The Atomic Bomb and American Strategy

By the time Truman took office, Japan was near defeat. American aircraft were attacking Japanese cities at will. A single firebomb raid in March killed nearly 100,000 people and injured over a million in Tokyo. A second air attack on Tokyo in May Idlled 83,000. Meanwhile, the United States Navy had cut the islands supply lines. But because of the generally accepted view that the Japanese would fight to Ae bitter end, a costly invasion of the home islands seemed likely, though some American policy makers held that successful combat delivery of one or more atomic bombs might convince the Japanese that further resistance was futile. 

With the Manhattan Project on the brink of success in spring 1945, the atomic bomb became an increasingly important element in American strategy. 

A long hoped-for weapon now seemed within reach at a time when hard decisions were being made, not only on ending the war in the Pacific, but also on the shape of the postwar international order. 

There was some discussion of free exchange of nuclear research for peaceful purposes and the international inspection system that such an exchange would require. Lawrence s suggestion that a demonstration of the atomic bomb might possibly 

President Truman listened as Stimson outlined the peace terms for Japan, including demilitarization and prosecution of war criminals in exchange for economic and governmental freedom of choice. 

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