courtesy of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
"It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe."
-Truman, August 6th 1945
Although Truman received no briefing about the atomic bomb before taking office, he displayed great leadership in deciding to drop the bomb and countering Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.).
“Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans.”
-Truman, August 9th 1945
"I don't believe anyone ever expected to look at a sight quite like that. Where we had seen a clear city two minutes before, we could now no longer see the city. We could see smoke and fires creeping up the sides of the mountains."
-Navigator Theodore Van Kirk of the Enola Gay
Japan
Nuclear Arms Race
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After the atomic bomb was dropped, U.S. and U.S.S.R. entered the Nuclear Arms Race, a competition for development of nuclear warfare.
- By the end of the Cold War, U.S. conducted 1,032 nuclear tests and U.S.S.R. 715
Photos of victims of U.S.S.R. nuclear test radiation
“ The descendants of the atomic bomb survivors will have to be monitored for several generations to clarify the genetic impact, and so generations to come will be forced to live in anxiety.”
-Douglas Roche, The Ultimate Evil
Atomic Bomb Legacies
There is controversy over the possession of nuclear weapons by different nations. Countries cannot give up the weapons while their enemies keep them. A solution for this world security threat must be found.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's report says nine nations have a total of 16,300 nuclear weapons.
“Just one nuclear weapon exploded in a city -- be it New York or Moscow; Tokyo or Beijing; London or Paris -- could kill hundreds of thousands of people. And it would badly destabilize our security, our economies, and our very way of life.” |
35643__sandyrb__usat-bomb.mp3 | |
File Size: | 995 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
sound courtesy of freesound.org