Letter on the Atomic Bomb Decision

Dear Mr. Cavert: I appreciated very much your telegram of August ninth. Nobody is more disturbed over the use of Atomic bombs than I am but I was greatly disturbed over the unwarranted attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor and their murder of our prisoners of war. The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using to bombard them. When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him as a beast. It is most regrettable but nevertheless true. I have no qualms about the decision I made. It was made to save American lives and to end the war quickly. The atomic bomb was a weapon of war, and we were engaged in total war. Every day the war continued meant more American casualties. I realize that this weapon opens a new and terrible chapter in human warfare. But the responsibility for its use rests with those who began this war of aggression. We did not seek this war, but we will end it decisively. Sincerely yours, Harry S. Truman