At 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima, killing approximately 140,000 men, women and children. Another 10,000 people died from radiation poisoning, and survivors suffered heat burns. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, instantly killing some 40,000 people and several thousand more from radiation. Despite all these consequences, a major question still remains debated today. Was it moral to drop atomic bombs on Japan to save the lives of American soldiers? No, the problems created by the bomb far outweigh the gains due to the number of lives lost, it made the surrounding land uninhabitable and caused birth defects in future generations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of the most immediate effects of the atomic bomb was its ability to kill thousands of people in a matter of seconds and more over time. The blast, heat and radiation from the Hiroshima bomb killed everything within a 20 mile radius. Killing 140,000 people on impact and another 10,000 over the weeks from radiation poisoning. Although the Nagasaki bomb killed almost half the number of victims, the damage left by the bomb cannot be denied. When the bomb exploded, an extremely high atmospheric pressure of several thousand atmospheres was created. This created a powerful shock wave and the wind blew at around 1,000 miles per hour. Thousands of people were killed by being thrown into the air or crushed by structures. The explosion shattered the windows, sending the panes flying through the air, penetrating deep into the victims' bodies. Radiation also played a role in the number of deaths caused by atomic bombs. Everyone within a kilometer of the explosion died from the initial radiation. Within 20 to 30 minutes of the explosion, thick black rain began to fall in the northwest. The rain contained radioactive soot and dust. This contaminated areas far from the center of the explosion. Kill further away from the explosion. After the explosion, the heat set the towns' mostly wooden buildings ablaze, trapping and killing thousands of civilians. (Coddy, Eric. Wirtz, James J. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Santa Barbara ABC-CLIO. 2005 Radiation from bombs embedded in the earth's soil and water kills anything that wanders the earth and stops the growth of plants It is said that nothing can live in these areas for 50 years and the radiation may not completely disappear. Even though the bomb never actually hit the ground, it still burned all the plants and. all animals within range. The extreme heat of thermal radiation shatters everything in its path including animals, trees, buildings and people. The effects have affected not only land animals but also aquatic life. discovered high levels of radioactive contamination in animals, fish and plants in the surrounding forest and they expect this to persist for decades who survived the explosion and the radiation were burned, poisoned and. their children were born with birth defects. Children are born with several types of cancer and many other illnesses due to their parents' exposure. These diseases have been passed down through several generations over time. Some people still live with the effects of the atomic weapons used during World War II.worldwide. Only a handful of people survived and made their way to safety. The book Hiroshima by John Hersey is about six Japanese people who survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Many people, like James Burns, an atomic bomb scientist, did not want to use the bomb because it could have negative effects and, unfortunately, that happened. The worst effects of radiation were on those who suffered it. About 200,000 people died from radiation in the following years. Some effects of radiation are still visible in survivors, almost 60 years after the bombing. The after-effects can also be observed in the next generation from survivors and children born with anomalies. Some notable effects observed cases are deafness, deformation of bone structure and prenatal blindness. “All over the right side of my body I was cut and bleeding. A large splinter protruded from a mutilated wound in my thigh, and something warm flowed into my mouth. My cheek was torn, I discovered, as I felt it carefully, my lower lip wide open. In my neck was a sizable fragment of glass which I dislodged matter-of-factly, and with the detachment of a stunned and shocked person, I studied it and my blood-stained hand” (The Bombing Of). Dr. Michihiko Hachiya, citizen-survivor eyewitness of Hiroshima. In the early 1940s and 1950s, it was not uncommon for massive amounts of death to occur from nuclear weapons. Due to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, many lived in fear of nuclear attacks. Nuclear war not only affected the social and mental aspects of life, but also the health and safety of Americans, the economy and government of the United States, and the geography of the country. Nuclear war played a major role in the changes that the United States faced during the 1940s and 1950s. Nuclear weapons, created in the 1930s, possessed enormous destructive power derived from fission and fusion reactions nuclear. In August 1945, the United States dropped two fission bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Approximately 90,000 to 166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000 to 80,000 people in Nagasaki were killed due to the acute effects of the bombings. "Suddenly I felt like I was being thrown into an iron crucible. There was a huge illumination all around and everything was glowing. When I stood up, the skin on the left side of my face that was facing the flash hung downwards” (Our First Nuclear). This 14-year-old came close to death because of this nuclear tragedy. After World War I, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for power. nuclear energy. At the start of the Cold War, the United States had an advantage in bombers and weapons. American citizens feared possible threats of nuclear war from the Soviet Union. was taken by the United States to protect its citizens and local advertisements were broadcast to alert people and inform them of what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. 1980s, the United States renewed its commitment to a more powerful military. This required a sharp increase in their military programs. . These programs were initially part of the defense budget. The economy suffered greatly from the implementation of these programs created to limit the use of nuclear war. In previous years, during the nuclear age, the way Americans lived and thought changed dramatically. DueWith possible threats of nuclear war in the United States, many people now lived in fear for their lives. For example, in the book "War and Human Nature", the author states: "Americans in general, and evangelicals in particular, are confused and troubled by the debate over nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war" ( War and Human Nature). Many questions remained unanswered for these people. Without any explanation or reasoning behind these threats of nuclear war, Americans were left in a state of confusion and horror. Many commercials and radio broadcasts were broadcast across the country to spread the message about precautions to take during a nuclear war. For example, in 1950, the photograph "Bert's Duck and Cover" was a popular tool for getting the message across to younger audiences. This ad also included an educational video explaining safety tips for surviving a nuclear explosion. Not only have threats of nuclear war caused confusion and chaos, but they have also affected people psychologically. Mainly targeting the younger generation, threats of nuclear war have affected the thoughts and feelings of adolescents. For example, in 2013, Stanford University stated: "The nuclear threat has greatly affected the thoughts, life plans and feelings of the younger generation, heightening anxiety among large populations" (Negative psychological effects) . Most teenagers who grew up in the 1950s were mentally affected by these threats of war. Many developed severe anxiety. and depression. Additionally, many teenagers did not care about the threats. For example, a family doctor said in 1986: "Anxiety was a factor in criminal behavior, and the threat of nuclear war was a factor in anxiety." Psychiatric morbidity has been correlated with work deprivation and the threat of annihilation. Many studies have focused on children, finding that anxiety about social issues is high, but cynicism and apathy quickly set in” (Psychological Effects of the Threat of Nuclear War). Americans went about their daily lives, which also put the younger generation into a state of depression. Even though these effects would be considered short-term, the fear of dying from a nuclear explosion would still be long-term. If a nuclear war explosion were to occur. In the United States, in the 1940s and 1950s, the country's population was in ruins. Damage resulting from nuclear weapons has a major impact on the health of Americans living in the affected area. If a human being were caught in the direct path of the explosion, they would die immediately from the extreme blast of heat and radiation. However, people who were safe from the explosion could still be exposed to the harmful effects of radiation exposure. For example, a recent article states: “Radiation damages DNA and can lead to the development of abnormal cells that then form cancer. At higher levels of radiation exposure, cell death results. Cells may not be replaced quickly enough and tissues may not function. Fetal exposure to radiation may increase the risk of cancer and inadequate brain development” (Nuclear weapons can also cause long-term harmful effects, resulting in the absence of required brain functions). , people sheltered from the initial explosion may not be injured by radiation, but by another determining factor. For example, in 1947, adoctor said: “People inside the buildings or otherwise protected will be indirectly killed by the explosion and heat effects as the buildings collapse. and all flammable materials catch fire. The immediate mortality rate will be greater than 90%. Various individual fires will combine to produce a firestorm when all the oxygen is used up. As heat increases, air is drawn in from the periphery, at or near ground level. This results in deadly hurricane-force winds and perpetuates the fire as fresh oxygen is burned off” (The Effects of). People who follow the precautions explained earlier in this document are still at risk of being crushed by falling debris, burned to death, and suffered from smoke inhalation. Another health risk from nuclear war is starvation and dehydration. Many people take refuge in underground rooms. However, the mistake some people make is not having enough supplies at the moment there. For example, a photo taken in 1957 of a “basement family shelter” shows a fourteen-day supply of food and water in the event of a nuclear explosion. This image also includes a broadcast radio for communication. During the 1950s, many Americans were cautious and knew what to do in the event of a nuclear explosion. However, no matter how prepared they were, the risk of death was always high in the event of an explosion. In addition to deaths from the initial explosions, many people would also die from factors such as lack of oxygen, exposure to radiation, and many other horrific sufferings. Those people living in the United States at that time could only wait for the moment of the first explosion and hope that they had prepared well enough. No one has ever been guaranteed their safety. No one has ever been guaranteed their life. In addition to the many effects a nuclear war would have on individuals, it would also affect the United States as a whole. Its economy would be largely in ruins if the United States faced a nuclear attack. Systems and programs would fail, businesses would collapse, international trade would disappear, and the percentage of employment would decline dramatically. Because of all the deaths caused by the nuclear explosion, hospitals and insurance companies would be in despair. For example: “Life would be seriously disrupted. The medical care system would be overburdened by providing intensive care to fallout victims, leading to a decline in regular, acute, chronic or preventative care. Support systems such as insurance and medical records would likely be in chaos, or at best, in serious disarray, with shortages of some medications. Food production and distribution systems, as well as the banking system, would be seriously disrupted” (The Social and Economic). If the United States were to face a nuclear attack, one of the main problems would be international systems. The United States depends on other countries for trade and assistance with grain and food exports. A nuclear attack would completely destroy this system and “millions of people in countries dependent on food imports or specialized exports would suffer greatly” (Nuclear Consequences). In addition, the economy would face a major problem in terms of employment and businesses. The impact of the explosion would cause destruction throughout the targeted area. This means that many industries such as oil refineries,Power plants, factories, food production facilities and other industrial and commercial facilities would cease operations. The thousands of people who worked in these places would become unemployed, causing an economic recession. Not only would the employment rate decrease due to the destroyed areas, but also due to the number of deaths and illnesses that would result from the nuclear explosion. Another extreme problem that could result from a nuclear war is death. Given the possibility that a nuclear attack could effectively wipe out most of the country's population, doctors and medics were relied upon. A 1981 article states that "society cannot survive a nuclear war and no strategic policy should be based on the idea that doctors will somehow save enough people to continue the war." civilized life” (International Group of). If a nuclear war broke out in the United States, In the United States you can conclude that systems and programs would fail, businesses would collapse, international trade would disappear, the percentage of jobs would decline dramatically, and well other things would continue to happen. Threats of nuclear war affected many government figures in the 1940s and 1950s. Many people disagreed over whether nuclear testing would have a positive effect on the United States and whether the use of weapons nuclear weapons during a nuclear war was a good thing for America and its people. nuclear weapons had a positive impact on the United States. John F. Kennedy was one of many political figures who believed that demonstrating nuclear testing underground was a good thing. In John F. Kennedy's 1963 letter to the Senate, he explains in detail why he believes nuclear weapons are a positive thing. He states: This treaty does not stop American nuclear progress. The United States has more experience with underground testing than any other country; and we intend to use this capability to maintain the adequacy of our arsenal. Our atomic laboratories will maintain an active development program, including underground testing, and we will be prepared to resume atmospheric testing if necessary. Continuing research into the development of peaceful uses of atomic energy will be possible through underground testing. (John F. Kennedy)John F. Kennedy believed that by gaining more knowledge about nuclear weapons, the United States would be prepared to use its weapons if necessary. Another important political figure involved in nuclear war was Harry S. Truman. Truman agreed with Kennedy on the issue of nuclear war. However, unlike Kennedy, Truman saw the negative aspects associated with the war, but he also saw the many positive aspects. He wrote a letter to Congress discussing the benefits associated with nuclear war. He writes: “Nearly two months have passed since the atomic bomb was used against Japan. This bomb didn't win the war, but it certainly shortened it. We know it saved the lives of thousands of American and allied troops who otherwise would have been killed in combat. The discovery of ways to release atomic energy marked the beginning of a new era in the history of civilization. The scientific and industrial knowledge on which this discovery is based does not simply concern another weapon. It could one day prove more revolutionary in the development of human society than the invention of the wheel, the use of.