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Gennifer Houchins
HIST 4000
May 31, 2008
First Book Review
Ronald Takaki
Hiroshima: Why America
Dropped the Atomic Bomb
Boston: Little, Brown and
Company, 1995.
193 pp.
This writer
contends that Ronald Takaki's Hiroshima: Why America Dropped the
Atomic Bomb addresses the reasons behind the American
government's dropping of Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan on
August 6 and August 9, 1945. Takaki puts forth three
primary supporting arguments as to why the bomb was dropped.
He explains
the idea to drop the atomic bomb was because of the American
governments’ need to end the war. He examines the leaders and issues
involved in making the decision to stop the war by the quickest and
least deadly to American soldiers. Takaki states the way wars were
being fought were changing. Air strategy and new technologies made war
more brutal and deadly. He contends this brought the American
government to make the decision.
He also
focuses his book with great detail on the growing political issues with
the Soviet Union. He believes the bomb was used as a threat to keep
Russia in line. The threat of the Atomic Bomb and then the use of the
bomb would end Russia’ expansion and control over Europe. He also
discusses the debate between whether to share the idea of the atomic
bomb with Russia. He shows how leaders knew they would be ahead of
Russia but they also knew that lead would be small so they had to work
quickly. Basically he contends the atomic bomb would open up
discussions but only for a short period of time. So they needed to use
the bomb quickly and effectively to gain the upper hand on talks.
Takaki also
contends that prejudice played a large role in why America dropped the
Atomic bomb. He charges Truman as a racist. He uses sources such as
Truman’s letters and conversations by Truman’s daughter. He makes
several statements on how Americans tend to do things and not reflect on
those past decisions. He claims Truman had issues with masculinity and
says Truman was a bit of a bully. He also makes comments regarding
several top decision makers in the government. He compares one leader
as dealing with Russia like Americans were on a hunt during the frontier
days.
Takakis’ book
is a great introduction to the Atomic Bomb. He introduces all the key
individuals and explores the issues with thorough detail and support.
For such a small book he packs in a lot of basic knowledge and comes
across very informative. He gives numerous personal accounts from key
individuals from the time of the atomic bomb.
Ronald Takaki received
his PhD in History from the University of
California at
Berkeley. He is also a professor of Ethnic studies which
explains why he
considers race such a large issue into why America dropped the Atomic
bomb. Takaki is a Japanese
American who has written several other books on
different ethnicities within American
culture. He tends to be
too anti-American but gives ideas that will surely cause a larger
debate and better book sales.
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