Smerconish Sunday

Question of the Week/

Was Harry S Truman justified in using the atomic bomb to bring World War II to an end?

I’ve read David McCullough’s excellent biography on Truman and now seen the movie Oppenheimer. The debate has never really been won by either side of the question.

If Truman hadn’t used the bomb….thousands of American young men would have been killed or wounded as the war dragged on in the Pacific. Add to the fact, there was Stalin and Russian troops in Berlin with American troops as well after the Germans surrendered.

Add to these facts…Truman had just ascended to the presidency by way of FDR’s death early in his fourth term. Truman was not at this point in any way considered a political heavyweight of any sort.

Here was this somewhat little known man from Independence, Missouri who never attended college making the toughest decision in contemporary American history.

Most people do not instantly remember Truman had by his side three of FDR’s most trusted advisor’s…. General Dwight Eisenhower, General George Marshall, and General Lucious Clay. If you want to know who were FDR’s most trusted advisors during WWII…google George Marshall and Lucious Clay. If you really want to learn about American policy at this time read the excellent biography written by Jean Edward-Smith in regards to General Lucious Clay.

All three of these men advised Truman to end the war. All three were much more prominent figures than Harry Truman.

Can you imagine the anguish of American parents if they later found out their sons had died in vain for no reason?

Can you imagine the difficulty Truman would have had explaining to Americans why he didn’t use the bomb after Japan’s unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941?

It’s easy here in the present to answer this question as no. None of us were sitting in Harry S Truman’s chair. None of us can possibly relate to the anguish he must have felt internally the rest of his life.

It’s an almost impossible question to answer.

But given all the considerations Truman faced…I would answer the question…yes.

I think my question next week will be.. Should Joe Biden Run for a Second Term?

Peace.