One Million Saved: The Moral Conflict of Henry Stimson

Oppenheimer has brought the atomic bomb’s story to screens across the world. I haven’t had the chance to see the movie, but learning about it reminded me of my final essay for History 200 at Vanderbilt University. After teaching us the basics of historiography, Professor Helmut Smith cut us loose to perform original research and write an essay on a topic of our choice.

My topic was Henry Stimson, secretary of war during the Second World War. He played a significant role in convincing President Truman to drop the atomic bomb, and his writings have influenced American perceptions of the event ever since.

I invite you to take a closer look at the man in “One Million Saved: The Moral Conflict of Henry Stimson.”