Worth It?

This video aired by NBC was not only meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the deployment of the atom bomb, but also to remind everybody the horrors that it brought. Some people ask the question of why the U.S. dropped the atom bomb? But that is not the right question to be asking because many of us know that the U.S. decided to drop the atom bomb because they thought it would save them from having more casualties in the war. The real question people should ask is whether it was the right choice? Whether it was worth killing about two hundred thousand people just to end the war? In this video these questions are brought to the audience's mind and it seems that these questions are still in many controversial debates. However, we see a bit more of a lean toward the answer of the atom bomb being wrong because we hear a lot of stories of the people that suffered and the effects that the bomb had on the areas attacked. These side effects include mental and physical effects that are both temporary and long term. It puts emphasis not only on the deaths that happened, but also on the radiation issues that is still present due to its hereditary property. Such a strong focus on the bad aspects that the bomb had demonstrates that the film is against the decision that was made about the bomb. This also indicated through of the lack of the pros about their decision to drop the bomb. Some would include like that end of the war and possible preventing a larger number of casualties due to the war.
This video is trying to promote the idea that nuclear weapons are very delicate things that can cause great damage. It also demonstrates how some people regret deeply all the side effects of the bomb. This brings about the idea that war and destruction are viewed in a very negative way and are regretted by many people.

Was it the right thing to do?

I thinkt that this video was a carefully planned attempt at a politically correct video about the dropping of an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that also kept in mind the respect for the Japanese who had that hell thrust upon them. Firstly, I think that the video did a good job describing the state of mind post explosino with the war being won, I don't think that the Americans could have fully graspt the magnitude of what had just happened. For me, someone who was born over 40 years post-blast, I can look at this footage and learn what horror dictates modern politics and this thread that holds the world togeather. Also I think that it is going to continue to dictate the way we live because we now know about the horror that is the atomic bomb. The last thing that the video showed that impressed me was this concept which is still widely explored which is: did we do the right thing taking all of those Japanese lives to save the American lives that we did? I don't know.

The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb

NBC decided to release this video in 1995 not only to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our victory over Japan, but to also spread awareness of the last effects of nuclear warfare and war in general. War is never a good route to take for all it causes is more fighting, death, and oppression of cultures. The United States' advancements in warfare and how they surpassed the rest of the world is astonishing to many people. Personally, I am completely interested in this subject of nuclear warfare for I don't understand exactly how it all works. So it's cool to watch incredible footage, especially when I know some who took part in developing the first atomic bomb. 

It's important to remind people of history, good or bad. This video commemorates the war in a positive way for the United States, but it's memories range from country to country. Although America developed this weapon and had great success, I'm not a supporter of these types of actions. While the American population came to an unified agreement to redeem themselves and fight back against the Japanese after Pearl Harbor, our actions were a little extreme. The long term affects of radiation and destruction aren't completely justified by their attack on Pearl Harbor. I do understand that it was a world war and we must defend ourselves like any other country, but America's actions didn't rise above and all we did was deepen the problems. 

NBC Video

I think NBC decided to air this piece on the atomic bomb so it never happens again! It was a reminder to people how devastating the effects were. Not only did thousands of people die but also the after effects of the radiation exposure have lasted a lifetime. People are concerned about the genetic impact it might have on generations to come. The good news is the United States has decreased spending on atomic weapons and we have reduced our arsenal of atomic weapons by one third. There are still those who believe the atomic bomb was the right choice against the Japanese while others completely disagree with what the United States did during WWII. At the time Japan surrendered the truth is no one really knew what the atomic bomb had done to the people of Japan. They were all celebrating that the Japanese had surrendered. This video reminds us how WWII still impacts people today and that the memory of WWII is obviously different for each person in the world. For example those who live in Japan still feel fear when a plane flies overhead while some Americans still feel we did the right thing by dropping the atomic bomb and ending the war.

I don't know how many tribute videos had aired on mainstream news television stations previous to this one, but I'm going to assume that this is one of the more in depth ones . I think NBC decided to air it in 1995 because it was 50 years since the bomb was dropped. This provided an 'anniversary', except in the negative connotation. It seemed to me like NBC was trying to take the blame off of the US, almost. I got that feeling from the news casters "post note", in which he talked about how the US has decreased its nuclear research as well as their nuclear production. They also had a veteran who talked about how many people they may have saved by dropping a nuclear bomb.
On the other hand, they did focus a lot on the survivors stories (from the Japanese perspective), which seemed to balance it out. As a final note, I still think that NBC did not dwell enough on how this bomb added to the US's pending imperialism. The US essentially bullied the Japanese into surrenduring, making the "ends justify the means", and doing things "for the greater good".

Was it right or was it wrong

I tend to believe that dropping the Atomic Bomb was the right decision, although after watching the video it is very hard to stay to my initial beliefs.  Although by dropping the bombs, it brought instant success to the US, I don't think everything was taken into consideration.  I think the correct decision would have been to destroy the bomb and just hope that it never comes back again.  Atom bombs have just created another thing to worry about.  Another thing that should have been taken into consideration is were they should have dropped the bomb.  I do agree that a secluded island is better than mainland japan, but a large military camp seems like it would be much more fitting that some random islands.  I'm sure there is some reason as to why the chose Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it just seems cruel to bomb two what seem like residential islands.  Ultimately, I think the right choice would have been to do away with atom bombs which would probably have been an almost impossible decision for them to make at the time.  If a world power is in a time of war, and they realize that they have a ground breaking discovery in the field of weaponry, it is almost impossible for them to not exploit it, even if it would be better if they didn't, or at least better for the good of the world.  

Two Sides

Even 50 years later, the effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima were still being felt. Even today they are still being felt. NBC aired this piece five decades after the devastating event because it still carried an impact on the world. As was said in the video, "The effects [of the atomic bomb] are still being felt", "…the damage is immeasurable in some ways". Even after the initial causalities, radiation poisoning causes sickness and genetic effects for long after a nuclear weapon is dropped. Today, the bomb is still present in our thoughts. There is no way that something causing damage of such magnitude could ever leave our minds entirely, and people still struggle with the right/wrong debate of dropping the atomic bomb. Americans are divided on this issue: veterans defend the dropping of the atomic bomb as the only option while others cannot get past the horror of it—how anyone could have lived with themselves after having a hand in the dropping of the bomb. The NBC video is well done because it really points out what causes this divide. When the bomb was dropped, Americans were not told of the destruction it caused Japan—only that the war was finally ending. Looking back on it 50 years later is a very different matter. The NBC broadcast included interviews of survivors in order to make sure the real story of what happened that day in Hiroshima was told. However, it also defends the American people, essentially saying that they were completely ignorant to the extent to which the bomb would violate the ethics of "decent people". President Truman is in effect blamed for the atomic bomb. He is only mentioned in the video when he is relieved by the test atomic bomb detonation going well and when he gives the "go" order for the bombing of Japan. The video describes his reaction as "exaltation". The video clearly shares the bias of many other people, favoring the opinion that dropping the bomb was the wrong decision. But overall, I think the video did a good job of retelling the event with a different tone than it was told with right afterwards, as well as also presenting a defense for the decision of battle-weary America.