Book review of Hiroshima by Ronald Takaki Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Book review of Hiroshima by Ronald Takaki - Essay Example He seeks to prove that the American desire to end the war was just one of the many factors that lead to the final decision to drop the bomb. The story around Takakis argument is the little known reasoning behind the decision to drop the atomic bomb. Instead of simply focusing on the most accepted reason, to end the war, he explores other factors other than the obvious. His study of Harry Trumans letters to his wife, sister, mother, and his secret Potsdam Diary to open a "way to a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the reasons for the atomic attack" (Takaki 5). By analyzing the feelings of the President he succeeds in bringing together the many factors that led to the end decision. He proves to the reader the overwhelming postwar concern that Truman and other leaders felt and their urgency to exert their world power and dominance towards Stalin and Soviet expansion. As Robert Griffith reveals in his article for The American Historical Review Dwight D Eisenhower was aware of these postwar concerns writing, â€Å"Eisenhower struggled to strike a balance among the competing claims of the services and his lette rs are filled with angry denunciations of military self interest† (Griffith 96). Takaki reveals that in the beginning the atomic bomb was intended to target Germany, not Japan and that it was later determined that Germany did not have any atomic capabilities therefore diminishing the threat. Takaki then questions why the bomb was then dropped on Japan, a country we also knew did not have any atomic capabilities. He says, "The reason for this acceleration was not the possibility of Japanese atomic threat. Japan lacked the resources and technical knowledge to become a nuclear power" (Takaki 20). As Andrew Rotter confirms in his book review for the Journal of American History, â€Å"Japans nascent bomb project was

The relationship between Eliezer and his Father Essay

The relationship between Eliezer and his Father - Essay Example Just as the story begins, Eliezer’s father comes in as a busy community leader. His duties and community engagements leaves him little time to socialize and bond with the family. The lack of connection between father and son pushes Eliezer to lament. â€Å"My father was a cultured man, rather unsentimental. He rarely displayed his feelings, not even with his family, and was more involved with the welfare of others than that of his own kind† (Bloom 02). However, as they enter the camp they display a normal relationship between them, the father values his son, he gives him advice and protects him. The son on the other hand depends and looks up to his father this mainly happens because of horror scare at the camp. The situation at the camp changed the angle of relationship between the two. They had little options at the camp because at arrival his father was no longer a community leader and neither was he busy. In this situation, they could focus on each other in order to deal with the situation at the camp. Eliezer kept his eye on the father and his determination to be with him kept on burning. He says, â€Å"My hand tightened its grip on my father. All I could think of was not to lose him. Not to remain alone† (Bloom 8). As time passes by in the camp the duo, develop a peer like relationship. People who are involved in this kind of relationship help each other in terms of ideas and code of conduct. The two demonstrated their codependency when Franek asks for Eliezers’s gold crown. Eliezer’s refusal to give away the golden crown prompts Franek to beat up his father for not matching well. To prevent this from happening again he decides to teach his father how to match in steps. Near the end of their stay in the camp Eliezer and his father, reverse roles where, he plays the role of a father and his father plays a childish role. The novel illustrates that after they had run to Gleiwitz.