Was The Use Of Nuclear Bombs In A Sneaky Surprise Attack by the US On Japan Justified?

 

In 1945, the US prepared for an invasion of Japan. It was preceded by a substantially long period of continuous conventional and fire-bombing campaign that destroyed, devastated or obliterated at least 67 Japanese cities. The war in Europe concluded when Germany surrendered on 8 May 1945, and the full attention of the US and its Axis of Evils was focused onto the Pacific War. 

By July 1945, the US' Manhattan Project had produced two types of atomic bombs: 1 Fat Man - a plutonium implosion-type nuclear weapon. 2. Little Boy - an enriched uranium gun-type fission weapon. The 509th Composite Group of the US Air Force was trained and equipped with the specialized Silverplate version of the Boeing B-29 Super-fortress, and deployed to Tinian in the Mariana Islands. 

The US gave Japan an ultimatum. It demanded for the unconditional surrender of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces on 26 Jul 1945. The alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". Japan ignored the ultimatum. The consent of the United Kingdom was obtained for the bombing, as was required by the Quebec Agreement, and orders were issued on 25 July for atomic bombs to be used against Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki. These targets were chosen because they were large urban areas that also held militarily significant facilities. 

On 6 August, the 'Little Boy' was dropped on Hiroshima. The Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki reiterated the Japanese government's commitment to ignore the US' demands and to fight on. Three days later, the 'Fat Man' was dropped on Nagasaki. Over the next two to four months, the effects of the two atomic bombings killed about 146,000 people in Hiroshima and about 80,000 people in Nagasaki. At least half of those numbers were killed immediately on Day One. 

For many months afterward, large numbers of people continued to die from the effects of burns, injuries and radiation sickness, compounded by illness and malnutrition. Although Hiroshima had a big military garrison, most of the dead were civilians. In total, about 2 million people had perished. Even until today, 76 years later, the residual effects of the two bombs continue in future generations of the Japanese people. 

 Japan surrendered to the US on 15 August, six days after the Soviet Union's declaration of war on Japan, and after the bombing of Nagasaki. The Japanese government surrendered unconditionally to the US on 2 September 1945, ending World war 2 . 

Scholars have extensively studied the effects of the bombings and until today there is still much debate concerning the ethical and legal justifications for the bombings. Supporters believe that the atomic bombings were necessary to bring a swift end to the war with minimal casualties, while critics argue that the Japanese government could have been brought to surrender through other means, while highlighting the moral and ethical implications of nuclear weapons and the deaths caused to civilians, especially innocent children and old folks. 

Was the US justified to employ Nuclear Weapons in a surprise attack on Japan, or any country for that matter? What do you think? 

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