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Britain backed use of A-bomb against Japan: U.S. documents

Kyodo

Britain supported the use of atomic bombs by the United States against Japan in World War II about a month before the first one was dropped on Hiroshima, documents recently declassified by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration showed.

The documents illustrate Britain’s involvement in the United States’ decision to carry out the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, something not widely known in Japan.

The British government officially expressed its support for using the new weapon against Japan at the Combined Policy Committee meeting in Washington on July 4, 1945, on the development and control of nuclear energy. Britain referred to atomic bombs as Tube Alloys, a codename it used for wartime research on nuclear weapons that was also used to refer to plutonium.

According to the declassified minutes, British Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson told the meeting chaired by U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson that the British government “concurred in the use of the T.A. weapon against Japan.”

“The Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States had agreed that T.A. weapons should be used by the United States against Japan, the agreement of the British Government having been communicated” by Wilson, the minutes said.

The committee was established based on the Quebec Agreement made in August 1943 by the United States, Britain and Canada on coordinated development of atomic weapons.

Britain’s official agreement on the use of atomic bombs came after U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed at their September 1944 meeting in New York that an atomic bomb might be used against Japan when it was developed.

Shortly after the July 1945 committee meeting, the United States conducted the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico.

  • Starviking

    Interesting that the other option, a massive seaborne invasion of Japan, is not mentioned in the article at all. I guess context is out of date!

  • Gudge

    Get off your high horse ff. don’t forget the USA’s involvement in many atrocities since WW2 whether it be in plain view or shrouded in secrecy. The USA is certainly not all peace and goodwill to mankind. Oh, and the USA helped Japan rebuild only with its best interests at heart.

  • Tyler Chester

    On the bright side, look at where Japan is today. It wouldn’t have been possible without American aid for reconstruction. Japan is an industrial giant: Toyota, Honda, Sony, Toshiba, etc.

    • Ron NJ

      Absolutely. Not having to support an independent, force projection-capable military undoubtedly freed up an incredible amount of money which could then be pumped into the economy.
      Losing the war, and the aid and help they received from their former enemies afterwards, is what made Japan into the economic miracle of being one of the largest economies in the world complete with an incredible standard of living compared to the rest of Asia.

  • Umbra

    We are all slaves to one master
    Called. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  • Tyler Chester

    Agreed and despite what the conspiracy theorists claim, I think the only reason we have funding going to the Middle Eastern countries is over oil. I think if we can divert funding to undeveloped & friendly countries, we could increase our economic partnerships resulting in a win-win situation for both nations.

  • http://ameblo.jp/cluttered-talk/ Nancy

    Hi, I’m a Japanese citizen, nice to meet you.
    With all my respect, if you’re a citizen of then Allies, I’ll appreciate if you’re not trying to justify the bombs dropping as the way you’re doing, which makes me disgusted very much.
    You’re provoking my Japanese mind, I can’t feel any humanity or sympathy in your text.
    Even if the things were just as you say, any of which is not going to justify it, there was no validity with the bombs to be atomic ones, other bombs could be enough to destroy the targets that you refered to.
    Sending my prior thanks to you, believing that you’re not going to make me uncomfortable anymore.

  • http://ameblo.jp/cluttered-talk/ Nancy

    Thank you for responding me, without giving your nationality.
    Well, it’s only for your “responding me” that I actually appreciate, nothing to find other issue to thank you.
    “The baby was born”, a new toy was requiring them to get used, that’s all.
    There’s no logic in dropping the bombs that you rely on, and I’m not talking about “logic”, but humanity.
    I wonder, how you people dare post such a cold blooded comment, really freezing.
    I’m one of the people belonged to the country attacked by the bombs, how dare you, how could you try to convince “me”? To make me admit its validity for a “necessary evil “?
    “You” convincing me is never accomplished.
    I’m not trying to argue with Chinese or Korean people saying about the bombs to be a kind of punishment, or retribution, but just listening.
    I don’t think I have to bear with it if it’s for then Allies people except China.
    Also I don’t think I’m going to reply you again unless you gave your nationality up.
    I truly wonder how would you think yourself to be fair while I’ve given my nationality since ever.

    • Ron NJ

      Why are you so hung up on nationality? It is completely irrelevant, and thus far you’ve only brought it up in some silly attempt to act like Japan was an innocent victim and drum up sympathy.

  • Ron NJ

    There you are proving my point: you’re too emotional about it to even acknowledge facts and reason. Your position is basically “the bombs were bad because humanity!” yet you refuse to even engage in discussion about the available alternative options, instead devolving to personal attacks.
    You were right about one thing, though – I am sorry. Sorry that seventy years on, huge numbers of Japanese people are still being brainwashed by the propaganda machine and steadfastly refuse to even begin to think about the situation from any viewpoint other than the one that has been crammed down their throats their entire lives by a government that whitewashes history.
    I sincerely hope that one day you and those that think like you can finally tear down the fortress of ignorance you have created and actually educate yourselves, but it’s clear that at the present even attempting to discuss the matter with you – as I originally stated – is simply futile.

  • Murasaki

    Yawn … Well maybe if the US did not provoke Japan in to bombing Pearl then none of this would have happened.

  • Murasaki

    Since the end of WWII the US has been involved in 37 conflict around the world resulting in the deaths of 30 million civilians…. Just remember that, as the US is still on a killing spree of citizens in other countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan to name but 2.

  • Murasaki

    Time you go read up on Allied War Crimes mate. You are so off base it is not funny.

  • Michael Lara

    Hello all, I have lived in Japan since April 2000 and have a firm grasp of the mentality here. Oblivious of history most are like most Americans and Brits. I am a historian by trade and you know, as evil the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a full invasion from American and Russian forces would have resulted in a slaughter. Point blank, if the USA did not nuke Japan, Russia would have invaded from the north to get some redemption (remember Japan surprised the world by defeating Russia in the 1904-1905 war brilliantly organized by Admiral Togo). Truman did what he did to avoid a huge American-Russian fight over Japan.

    If you know your history, Japan was done by the end of 1943 with huge losses at Midway and Coral Sea. I just feel so sad for all those lost at Okinawa-no need.

    Unless you live in Japan and speak their language, you cannot understand their character. I do and many of my friends are scholars here.

    To respond to one of the comments, one of my friends was forced to fight for the Emperor at age 14. He’s glad the bombs were dropped for madness was running wild in our world at that time. He really despises Hirohito.

    Please read “Embracing Defeat” by Professor John W. Dower of MIT for some education.

    It is horrible what happened of course and well, those two bombings just showed what humanity is capable of in a destructive way. Really sad and dumb and needless.

    Humility is a character trait in need for most and lacking in governments especially.

    To all those who perished during WWI and WWII, much respect and apologies for your needless lost.

    Not a big fan of Spike Lee, but his phrase and movie is what we all need to do, “Do the right thing.”

  • Michael Lara

    Dear Yoko-
    I have lived in your nation since 2000 and you are clearly ignorant of your nation’s history like most Japanese, Americans,etc. Why does the rest of Asia distrust Japan? Hmm…Maybe since your soldiers raped and killed. Don’t be a hypocrite about the Hague. Japan did biological experiments on occupied Asians and POW’s. Educate yourself please. Read “Embracing Defeat” by Professor John W. Dower, a Pulitzer Prize effort and others. Bottom line for the bombs was to end it quickly. Otherwise, both Russia and the USA would have invaded Japan. Stalin had no love for the coward Hirohito or Hitler. Hitler ended his life, but the USA spared Hirohito for he was sacred to most Japanese. For those ignorant about Japan, this nation was feudalistic until the American occupation. That is why change is so slow here.
    Just be glad China and Russia didn’t invade, otherwise a huge slaughter would have ensued. That’s why Japanese captured were in Siberia for life. Still, it is horrible that it came to this, but in the end, it spared millions death or maiming. What is most irritating about this all is that Japan feels they are the victim, but they created their destiny.

  • Murasaki

    War crimes are war crimes end of story, no mater if by the USA(daily occurrence in the past 70 years), UK, Germany, Japan, Australia, China or by the men on the moon.

    Anyone Soldier that committed war crimes against others should have been executed or jailed like everyone else.

    Saying we can do it but you cannot is ludicrous.

  • Murasaki

    Ummm because every other nations was pointed out as killing millions and I felt the US was being left out again as the ‘Japan Bashers’ on The Japan Times web page can see no fault in the US.
    Me being fair and a person that loves Japan, I took it upon my self to include the good old USA in the conversation as a psychotic nation that is still on a killing spree of civilians should not be bushed under the carpet and forgotten about.

  • Toolonggone

    Um, I think he is just making a silly hypothetical argument. It is actually chemical and biological human experiment Japanese Imperial Army(i.e., Unit 731) conducted in war against China.

  • Ron NJ

    And there you have it folks, historical revisionism at its finest.

  • xman_11530

    Visit the Nanjing Memorial. I was there in January. You will learn something. Your attitude illustrates why Japan better never get into a war with China. Payback will be severe.

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