The last few days have marked the 65th anniversaries of the dropping of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II. The United States has been criticized for years for that decision which President Harry S. Truman and others believed would save countless American lives.Despite that criticism and demands that the United States apologize to the Japanese, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of American Adults believe the decision to drop the nuclear bombs on the two cities was a good one.
Just 16% say the A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a bad decision. One-in-four Americans (25%) are not sure.
These findings are consistent with past Gallup polls.
As you may know, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshimaand Nagasaki in August 1945 near the end of World War II. Looking back, would you say you approve or disapprove of using the atomic bomb on Japanese cities in 1945?
| Approve | Disapprove | No opinion | |
| % | % | % | |
| 2005 Jul 25-28 | 57 | 38 | 5 |
| 1995 Jul 20-23 | 59 | 35 | 6 |
| 1994 Dec 2-5 | 55 | 39 | 6 |
| 1991 Nov 21-24 | 53 | 41 | 6 |
| 1990 Jul 19-21 | 53 | 41 | 6 |
| 1945 Aug 10-15 ^ | 85 | 10 | 5 |
| ^WORDING: Do you approve or disapprove of using the new atomic bomb on Japanese cities? | |||
