How did President Harry Truman justify the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities
• He predicted that a conventional US invasion would never succeed in conquering Japan
• He thought that Japan was on the verge of developing it's own nuclear bombs to use against the United States
• He felt it was appropriate revenge for Pearl Harbor
• He believed that it would save the lives of many US service men who would have died if the US had hypothetic invaded Japan
• He believed that dropping the atomic bombs would bring a quicker end to the war and ultimately save more lives in the long run, as it would prevent a prolonged and costly invasion of Japan.
• He also believed that the shock and devastation of the atomic bombs would force Japan to surrender unconditionally, ultimately bringing an end to the war and preventing further loss of life on both sides.
• Additionally, Truman and his advisers believed that demonstrating the immense power of the atomic bomb would serve as a deterrent to other potential adversaries in the future.