1960s Interview 🎞️ Harry Truman on Using the Atomic Bomb to End WWII • 4K 60FPS
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In this historical interview from the 1960s, former President Harry Truman reflects on his initial reaction to the discovery of the atomic bomb, expressing that he viewed it primarily as a blessing rather than a curse. His perspective was driven by the urgent need to win World War II quickly and with minimal loss of American lives. He believed the weapon possessed the power to end the conflict decisively and never worried about its potential to become a curse for humanity, focusing instead on its utility as a decisive military tool that successfully achieved its intended purpose.
Truman also addresses the geopolitical context of the time, noting that the United Nations was in the process of being formed while the atomic bomb remained under exclusive American possession. He recalls his immediate actions upon becoming president, including convening the UN meeting in San Francisco to set international bodies to work. Despite having such a powerful deterrent in their hands, he did not believe that the mere demonstration of the bomb's destructive capability would instill enough fear in humanity to prevent future wars through overwhelming terror alone.
The interview concludes with Truman discussing the moment after the first successful test of the atomic bomb in New Mexico, where he received detailed reports on its effects while attending the Potsdam Conference. He shared this information with his cabinet members, emphasizing that the United States was now in a position to win the war without suffering significant casualties on its own side. His statements highlight a pragmatic approach to warfare, prioritizing the preservation of American lives and the swift conclusion of the global conflict over broader philosophical concerns about the weapon's long-term impact on world peace.
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Sir, at the time that you first found
out about the atomic bomb, did you
regard it as a curse or a blessing to
mankind?
>> Well, I thought it was a blessing. I
thought it could be used and made a
blessing. I never worried about it being
a curse. I wanted a weapon that could
win the war, and it did. That's what I
was interested in.
>> The United Nations was already in the
process of being formed at that time.
And with the atomic bomb in our
exclusive possession, what were our
chances of preventing another war?
>> The United Nations was called to meet on
the 16th, I think, of July
in San Francisco. And the first decision
I had to make after I became president
of the United States, the newspaper men
came in and asked me if the United
Nations meeting would take place. The
United Nations The Nations meeting did
take place, and I went to San Francisco
and set them to work.
>> Did it seem to you that the
demonstration of the bomb to put an end
to the horror of war might give humanity
a good chance of really being frightened
to death,
and that such overwhelming fear would
become the compelling deterrent to war?
>> No. I never had any such feeling at all.
I always thought of that as a weapon of
war, and as a weapon that was powerful
enough to win that war. After we made
the the demonstration of it in Texas in
New Mexico, and the first one was
exploded in New Mexico, the word came to
me in Potsdam just exactly what had had
happened.
Two pages on legal type paper, and it
was a long weepy proposition. And I
showed it to the members of the cabinet
that were there, and I said, "Now, we're
in a shape to win the war without very
very with very few casualties on our
side, and we hope not