President Truman justified the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities by stating that it was necessary to bring a swift end to the war and save American lives. He argued that an invasion of Japan would result in a high casualty rate for both American troops and Japanese civilians, and that dropping the atomic bombs was the most effective way to force Japan to surrender. Additionally, Truman believed that demonstrating the destructive power of the atomic bomb would serve as a deterrent to future aggression by other countries.
