Question

Why did President Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities?

to show the Nazis the strength of the US military
to display the power of the United States to the Soviets
to end the war with Japan as quickly as possible
to complete the firebombing attacks on Tokyo

Answer 1

President Truman decided to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities primarily **to end the war with Japan as quickly as possible**. The goal was to force a swift Japanese surrender and avoid a potentially costly invasion of the Japanese mainland, which was estimated to result in significant Allied and Japanese casualties. The use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 ultimately contributed to Japan's surrender, effectively bringing an end to World War II. While demonstrating military power to other nations, including the Soviet Union, was a factor in the broader context of post-war geopolitics, the immediate rationale for using the bombs was to expedite the conclusion of the war.