BBC History UK 04.2020

object,” he wrote, “is to save as many

American lives as possible but I also

have a human feeling for the women

and children of Japan.”

On 6 August, the US B-29

Superfortress Enola Gay dropped the

first atom bomb – ‘Little Boy’ – on

Hiroshima. A second bomb – ‘Fat Man’

• exploded in Nagasaki three days later.
  The combined dead from the bombs were
  200,000 Japanese, mostly civilians – an
  appalling total, but less than the number killed
  on Okinawa, and a fraction of those who
  would have died if the US had invaded
  mainland Japan.
  Such a desperate course of action was
  no longer necessary. Japan agreed to surren-
  der unconditionally on 14 August, much to
  the delight and relief of most Americans.
  “When the bombs dropped,” wrote one
  21-year-old American officer, “and the news
  began to circulate that we would not be
  obliged to run up the beaches near Tokyo
  assault-firing while being mortared and
  shelled, for all the fake manliness of our
  facades we cried with relief and joy. We were
  going to live. We were going to grow up to
  adulthood after all.”

Saul David is a military historian and broadcaster.

His new book, Crucible of Hell: Okinawa – The

Last Great Battle of the Second World War, will be

published by William Collins on 2 April

War weary

Marines rest after a hard

night’s fighting, 29 May.

More than 12,000 of their

compatriots died on

Okinawa, making the battle

the bloodiest US campaign

in the Pacific War

Deadly cargo

‘Little Boy’ is hoisted into the B-29

Superfortress Enola Gay before

being dropped on Hiroshima

USMC-NARA/COURTESY

OF

NAVAL

HISTORY

AND

HERITAGE

COMMAND

NARA-80-G342629/GETTY

IMAGES

On hearing of the successful test

in New Mexico, Winston Churchill

felt that the “nightmare picture” of

an invasion of Japan – which might

have cost a million American and

500,000 British lives – “had van-

ished” and “in its place was the vision,

fair and bright it seemed, of the end of

the whole war in one or two violent

shocks”. This “almost supernatural

weapon” would give the Japanese “an excuse

which would save their honour and release

them from the obligation of being killed to

the last fighting man”.

Soon after, Truman signed the final

ultimatum to Japan, ‘the Potsdam Declara-

tion’. It called upon Japan to agree to immedi-

ate unconditional surrender or face “prompt

and utter destruction”. When Tokyo ignored

the ultimatum, Truman gave the order to

drop an atom bomb on Hiroshima, “an army

city” and “major quartermaster depot” with

warehouses full of military supplies.

A million dead

Truman’s decision to authorise the use of the

atom bomb was directly influenced by the

bloodbath on Okinawa. He feared that an

invasion of Japan would look like “Okinawa

from one end of Japan to the other”, and that

it would cost the US military more than a

million dead and wounded. It would also kill

countless Japanese soldiers and civilians. “My

object,”hewrote,“istosaveasmany

AmericanlivesaspossiblebutI also

havea humanfeelingforthe women

andchildrenofJapan.”

On6 August,theUSB-29

SuperfortressEnolaGaydroppedthe

firstatombomb– ‘LittleBoy’– on

Hiroshima.A secondbomb– ‘FatMan’

• explodedinNagasakithreedayslater.
  Thecombineddeadfromthebombswere
  200,000Japanese,mostlycivilians– an
  appallingtotal,butlessthanthenumberkilled
  onOkinawa,anda fractionofthosewho
  wouldhavediedif the US had invaded
  mainlandJapan.
  Sucha desperatecourseofactionwas
  nolongernecessary.Japanagreedtosurren-
  derunconditionallyon 14 August,muchto
  thedelightandreliefofmostAmericans.
  “Whenthebombsdropped,”wroteone
  21-year-oldAmericanofficer,“andthenews
  begantocirculatethatwewouldnotbe
  obligedtorunupthebeachesnearTokyo
  assault-firingwhilebeingmortaredand
  shelled,forallthefakemanlinessofour
  facadeswecriedwithreliefandjoy.Wewere
  goingtolive.Weweregoing to grow up to
  adulthood after all.”

SaulDavidis a militaryhistorianandbroadcaster.

Hisnewbook,CrucibleofHell:Okinawa The

LastGreatBattleoftheSecondWorldWar, will be

published by William Collins on 2 April

Warweary

Marinesrestaftera hard

night’sfighting,29 May.

More than 12,000of their

compatriotsdiedon

Okinawa,makingthe battle

the bloodiestUS campaign

in the Pacific War

Deadlycargo

‘LittleBoy’ is hoistedinto the B-29

SuperfortressEnolaGaybefore

being dropped on Hiroshima

USMC-NARA/COURTESY

OF

NAVAL

HISTORY

AND

HERITAGE

COMMAND

NARA-80-G342629/GETTY

IMAGES

Onhearingofthesuccessfultest

inNewMexico,WinstonChurchill

feltthatthe“nightmarepicture”of

aninvasionofJapan– whichmight

havecosta millionAmericanand

500,000Britishlives– “hadvan-

ished”and“initsplacewasthevision,

fairandbrightit seemed,oftheendof

thewholewarinoneortwoviolent

shocks”.This“almostsupernatural

weapon”wouldgivetheJapanese“anexcuse

whichwouldsavetheirhonourandrelease

themfromtheobligationof being killed to

thelastfightingman”.

Soonafter,Trumansignedthefinal

ultimatumtoJapan,‘thePotsdamDeclara-

tion’.It calleduponJapantoagreetoimmedi-

ateunconditionalsurrenderorface“prompt

andutterdestruction”.WhenTokyoignored

theultimatum,Trumangavetheorderto

dropanatombombonHiroshima,“anarmy

city”and“majorquartermasterdepot”with

warehouses full of military supplies.

A milliondead

Truman’sdecisiontoauthorisetheuseofthe

atombombwasdirectlyinfluencedbythe

bloodbathonOkinawa.Hefearedthatan

invasionofJapanwouldlooklike“Okinawa

fromoneendofJapantotheother”,andthat

it wouldcosttheUSmilitarymorethana

milliondeadandwounded.It wouldalsokill

countless Japanese soldiers and civilians. “My