Chapter 8: Effects of the Atomic Bombs on Morale

The people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki thought that nothing bad was going to happen to them.

They never expected to be hit by something as powerful as the atomic bomb.

Before the bombs fell the people of the two cities were confident about the outcome of the war.

Chart about people's opinions about potential victory.

The higher morale of pre-atomic bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki probably was due to the fact that they had not undergone any form of severe firebombing or heavy ordinance bombing.

They suffered sheer terror from the bombs.

This is the one that really stuck me. They admired the scientific abilities to produce such a bomb.

Relief agencies were just not able to handle the job.

A table of emotional reactions to the atomic bombs.

One major factor was that the bomb effects continued well after the explosion itself was over.

Again, respect for the technology that made the bomb.

Oddly enough, only around 20% of the inhabitants of the cities hated the Americans for what was done.

There is a possibility that at least some of those interviewed were not totally truthful about their feelings.

35% felt the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki thought it actually was Japan's fault.

The effects of the bombs on morale was not as major as one would assume.

A chart about that.

Another interesting comparative chart.

The morale of Nagasaki was higher than that of Hiroshima, though.

A table on how certain about winning the war people felt.

There was some decrease in morale due to the atomic bombs.

A sharp decline in morale began around spring of 1945.

Naturally, those who were affected by the bomb had lower morale than those who weren't affected.

The part of Japan that was not affected directly by the atomic bombs, though, showed little difference in their feelings after the bombing.

Distance from the cities and access to communications also had effects on how people reacted.

The people weren't sure what kind of bomb was used.

One major reason the affect on morale was not pronounced was that there was a short time between the two bombings and the actual surrender. Not enough time for any major change in morale to take place.

Says the same thing, basically.

The bombs influenced government leaders more than the civilians themselves.

There were still leaders against surrender.

The Emperor takes an active role.

There was already a movement towards ending the war and the atomic bombs sped things up.

Militarists thought they could still do well in case of an invasion.

Reactions listed according to intensity.

The morale of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was close to that of other cities at the end of the war.

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