The dropping of the A-bomb may be one of the most controversial topics in American history. Could there be another way to end the war without obliterating two Japanese cities? Several historians took sides and gave their interpretation of the situation. There are numerous factors that can influence the discussion one way or another depending on how influential those factors are believed to be. Some of the leading historians who have discussed this topic are Robert Maddox, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, and Gar Alperovitz. Each of these historians provides us with a different vision and a different answer to the question: was it necessary to drop the atomic bomb to end World War II? Historian Robert James Maddox starts the debate by siding with Truman and claims he made the right decision in dropping the bomb. Maddox uses several influential meetings, speculation, and the presidents' personal opinions on the situation to defend his statement. Some examples he uses include Japanese military power and mentality, saving American lives, and unconditional surrender. In short, due to the use of the atomic bomb, the Japanese army lost the will to fight to the end, countless lives were saved, and Japan surrendered. Therefore, even though many Japanese lives were lost in the conflict, Harry Truman made the right decision to authorize the use of bombs. One of, if not the most influential aspects of allowing the bombs to be dropped was due to the mentality of the Japanese. The Japanese military and the influence they had on politics. As Maddox stated, “[t]he army, not the Foreign Office, controlled the situation” (Maddox, p. 286). Although Japan had an influential leader towards their emperor, the military wanted and would engage in… mid-paper… necessary. That said, the dropping of the bombs stopped Soviet intervention and involvement in Japan. So if you think about the future, they are fulfilling their containment commitment. In any case, the atomic bomb was not necessary to end World War II. Works Cited Alperovitz, G. (1995). Hiroshima: historians reevaluate. Foreign Policy, (99), 15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224041592?accountid=27700Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi. “Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan.” Taking a Stand: Conflicting Views in U.S. History. Ed. Larry Madaras and James SoRelle. 15th ed. New York, New York. 2012. 289-298. Maddox, Robert. “The Biggest Decision: Why We Had to Drop the A-Bomb.” Taking a Stand: Conflicting Views in U.S. History. Ed. Larry Madaras and James SoRelle. 15th ed. New York, New York. 2012. 280-288.