Performative Violence and the Spectacular Debut of the Atomic Bomb
Journal: American Political Science Review
Year: 2025

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reshaped international politics and the field of International Relations. But one question—“ How should the atomic bomb be used?”—has been largely overlooked in political science. This article recovers American deliberations on alternative nuclear use options before August 1945, including the “noncombat demonstration,” targeting military installations, giving advance warning, and striking more symbolically valuable cities. We develop theoretical insi