Paul Fussell’s “Thank God for Atom the Bomb”: A Critique
1. Introduction
In this essay, I will be critiquing the argument made by Paul Fussell in his essay “Thank God for Atom the Bomb”. The essay is a response to Arthur Hadley’s argument that the use of the atomic bomb on Japan was unnecessary. In his essay, Fussell tries to justify the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by arguing that it saved American lives. He claims that the US Air Force would have continued to bomb Japan until they surrendered and that this would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of American casualties. He also argues that the bombing forced Japan to surrender and saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Japanese people who would have been killed in a ground invasion. Though the arguments in favor of the bombing presented by Paul Fussell are based on facts, however, they fail to justify the bombing at all.
2. The Hiroshima Bombing
The bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, was a devastating event that killed thousands of people instantly and caused immense suffering for those who survived. The city was destroyed and many people were left homeless and without food or water. The radiation from the bomb also caused long-term health effects for those who were exposed to it. The bombing was an act of war that killed innocent civilians and caused great suffering. It is hard to see how this could be justified in any way.
3. The US Air Force
The US Air Force played a major role in the bombing of Hiroshima. They dropped the bomb and were responsible for the deaths of many innocent people. The US Air Force did not need to bomb Hiroshima in order to win the war. They could have continued to target military targets and eventually forced Japan to surrender without harming civilians.
4. The Atomic Bomb
The atomic bomb is a weapon of mass destruction that causes great suffering and death. It should only be used as a last resort and only when there is no other way to achieve victory. The use of the atomic bomb on Japan was not necessary and it cannot be justified.
5. Paul Fussell
Paul Fussell is a historian who has written extensively about World War II. In his essay “Thank God for Atom the Bomb”, he tries to justify the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by claiming that it saved American lives. He argues that if the US Air Force had continued to bomb Japan, they would have suffered heavy casualties. He also claims that the atomic bomb forced Japan to surrender and saved Japanese lives. However, his arguments are flawed and he fails to justify the use of the atomic bomb on Japan.
6. Arthur Hadley
Arthur Hadley is a historian who has written extensively about World War II. In his essay “The Bombing of Hiroshima”, he argues that the use of the atomic bomb on Japan was unnecessary and immoral. He claims that the US could have won the war without using such a weapon and that the bombing was nothing more than an act of revenge against Japan. Hadley’s argument is sound and he provides convincing evidence to support his claim that the use of the atomic bomb was unnecessary and unjustified.
7.
Japan surrendered on August 15th, 1945, after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese government announced their surrender in a radio broadcast. The announcement came as a shock to the American people who had been led to believe that an invasion of Japan would be necessary to win the war.
8. Kamikaze
Kamikaze is a Japanese word meaning “divine wind”. It is the name given to Japanese pilots who flew suicide missions during World War II. Kamikaze pilots would fly their planes into enemy ships in order to sink them. Kamikaze attacks were very effective and caused great damage to the Allied forces. However, they were also very cruel and killed many innocent people.
9. Surrender
Japan surrendered on August 15th, 1945, after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese government announced their surrender in a radio broadcast. The announcement came as a shock to the American people who had been led to believe that an invasion of Japan would be necessary to win the war.
10. Conclusion
In conclusion, the arguments made by Paul Fussell in his essay “Thank God for Atom the Bomb” are based on facts, however, they fail to justify the bombing at all. The bombing of Hiroshima was an act of war that killed innocent civilians and caused great suffering. It is hard to see how this could be justified in any way.