Japanese Bombings
Aaron Youngs
Synopsis
The Media's Portrayal
Another way the media portrayed the bombings was questioning whether the decisions to kill innocent people was morally correct. A majority of the media did not approve of President Truman's decision to drop the bombs over the cities. The media made Truman look like a sadistic leader, as well as a coward. What the media failed to report was the efforts made by Truman to warn the Japanese to evacuate Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 1, 1945, the President sent hundreds of B-29's over the two cities to drop millions of leaflets telling the Japanese people to evacuate. The Japanese troops forced civilians to stay put in their homes. When the bombs were dropped a few days later, the death toll was large due to the failure to evacuate.
Bias and Criticism
Historical criticism is the main criticism found in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These bombings helped the Americans become victorious in the war with Japan. On September 2, 1945, VJ Day (Victory of Japan Day) was the outcome of these two bombings. Victory over Japan meant the war was over, and the Americans were victorious.
Sources
- "Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
- "American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
- "PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI (GENSUIKIN)."PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI (GENSUIKIN). N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.