Atomic Weapons And The Atomic Bomb - 1709 Words

On August 6th, 1945 Akihiro Takahashi, a 14-year old boy, never made it to school. Instead, he was engulfed in a â€Å"tremendous heat† and left on the side of a Hiroshima street to watch his own flesh melt off his body (Takahashi). Later that week, despite surviving the dropping of the atomic bomb on her city, Eiko Taoka would watch helplessly as her infant son died of radiation poisoning--something she blames herself for to this day (Taoka). There are thousands of stories like these, and each one describes the incredible destructive power behind atomic weapons and the deep wounds they leave behind. Even now, seventy years after that fateful day, writers and filmmakers utilize the terror induced by the thought of atomic warfare in their†¦show more content†¦This move was largely due to the hardships experienced on American soil during the Great Depression and its losses in World War I (American Isolationism). However on December 7th, 1941, the isolationist stance hel d by the United States was shattered when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and war was officially declared on Japan, Germany, and Italy (American Isolationism). This war would go on for another four years, taking with it close to 50 million lives and devastating not only families, but entire nations (By The Numbers). Due to the incredible loss of life, the United States understood that ending the war, especially the ongoing war in the pacific, was of paramount importance. Unfortunately for the Japanese, it would be its country’s own sense of pride and nationalism that brought its undoing. Despite being overpowered, without resources, and lacking a functioning navy, the Japanese government refused to surrender to the United States (Powers). Many have speculated that a contributing factor may have been Japan’s ancient belief in â€Å"bushido†--an old Samurai idea that â€Å"the supreme sacrifice of life† was the â€Å"purest of accomplishments† (Po wers). This suggested that the Japanese army was willing to fight until they had exhausted all their resources, all their lives, and left their country in ruin. While he knew that continuing the