The Decision to Use Atomic Bombs

The World War II in the Pacific Series

By: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Narrated by: Peter J. Fernandez

Length: 22 mins

Publisher's summary

The World War II in the Pacific Series tells the story of Iwo Jima and the long war in the Pacific, the people who affected its direction, and the many places that suffered from war yet survived and went on to prosper in peace. From General MacArthur and President Truman to Emperor Hirohito, the key players in the Pacific Theatre are profiled. Learn about aircraft carriers and the development of fission weapons; gain a deeper understanding of the Bataan Death March and the decision to use the atomic bomb; and hear about places including Guam, the Marshall Islands, and, of course, Iwo Jima.

The editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica have created a collection of over 80 articles that tells the story of the Pacific Theatre of World War II, providing context and explaining the circumstances surrounding the pivotal battle for Iwo Jima. You will learn about the events that led up to the battle, the effect it had on the remainder of the war, and much more. Encyclopaedia Britannica explores the events, places, and people involved, in order to give you a more thorough understanding of the significance of that historic flag-raising.

In this edition, the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica examine and chronicle the United States' decision to use atomic bombs.

©2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica (P)2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica

good, however brief, summary of the events

Little new ground but an interesting take on President Truman and his advisers leading up to dropping the bomb and why it was never used again.

Brief Overview

I love reading or listening to things like this. History reviews or accounts often have so much excess stuff in them that it is hard to sift through and grasp what a subject is about. This audio does a great job of touching the essentials and helping someone realize why the Atomic Bombs were dropped and initial effect they had.

Historically accurate & Brief

Very much enjoyed this wonderful overview of some of the realities Which contributed to President Truman’s decision. There are however, some additional factors use tipped for brevity; such as the British statistical analysis of loss estimates for a seaborn land invasion
which was even higher than American analysis Truman received.