Never in the history of the United States has the fate of millions of people been placed in the hands of one man, President Harry S. Truman. Truman became president after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in April 1945. This transition to the presidency left Truman with the choice to use atomic weapons for the first time in human history. Truman's decision to use atomic bombs depends on scenarios provided by Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Secretary of State James Byrnes. Both secretaries have substantial justifications for their arguments where each decision has implications that will change the state of the war and the world. While Truman's decision will be explored further at the end of this article, it is helpful to establish an appropriate point of view for Truman. Ultimately, Truman's choice to use an atomic bomb is up to him. Nonetheless, it is justifiable to argue that deploying an atomic bomb against Japan is an appropriate decision because there is a greater likelihood of saving more military and civilian lives than a full-scale invasion. One side of the argument about atomic weapons comes from The Secretary of War Henry Stimson. Stimson is adamant about his position, and Truman takes his opinions seriously. To convince Truman, Stimson argues that a negotiated surrender should be sought as the war is nearing its end. The result would see Emperor Hirohito step down as symbolic head of state and the United States assume full political power. Stimson says this will be more acceptable to the Japanese people because civilians see Hirohito as a spiritual leader. Stimson also highlights the growing tension between the Imperial Army, which has no intention of surrendering, and the Japanese civilian population. An example of this c...... middle of paper ......d to keep fighting. The surrender includes an agreement of the Potsdam Declaration in which the United States can have complete political control over Japan; except, the only difference is that Hirohito will retain control as head of state. On August 14, conventional bombing of Japan ceased and the following day Hirohito announced Japan's unconditional surrender. The idea that one man can determine the fate of millions of people is an incredible concept, difficult for anyone to understand. Although this statement seems unlikely to occur, it nevertheless occurred for President Harry S. Truman. Truman basically had the weight of the world on his shoulders in that no matter what decision he made, whether it was Henry Stimson's plan to avoid using a nuclear bomb or James Byrnes' idea to exploit an atomic bomb, life many people would have been influenced by his choice.