Atom bomb Quote by Daniel Ellsberg
““Contrary to Stimson’s highly influential but totally misleading account in Harper’s in February 1947, “The Decision to Use the Atom Bomb”—written for Stimson by McGeorge Bundy177 while he was in the Society of Fellows, and a successful propaganda counter to the impact of John Hersey’s New Yorker report “Hiroshima” in August 1946—there was no moral agonizing at all among Truman’s civilian or military advisors about the prospect of using the atom bomb on a city.† That moral threshold had been crossed long before. There was, in reality, no debate or even discussion whatever in official circles as to whether the bomb would or should be used, if it were ready in time before the war ended for other reasons.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The New York Times, 1972
U.S. decision‑makers accepted atomic bomb use without moral debate, seeing it as inevitable.
In simple terms: Decision makers saw the bomb as a foregone conclusion.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how narratives can mask ethical concerns.
Themes
history
ethics
policy
Mood
critical
historical
Type
analytical
ethical
When to use this quote
- military planning
- political discourse
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
war
propaganda
decision‑making
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we uncover hidden moral debates?
- What role does propaganda play in shaping policy?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex wartime pressures.
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