Why did the USA think it necessary to drop the second atomic bomb on Japan?
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ANSWERS: 13
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Because they refused to surrender after the first one. The US figured on a million or so casualties if the home islands of Japan had to be invaded. If you had been around at the time you'd understand.
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also it was a bluff, they used the second one to show the japanese they had more, although they didnt
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To destroy tha weapon and suplly maufatoring fallcilities
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Its the American way. To kick a man, when he's down.
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Hardcore Conservative But they weren't down. Japan didn't surrender after the first one. And they weren't going to surrender after the second one until Russia invaded Manchuria. Faced with the 2 front war, Japan surrendered. -
dalcocono They weren't "down" they were still determined to keep fighting. -
Army Veteran HC is correct. They weren't afraid of America's bombs. The bombs weren't as destructive as history has hyped them to be. The reason Japan surrendered was that The Soviet Union was knocking on its back door. Japan remembered driving the Soviets back during WW1 and they (Soviets) were well-known for their cruelty during WW2.
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The first one was probably not necessary but it was dropped for the same reason....to show power to the rest of the world, particularly the Soviets
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mushroom
The Soviets were working on their own nuclear bombs and we wanted to make sure they didn't finish what Hitler started. In North Korea, we're still fighting that battle.
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because the US is a terrorist state.
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Hardcore Conservative
Explain why you believe that -
dalcocono
bullshyt
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cause theyre not thinking , thats why
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Japan was not going to surrender. The Japanese were given plenty of chances to capitulate and the civilians were given plenty of warnings of the bombings. Although the first bombing of Hiroshima was obviously to destroy the military targets within the city, it was also used to show the weapons destructiveness to Japan as well as the rest of the world. Japan refused to surrender after the first bomb. Every 15 minutes, broadcasts were sent across Japan, warning civilians to evacuate the major cities and expect more bombs to fall. The Japanese Cabinet knew more were coming and they still wanted to continue to fight. It was only after the second bomb was dropped and in light of the Russian invasion of Manchuria, that Japan knew they had to surrender to the Allies, rather than face surrender to the Russians. It shortened the war, and stopped the inevitable invasion of Japan by land forces, which was expected to cost up to 1 million dead.
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Here's the most thorough review of events prior to the two bombs were dropped. Remember that the victors tend to shape history to their benefit. One 95 yr old friend stationed in the pacific was sure he and others would have died if the war went on much longer. (My heart aches all around) http://www.fpp.co.uk/History/Churchill/Japan_surrender_attempts/MS.html
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There are numerous books /intelligent people that have debated at the time and ever since the wisdom of dropping one, let along two. The one thing I always come back to now -- is, none (maybe a few) of us have any first hand knowledge of all aspects that were considered in August of 1945. What would have been the debate today if we would not have dropped one or two -- what would have then been the consequences? This format is wholly inadequate to cover this question in any but very tentative, elementary terms.
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Hmm! Don't you LURV mushrooms?
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Hmm! Don't you LURV mushrooms?
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Both cities bombed were shipping and manufacturing centers. Legitimate targets in any war. Japan was warned another one was coming if they didn't surrender. They should have listened.
pearllederman 
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