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Alex Hengge
Professor Zalar
World War II Honors Seminar
11 September 2015
Final Reflective Essay

World War II was a war of firsts. This was the first time America was ever attacked on
our own soil. This was the first time the world saw the intense hatred fueled by Nazism. The
Second World War was the first event that had radar, incendiary bombs dropped from above, and
advanced models of planes, ships, and tanks that completely changed the way soldiers fought.
There has never been a war with such devastating effects on morale and population on a global
scale. Early in the war, Einstein introduced the atomic bomb, a brand new weapon that changed
the way countries fought and politically interacted for decades afterwards. Americas decision to
drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 created a precedent for the rest of modern
history. Ever since then, there have been countless debates on whether or not America should
have dropped the bomb. However, in order to end the war against the Japanese, they made the
correct decision. In a simple, black and white world, ending the war would be the only factor
considered in this decision. Nevertheless, the war was complicated by clashing cultures, massive
spending, civilians and soldiers dying, and messy judgements. This created many grey areas that
had with for years to come.
In a black and white world, the atomic bomb was the obvious choice in ending the war
against Japan. The Japanese had a culture of refusing to surrender and fighting to the death.
Before the war, government officials viewed European style and habits as sophisticated. These
men were supposed to lead this nation into the modern era and yet were viewed to be shallow

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and imitative of Westerners. It seemed as if they were betraying their own nation and culture.
This atmosphere created rebellions and extreme acts of ones commitment to ones country. As
the officials became increasingly corrupt, more of the population began to rebel against this type
of lifestyle. The First World War also helped the Japanese realize the need to modernize and
mobilize their army quickly and efficiently. This became a priority throughout the government,
education system, and culture. The Youth Army was established by Kato Kinji and created army
youth training institutions that encouraged imperialistic settlement in Manchuria and an extreme
emphasis on masculinity. In education, secondary school was highly selective and middle school
was paired with mandatory service in the army. Military training, emphasis on athleticism, and
the indoctrination of Bushido (self-sacrifice) were mandatory in all higher level schooling.
Finally, the culture only emphasized this over-masculinity, aggressive, nationalistic mindset.
Stories, mythological creatures, political cartoons, and plays were created that influenced the
youth and reiterated this set philosophy. This culture was developed out of the rejection of
Western ways. It created a masculine, imperialistic, and aggressive mindset that was portrayed
through their fighting in World War II. Even though their defeat was inevitable, they continued to
fight to the death through kamikazes, savage fighting, and utter disregard for civilian life. This
was all with the end goal to protect the Emperor. America had never seen this kind of mentality
before and did not want to risk a deadly invasion that would only result in an extreme number of
casualties due to the brutal war strategy of the Japanese.
Not only was their mentality ferocious in the Pacific, but fighting strategy created a tense
and fierce atmosphere. During the battle of Okinawa alone, 20,000 American soldiers died,
20,000 American soldiers were injured, 110,000 Japanese soldiers died, and 100,000 Okinawans
died. The battle was so intense that 20,000 American soldiers were damaged psychologically in

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addition to the casualties. The Japanese began the war by attacking the Allied forces as soon as
they stormed the beaches. This was extremely deadly to the soldiers charging onto the island and
was the most difficult aspect of the overall invasion. However, starting at Okinawa, the Japanese
delayed these human waves, lured their enemy deeper into the island, and assailed the
unsuspecting invasion while they were located in burrowed positions. This new defensive
strategy not only resulted in mass causalities, but the long, hard battles were tough on American
soldiers physically, mentally, and emotionally. Eugene Sledge was a marine who fought in the
Battle of Peleliu and Okinawa. In his recollection of the war through his novel, he says, I asked
God "Why, why, why?" I turned my face away and wished that I were imagining it all. I had
tasted the bitterest essence of war, the sight of helpless comrades being slaughtered, and it filled
me with disgust. Truman had to consider this savage and almost suicidal way of fighting that
would only get worse once his troops got closer to Japans homeland. The nuclear bomb was a
way to save American soldiers by bringing the fight to Japans soil without risking the lives lost
through an all-out invasion. Even Churchill, who was the least bloodthirsty out of all of the Big
Three, was quoted saying To avert a vast, indefinite butcheryat the cost of a few explosions
seemed, after all our toils and perils, a miracle of deliverance. The unparalleled ferocity of
Pacific warfare required a solution to stop the madness at any cost. The marines and other
infantry had already lost so many men to this barbaric, confusing, style of fighting. They longed
for peace.
American lives werent the only ones that would be saved if the war came to an end. The
Japanese were known for their inhumane, relentless, and cruel treatment to the Chinese citizens.
The Rape of Nanking is the infamous rape, torture and annihilation of every soldier, man,
woman, and child in the village. This was just one example of the inhumane, and shocking

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treatment of human life that continued throughout the whole war. The Chinese werent the only
victims of the Japaneses fury. Okinawans were used as human battle shields against the Allies.
According to Sledge, bombs would be attached to women and sent down the hillside to kill their
enemies. Thousands upon thousands of Okinawans were killed due to the invasion of their home
and the vicious war tactics of the soldiers. The Japanese population wasnt even safe from their
own soldiers. Young girls were trained to fight with broomsticks and forced into a nursing
positions on the battlefield that they were not trained to do. Even though the nuclear bomb killed
hundreds and thousands of innocent Japanese civilians, the continuation of the war would have
killed the same amount, if not more, of people among the Chinese, Okinawans, and Japanese.
A few other smaller factors were considered when deciding on whether or not to drop the
nuclear bomb to end the war. First, logically, the United States Government spent a lot of money
researching, building, and testing the atomic bomb. Reasonably, the American people would be
angry if they found out political officials and scientists spent two billion dollars on a weapon that
could have saved their loved ones overseas and ended the war. Another factor that drove this
monumental decision was the ability to shock the Soviet Union and show our nuclear power to
the world. It was a known fact that other countries were already developing similar weapons.
America did not want to put themselves in danger of being bombed by other countries by being
behind with weapon development. Tensions were also rising between the United States and the
Soviet Union. Contradictory post-war plans and the power vacuum created by the downfall of
Germany strained their already forced relationship. By dropping the bomb on Japan, America got
to display their nuclear muscle and show Russia that they are still a political and military force to
be reckoned with. Finally, President Roosevelt proclaimed that he demanded unconditional
surrender from Japan at the Potsdam Conference. Before World War II, the Allied forces made a

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miscalculation with Hitler by appeasing to his demands. They refused to make the same mistake
twice. It is argued by historians and analysists that the Japanese would have surrendered if their
Emperors safety was secured. This was a violation of Americas terms of surrender. Some
speculate that the Japanese army fought frantically to kill as many soldiers as possible in order to
receive more lenient terms. Truman and his peers refused to consider this option and needed a
way to stay firm and prevent more American soldiers from dying. The nuclear bomb was the
solution.
In class, we discussed that the most important objective for leaders in a war is to win. In a
purely, logical, black and white world, this makes sense. They go to war to solve a problem,
obtain a piece of land, acquire resources, or to become a world power. These efforts should be
maximized to access and execute everything in their power to complete this objective. I think
this way of thinking needs to be challenged. Wars are an interesting tool that show how a country
can come together or fall apart in a time of stress and turmoil. I I believe war is more than just
winning but about holding your country to a higher standard. It should reflect not giving into
pure hatred, about representing the morality of the entire population, and about considering the
long-term effects of every action.
Pearl Harbor was the first time that the United States was attacked on her own soil. In our
point of view, this bombing was abrupt and a betrayal. It went against the Western way of
thinking and fighting. You werent supposed to attack without a declaration of war. You werent
supposed to bomb sleeping soldiers. You werent supposed to push the boundaries set in place
from hundreds of years of traditions of warfare. There were rules that were understood, and
America was utterly shocked at this betrayed. This caused a deep-rooted hatred and disrespect
for the Japanese Empire and a need for revenge on their homeland. This first started with the use

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of the incendiary bombs. These are not controlled and destroy everyone and everything in their
path. This was the first stepping stone to the nuclear bomb. However, this doesnt settle right
with me. Americans loathed the Japanese because they failed to uphold the last aspect of war that
still contained a hint of morality and ethics. Considering that their enemies as subhuman, savage,
and in need of extermination seems extremely hypocritical. America prided itself in following
the rules and holding themselves to a higher standard. This concept was thrown out the window
when the atomic bomb became a reality. I realize its challenging to argue theories of ethics
against the loss of lives. Also, it is important to take in account that hindsight creates 20/20
vision. It is easy to reflect 70 years later about what is right and wrong versus being caught up in
the emotions, politics, stress, and groupthink of the moment at the given time period. Even
though the nuclear bomb was the correct decision to make for ending the war, its still
challenging for me to totally disregard the morality of the entire decision.
From this class, Ive learned that it is important to ask the right questions. America at this
time period did not. They only asked if dropping the bomb would end the war most efficiently.
This is an important question to consider when lives are at stake, but it shouldnt be the only one.
What about: Should we specifically target Japanese civilians? Does this make us hypocrites?
How will this affect political relations regarding the future use of nuclear bombs? Is this morally
the right thing to do? Will this contribute to the catastrophic numbing on a scale that the world
hasnt ever experienced? How will this affect the boundaries of warfare in the future? In a gray
world, these answers are messy and complicated. However, World War II was a messy and
complicated composure of clashing cultures, ideologies, political agendas, and revenge. We
created a lot of grey that were and still are uncomfortable to explore and must be evaluated from
multiple angles in a world that chose to think in black and white.