Changes

The alternative Truman faced was to order use of the atomic bomb which might shock the Japanese into surrender, or order the planned invasion of Japan's home islands; casualty estimates for Americans ranged very widely. Casualty estimates for Japan ranged into the millions. Secretary of War [[Henry Stimson]] made the real decision: to drop atomic bombs on [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]]. Japan immediately surrendered on terms that allowed Emperor [[Hirohito]] to stay on the throne and not be tried as a war criminal. Truman put General [[Douglas MacArthur]] in charge of occupying and controlling Japan; MacArthur remained in charge until the peace treaty was finally signed in 1951.

The alternative Truman faced was to order use of the atomic bomb which might shock the Japanese into surrender, or order the planned invasion of Japan's home islands; casualty estimates for Americans ranged very widely. Casualty estimates for Japan ranged into the millions. Secretary of War [[Henry Stimson]] made the real decision: to drop atomic bombs on [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]]. Japan immediately surrendered on terms that allowed Emperor [[Hirohito]] to stay on the throne and not be tried as a war criminal. Truman put General [[Douglas MacArthur]] in charge of occupying and controlling Japan; MacArthur remained in charge until the peace treaty was finally signed in 1951.

Truman kept control of the bomb in civilian hands--the Air Force and State Department did not even know how many bombs existed until 1948, when only eight had been built. The postwar military strategy was not built around nuclear weapons.  

Truman kept control of the bomb in civilian hands—the Air Force and State Department did not even know how many bombs existed until 1948, when only eight had been built. The postwar military strategy was not built around nuclear weapons.  

====Debating the decision====

====Debating the decision====

In the 1990s, a more nuanced historical approach emerged searching for a middle ground, offering a number of more credible studies, essentially arguing that neither the traditional nor the revisionist interpretations were entirely satisfactory.<ref>J. Samuel Walker, "Recent Literature on Truman's Atomic Bomb Decision: a Search for Middle Ground." ''Diplomatic History'' 2005 29(2): 311-334. Issn: 0145-2096 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

In the 1990s, a more nuanced historical approach emerged searching for a middle ground, offering a number of more credible studies, essentially arguing that neither the traditional nor the revisionist interpretations were entirely satisfactory.<ref>J. Samuel Walker, "Recent Literature on Truman's Atomic Bomb Decision: a Search for Middle Ground." ''Diplomatic History'' 2005 29(2): 311-334. Issn: 0145-2096 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

==Domestic affairs==

==Domestic affairs==

===Reconversion of the economy to peacetime===

===Reconversion of the economy to peacetime===