

categories of victims, such as conscript workers from Korea, were excluded from estimates by

Japanese authorities; and because as time went by, it became harder to know which deaths had

indeed been caused by the bombs” (The Atlantic, 2). Hiroshima was unmistakably the worst

tragedy the United States helped create. The effects went beyond the short-term impact in terms

of the number of deaths and refugees created by the initial bombing.

If I was alive during the time of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki then my

solution would have been to cease any and all nuclear warfare or production of nuclear
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armaments. This would have stopped any further issues and would have prevented other issues

like the Cold War. The reason nuclear warfare was such a large issue was due to the long-term

radiation effects of nuclear bombs on humans is drastic and irreversible. Long-term effects of

nuclear bombs can only be prevented, not fixed. This is proven by the following, “The atomic

bombs (A-bombs) dropped on Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. of August 6th and on Nagasaki at 11:02

a.m. of August 9th, 1945 were responsible for the existence of A-bomb survivors. More than

200,000 people were either killed or injured by the A-bombs. Survivors have suffered or have

been suffering from acute radiation disorders as well as the onset of the delayed effects of

radiation from the bombings. Since then, survivors have been suffering from the difficulties of

life caused by health problems and had to contend with prejudice and discrimination in the

society” (Human Rights Committee, 3). Due to the A-bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and

Nagasaki, many peoples’ lives and families were changed forever. “A-bomb survivors” became a

term that is now used to describe survivors and 2nd generations of the Japanese atomic bombs.

These A-bomb survivors have been subject to long lasting immune disorders, cancers, and other

psychological and medical conditions. This could be all prevented by a solution of banning the

use of any and all nuclear weapons and armaments.

To conclude, the conflict of issues associated with the threat and use of nuclear weapons

explored in the novel Hiroshima continue to plague us today in the 21st century. The solution of

banning the use of ALL nuclear weapons along with the research and production, would put a

halt to the cruel and unusual punishment to all living things that are associated with these

weapons. Having a solution could protect all humans and make sure our world will not have to

suffer through these unthinkable tragedies like Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Lastly, it is our duty as
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humans to protect each other and look out for one another, we should always find a way to make

changes whether large or small for the better of mankind.

Works Cited

Stokes, Bruce. “70 Years after Hiroshima, Opinions Have Shifted on Use of Atomic Bomb.”

Pew Research Center, 4 Aug. 2015, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/04/70-

years-after-hiroshima-opinions-have-shifted-on-use-of-atomic-bomb.

Mason, Emma. “Was the US Justified in Dropping Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

during the Second World War?” HistoryExtra, 26 Nov. 2020,

www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/atomic-bomb-hiroshima-nagasaki-

justified-us-debate-bombs-death-toll-japan-how-many-died-nuclear.

Committee on the Effects of Nuclear Earth-Penetrator and Other Weapons; Division on

Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Research Council. “‘Effects of Nuclear

Earth-Penetrator and Other Weapons’ at NAP.Edu.” NAP.Edu,

www.nap.edu/read/11282/chapter/8#79. Accessed 11 Dec. 2020.