In “Reclaiming Realism for the Left: Gar Alperovitz and the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb” by Peter Kirstein creates and recognizes the argument that dropping atomic bombs on Japan may not have been entirely necessary and potentially a poor decision by the United States. In the second paragraph, he lets on to his opinion by sharing some thoughts he sees fit the description of the atom bomb, “t. Pope Paul VI in his “World Day of Peace Message in 1976”, described the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as a “butchery of untold magnitude” (National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1983).[1.1] Atomic bombs are indiscriminate. They kill babies, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, hospital patients, doctors, trees, and gardens. Classmates, books, animals in zoos, life savings, sidewalks, engagements, marriages, and highways are destroyed (Sebald, 2003)[1.2].”[1] Kirstien argues that the reason that the United States actually dropped the Atomic Bombs was to keep the Russians out of Asia. He writes, ” The weapons’
principal military purpose was not to defeat an already defeated Japan but to preempt greater Soviet influence in Asia
that might result from a protracted, sustained role after it entered the Pacific War; 5) The atomic bomb was not necessary to defeat Japan or prevent a high-casualty invasion of its home islands[2] (Alperovitz, 1985)[2.1].””

In my opinion, this article does not really make any new conclusions. It creates a contrasting opinion but does not have any new afflictions than what is already been told. Most of the article is just direct quotations from things the author has gathered but it is nothing but a writing of collected information. While I think this article did help me to better understand the unpopular opinion about the decision to use the Atomic-Bomb it does not have any new history.

[1]. Kirstein, Peter N. “Reclaiming Realism for the Left: Gar Alperovitz and the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb.” Advances in Historical Studies02, no. 02 (2013): p. 46. doi:10.4236/ahs.2013.22008.

[1.1]. National Conference of Catholic Bishops (1983). The challenge of peace: God’s promise and our response. Washington DC: United States Catholic Conference.

[1.2]. Sebald, W. G. (2003). On the natural history of destruction. New York: Random House.

[2]. “Reclaiming Realism for the Left: Gar Alperovitz and the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb.” pp. 47

[2.1]. Alperovitz, G. (1985). Atomic Diplomacy: Hiroshima and Potsdam, the use of the atomic bomb and the American confrontation with Soviet power. New York.

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