The use of atomic weaponry against Japan in World War II was unjustified.

Since no strict format was laid out I will list my contentions, and then proceed to refute in the next round as I assume that is what you are doing. Contentions: 1. Above all it is the duty of the United States Government to defend its citizens. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." As outlined in the preamble of the United States Constitution, this government was founded on the principle that it would provide for the common defense of the country. I would like to define the common defense as the defense from any threat to the American people, Foreign or domestic. The staff for admiral Chester Nimitz calculated the potential death rate during the first thirty days of the first operation alone (Olympic) would result in 49,000 deaths. The Joint Chiefs of Staff had estimated that Olympic would have cost 109,000 lives (1). To put this into perspective on D-Day, and the invasion of Normandy the U.S. has lost an estimated 2499 troops (2). The total estimated amount of American military deaths in the whole war was around 400,000 (3). The first campaign of an invasion of Japan would have cost drastically more lives then what the U.S. lost on D-Day, and about " of what we lost in the entire war. Note that this is for the first campaign only. Surely such a loss of American life would not be in the best interests of the preamble of the united stated. "To provide for the common defense" This is the common defense of all American people including the Military. On these grounds the government had an obligation to use the best method available to them in the interest of defending their soldiers. In this case that method was the atomic bomb. The bombs brought a prompt end to the war via Japanese surrender resulting in no further loss of U.S lives. The U.S was faced with two scenarios: costly invasion of Japan, or dropping atomic bombs onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were justified in using the bomb to fulfill their obligation to "provide for the common defense" of the American people. The alternative of invasion which would have cost countless American lives is surely the opposite. 2. War is War I would like to state that the Allies were in a state of total war with the Axis during World War II Furthermore, I would like to define total war with dictionary.com definition: "a war in which every available weapon is used and the nation"s full financial resources are devoted" (4). The Japanese were throwing every available weapon they had at us including the fearful kamikaze pilots. This was a very strong weapon because the emotional toll fighting an enemy that isn't afraid of death is huge. In a war in which the enemy was using every weapon they had against us we had the right to retaliate in similar manner. Thus is war. The Japanese government is to blame completely for what happened to them. It was they who initiated the unprovoked attack on the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, and it was their government that didn"t surrender when given the chance. By definition of total war the U.S had every right to use the Atomic bombs as they were our best available means to end the war. 3. The Japanese had a choice Had the Japanese been serious about ending the war they would have surrendered when the allies submitted the Potsdam Declaration. The 13th point in the declaration states: "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction" (5). The whole notion that Japan was looking for peace was just a misleading myth. The US gave them every chance to surrender, and save the life of their people. There was nothing else the US could have done to force Japan to surrender to quickly as they were determined to fight. Not only did we warn them of utter destruction, but we also dropped leaflets on their cities with all sorts of information pertaining to our use of the Atomic bomb. They outlined the power of the bomb, and our intent to use them again to militarily cripple the Japanese. On top of that, the leaflets also told the Japanese citizens to evacuate their cities (6). The fate of Japan was in the hands of their government and to an extent their citizens. (1)http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk... (para 9 and 10) (2)http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk... (para 13) (3)http://warchronicle.com... (4)http://dictionary.reference.com... (5)http://www.atomicarchive.com... (6)http://www.pbs.org...