Debate: Atomic Bombs (Cheeky Fellows vs Goa'uld Team)
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:11 pm
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen.
The topic of tonight’s debate is “Detonating the nuclear bombs over Japan in World War II was a morally conscionable act.” Our team (Smooshable, Come_Forth, and Oskar) will be taking the affirmative position, so it will be our responsibility to prove to you that the United States was justified in dropping the atomic bombs. Tonight’s debate topic invokes many strong emotions and preconceived biases, but it is my hope that you the audience will view the evidence with a “Tabula Rasa.”
Before I begin, I would like to take a history trip back to the 1940’s to make sure that everyone has the correct facts about World War II. On December 7, 1941 the Japanese brought the United States into World War II with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Soon after both Japan and the United States declared war on each other after the attack. Japanese military philosophy was at odds with the United States’ military philosophy. This was evidenced by Japan’s treatment of Allied prisoners of war. To the Japanese these prisoners were less than human because they surrendered rather than fight to the death as the Japanese did. During the island hopping that the United States did to reach Japan some of the bloodiest battles of all time were fought. The Japanese fought to the last man. To illustrate this point I will use the battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific. 20,703 Japanese fought to the death while only 216 were captured alive, while the United States had 27,909 casualties. These battles were instrumental in influencing the United States to drop the bombs on Japan.
It was exceedingly evident that Japan was more than willing to fight to the last person. The United States feared the losses, both Japanese and American, if Japan had to be invaded. The decision to use the bomb was one made out of mercy, preceding the atomic bombings was the firebombing of Japan in which over 100,000 Japanese lost their lives and still they would not surrender. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed an estimated 220,000 lives and brought an end to World War II.
Why was the United States so intent on defeating Japan quickly? There are several key answers to this question. Japan was committing atrocities throughout the pacific, at Nanking alone the Japanese killed an estimated 300,000 Chinese. The Japanese also had over 100,000 prisoners of war, and had already signed the order to kill them if the mainland was invaded. The United States morally had to end the war, and people were starving and dying of disease across the pacific that needed help, but as long as Japan would not surrender they could not be helped. The United States was forced into the war, and had no other option than to end the war with as few deaths as possible.
The topic of tonight’s debate is “Detonating the nuclear bombs over Japan in World War II was a morally conscionable act.” Our team (Smooshable, Come_Forth, and Oskar) will be taking the affirmative position, so it will be our responsibility to prove to you that the United States was justified in dropping the atomic bombs. Tonight’s debate topic invokes many strong emotions and preconceived biases, but it is my hope that you the audience will view the evidence with a “Tabula Rasa.”
Before I begin, I would like to take a history trip back to the 1940’s to make sure that everyone has the correct facts about World War II. On December 7, 1941 the Japanese brought the United States into World War II with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Soon after both Japan and the United States declared war on each other after the attack. Japanese military philosophy was at odds with the United States’ military philosophy. This was evidenced by Japan’s treatment of Allied prisoners of war. To the Japanese these prisoners were less than human because they surrendered rather than fight to the death as the Japanese did. During the island hopping that the United States did to reach Japan some of the bloodiest battles of all time were fought. The Japanese fought to the last man. To illustrate this point I will use the battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific. 20,703 Japanese fought to the death while only 216 were captured alive, while the United States had 27,909 casualties. These battles were instrumental in influencing the United States to drop the bombs on Japan.
It was exceedingly evident that Japan was more than willing to fight to the last person. The United States feared the losses, both Japanese and American, if Japan had to be invaded. The decision to use the bomb was one made out of mercy, preceding the atomic bombings was the firebombing of Japan in which over 100,000 Japanese lost their lives and still they would not surrender. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed an estimated 220,000 lives and brought an end to World War II.
Why was the United States so intent on defeating Japan quickly? There are several key answers to this question. Japan was committing atrocities throughout the pacific, at Nanking alone the Japanese killed an estimated 300,000 Chinese. The Japanese also had over 100,000 prisoners of war, and had already signed the order to kill them if the mainland was invaded. The United States morally had to end the war, and people were starving and dying of disease across the pacific that needed help, but as long as Japan would not surrender they could not be helped. The United States was forced into the war, and had no other option than to end the war with as few deaths as possible.