Before the Bomb: How America Approached the End of the Pacific WarUniversity Press of Kentucky, 1 déc. 1997 - 246 pages Almost forgotten in the haze of events following Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the summer of 1945 witnessed an intense public debate over how best to end the war against Japan. Weary of fighting, the American people were determined to defeat the imperial power that had so viciously attacked them in December 1941, but they were uncertain of the best means to accomplish this goal. Certain of victory - the "inevitable triumph" promised by Franklin Roosevelt immediately after Pearl Harbor - Americans became increasingly concerned about the human cost of defeating Japan. Particularly after the brutal Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns, syndicated columnists, newspaper editorialists, radio commentators, and others questioned the necessity of invasion. A lengthy naval and aerial siege would have saved lives but might have protracted the war beyond the public's patience. Advertisers filled the media with visions of postwar affluence even as the government was exhorting its citizens to remain dedicated to the war effort. There was heated discussion as well about the morality of firebombing Japanese cities and of using poison gas and other agents of chemical warfare. Chappell provides a balanced assessment of all these debates, grounding his observations in a wealth of primary sources. He also discusses the role of racism, the demand for unconditional surrender, and the government's reaction to public opinion in the decision to drop the atomic bomb. Compelling and controversial, this is the first work to examine the confusing and contradictory climate of the American home front in the months leading up to V-J Day. |
Table des matières
A War Half Won | 6 |
Images of the Enemy | 23 |
How Long Will This War Last? | 39 |
Visions of Abundance | 55 |
Okinawa | 72 |
The Sinister Cloud | 86 |
Assault or Siege? | 100 |
Unconditional Surrender | 116 |
Resolution | 132 |
Conclusion | 149 |
Notes | 157 |
Sources | 215 |
238 | |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Before The Bomb: How America Approached the End of the Pacific War John Chappell Affichage d'extraits - 1997 |
Expressions et termes fréquents
18 June advertisement Allied American argued Army Air Forces Arnold Atlanta Constitution Atomic Bomb atrocities attack August battle broadcast Byrnes campaign casualties Central Decimal File chemical warfare chemical weapons Chicago Daily Tribune Chiefs of Staff Christian Century citizens civilians claimed columnist combat commanders commentators Committee Decision defeat Diaries editorial emperor enemy fighting Grew H.V. Kaltenborn Harry Hirohito Hiroshima home front ibid invasion of Japan Iwo Jima Japa Japanese cities Japanese soldiers Japs Joint Chiefs July kamikaze Kyushu Leahy letter Louis Post-Dispatch MacArthur Marshall memo Memorandum microfilm reel military leaders naval nese Newsweek Nimitz Office Okinawa Pacific Pacific War Pakenham Papers peace Pearl Harbor Plans poison gas postwar Potsdam Declaration President Press radio Secretary Soviet Star Stimson Safe File strategy targets tion Tokyo Truman unconditional surrender United Univ V-E Day victory war's Washington Post women World York Herald Tribune
Fréquemment cités
Page 1 - Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces-with the unbounding determination of our people-we will gain the inevitable triumph-so help us God.