NY Times Reviews Villanova Prof’s New Book About Why the U.S. Dropped Atomic Bombs on Japan

On August 3, the New Yorks Times published a review of Marc Gallicchio’s new book,” UNCONDITIONAL, The Japanese Surrender in World War II.”  Gallicchio is a professor and the chairperson of Villanova University’s History Department.

The book was released on July 2 of this year, to coincide witht he 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, as well as the 75th anniversay of the United States dropping two Atomic Bombs on Japan. 

New York Times reviewer, Richard J. Samuels wrote:

“Unconditional” offers a fresh perspective on how the decision to insist on ‘unconditional surrender’ was not simply a choice between pressing the Japanese into submission or negotiating an end to the conflict. It also traces ideological battle lines that remained visible well into the atomic age as the enemy shifted from Tokyo to Moscow.

President Harry Truman believed unconditional surrender would keep the Soviet Union involved while reassuring American voters and soldiers that their sacrifices in a total war would be compensated by total victory. Disarming enemy militaries was the start; consolidating democracy abroad was the goal. Only by refusing to deal with dictators could Germany and Japan be redesigned root to branch.”

U.S. Military dropped an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Another Atomic Bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 8, 1945. Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender on August 15 of that year. The formal surrender ceremony aboard the United States Navy battleship USS Missouri took place on September 2, 1945.