Hiroshima: Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb - Historical Analysis & Impact | WWII History Book for Students & Researchers

Like many people, I managed to exist my formal schooling knowing very little about the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In preparation for an extended trip to Japan, I wanted to learn a little more about this important event.Ronald Takaki does an excellent job encapsulating the political climate in the U.S., Japan and Russia of 1945. The death of Roosevelt and the elevation of Truman to the presidency had a profound impact on world events. These presidents had different philosophies concerning the use of atomic weapons, and the world might be a very different place had Roosevelt lived to see the end of the war. Truman and Stalin provided a smooth transition from World War II to the beginnings of the Cold War.Ultimately, I left "Hiroshima : Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb" with a better understanding and appreciation of why America decided to use atomic weapons against Japan. Takaki provides motivations for most of the key players, along with supporting evidence. The book is extremely readable, and was as captivating as any novel.Whether or not dropping the bomb was "good" or "bad" is left up to the reader. Honestly, I have yet to decide.