The Town Sound
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
    • 2021 Issues
    • 2020 Issues
    • 2019 Issues
    • 2018 Issues
    • 2017 Issues
    • 2016 Issues
  • Contact
  • Other
    • Find a Copy
    • Subscribe
    • Donate

The Great Decision

3/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The date was April 12, 1945, and earthshaking news spread throughout the world: Franklin Roosevelt, who had begun his 4th term as president only a few months before, had died. Suddenly, the president who had led America through the Great Depression and World War II, the only president many people remembered, was gone. Roosevelt’s  vice president, Harry S Truman, asked the newly-widowed Mrs. Roosevelt what he could do for her. “Is there anything we can do for you?” she answered. “You’re the one in trouble now.”
After being sworn in as president, Truman held a press conference. “Boys,” he told the assembled reporters, “if you ever pray, pray for me now. I feel like the moon, the stars, and all the planets have fallen on me.”
Truman had not even wanted to be vice president. Roosevelt had to engage in a little arm-twisting before he reluctantly agreed to run. With no executive experience, he suddenly found himself president in the middle of world war... after less than 4 months as vice president. Within a month, Truman had to make a decision with enormous ramifications. Germany and Italy had finally surrendered, but Japan was a different story. Massive bombing campaigns over Tokyo and other major Japanese cities had little effect. Japanese soldiers and civilians were under orders to fight to the death, rather than surrender. Although the Allies suffered almost 340,000 casualties fighting Japan, Japan’s losses, including civilians, numbered almost 2 million. Based on the extraordinarily bloody fighting so far, experts estimated that a full-scale invasion of Japan would result in several million more Japanese - and at least a million more American - deaths. There was another option, however, Truman was informed. For the first time, he was briefed on a frightening new weapon, an invention called an “electronic” or “atomic” bomb, which had the power to destroy an entire city.

Picture
After pondering all his options, Truman finally made his decision. An American bomber flew over the city of Hiroshima. After dropping the bomb, the pilot and his crew saw a huge fireball erupt over the city, and a massive shock wave slammed into the plane, knocking the men over. On the ground, the results were terrible: devastation, buildings and trees gone in an instant, and almost 150,000 people killed instantly or wounded. That day, Truman made a radio address, warning Japan that if they didn’t surrender, they would face “a rain of ruin from the air.” Unbelievably, Japanese military leaders were unfazed. They advised that America couldn’t have more than three of the new bombs in stock. “There will be more destruction, but the war will go on,” they declared. 
        Three days later, the second bomb was dropped, this time on Nagasaki. Uncertain that the Japanese would surrender, even after the second bomb, the U.S. prepared for a massive invasion of Japan to follow if necessary. Russia had just declared war on Japan, which meant that Japan faced attack from both sides at the same time. Even so, the Japanese War Council was split, with half voting to surrender, half against. Finally, against all tradition, the Japanese emperor broke the tie in favor of surrender. World War II had finally ended.
Although his decision has been criticized, Truman likely saved the lives of tens of thousands of POWs held by the Japanese, who were scheduled for mass executions later that month. Millions of Japanese lives also were almost certainly saved. The unlikely president had proved equal to the task.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rachel Schultz

    Picture

    Archives

    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Click here for a monthly subscription by mail. 
You can also pick up a FREE copy anytime at Zion Oasis in Zion, IL. See the inside back cover of our latest issue for a complete listing of other LOCATIONs where you can find The Town Sound.
Contact us   .   Home   .   About us
Click here to unsubscribe from deliveries.
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
    • 2021 Issues
    • 2020 Issues
    • 2019 Issues
    • 2018 Issues
    • 2017 Issues
    • 2016 Issues
  • Contact
  • Other
    • Find a Copy
    • Subscribe
    • Donate