Transcript: Chapter 14

NARRATOR: On July 21, two days after Truman's party for Churchill and Stalin, the president received a description of the test of the atomic bomb. For the first time, he became fully aware of its awesome power.

Truman was told that thirteen pounds of explosives had evaporated a steel tower 60 feet high, left a crater in the New Mexican desert more than two miles wide, knocked down men 10,000 yards away, and was visible for more than 200 miles. Truman wrote in his diary:

"We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesied ... after Noah and his fabulous Ark."

"I have told the Secretary of War, Mr. Stimson, to use it so that military objectives and soldiers and sailors are the target and not women and children.

ALONZO HAMBY: He tells himself in a diary entry that he wrote at that time that, "Of course, the bomb will be used against a military target because no matter how bad the Japanese have been, we can't kill women and children." But he had to have some understanding at Potsdam that he was kidding himself. It was wishful thinking.

ROBERT LIFTON: He's aware that it will be much more than a military target; it will kill large numbers of ordinary civilians. But you must remember, he like all other Americans, saw this as a war against evil. And there was a lot of evil out there, real evil, on the part of the Nazis and Japanese militarism and fascism. In that sense, he can believe that the bomb is justified and that this greatest weapon ever developed has a place in overcoming or combating evil.

NARRATOR: The day after Truman learned of the bomb's power, he confronted Stalin with new confidence. Secretary of War Stimson wrote in his diary that the president was "tremendously pepped up." In his high stakes game with the Soviet dictator, Truman now had a new card to play.

WALTER LAFEBER: And Churchill later said that Truman, once he heard the news that the atomic bomb worked, was, quote, "a changed man." It was quite clear to Truman now that he had, as he would later say, "an ace in the hole and an ace showing." That is to say, the ace in the hole was the atomic bomb; the ace showing was American economic and military power.

NARRATOR: On July 24, Truman rose from his chair and walked slowly around the table to have a private word with the Soviet dictator.

"I casually mentioned to Stalin that we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force," Truman later wrote. "All he said was that he was glad to hear it and hoped we would make 'good use of it against the Japanese.'"

GEORGE ELSEY: Stalin was so bland and seemingly unconcerned about it that on the American side, there was some question as to whether he'd understood the import of what Truman was saying.

WALTER LAFEBER: What we know now is that Stalin knew exactly about the development of the bomb because of Soviet spies at Los Alamos in New Mexico. We also know that as soon as Stalin walked out of that room, Stalin immediately got in touch with the man who was the director of the Soviet atomic bomb project and said that he must get to work and accelerate the project.

NARRATOR: Meanwhile, the preparation to bomb Japan moved inexorably forward. Two atomic bombs were nearly ready. Seven more were on the way. On July 25, Truman gave control of the bombs to the military and ordered that they be used as soon as the Potsdam conference was over.

NARRATOR: The next day, the Japanese were given one last chance to surrender.

"We call upon the Government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese armed forces," it was announced from Potsdam. "The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."

The ultimatum was called the Potsdam Declaration. Two days later, the Japanese rejected it.

BARTON BERNSTEIN: The United States was demanding an unconditional surrender and in particular that implied that the imperial system, namely the emperor, would be terminated. Truman had been informed by a number of his advisors that the unconditional surrender demand might make it more difficult to achieve peace. Truman received advice on various occasions to provide an explicit provision that the emperor could be maintained. Truman decided not to include that provision.

ROBERT LIFTON: Unconditional surrender had been a central theme inherited from Roosevelt, it evoked the American spirit of fighting and winning this war against evil. So he held to it.

NARRATOR: July 31 -- the atomic bomb was now fully assembled. The most dangerous weapon on earth was waiting to be released. The Potsdam Conference lasted 17 days. As the newsreel cameramen took their final shots, Truman smiled. The president remained fond of Stalin. He would later write, "I liked the little son-of-a bitch." But nothing had been accomplished.

WALTER LAFEBER: I think the Potsdam conference can be seen as the beginning of the end of the Russian-American friendship. Truman and Stalin don't have a whole lot to say to each other anymore. Their armies are essentially doing the talking.

NARRATOR: The Allies agreed to divide a defeated Germany into joint zones of occupation, but Stalin refused to withdraw his troops from Eastern and Central Europe and permit free elections. The issue was tabled for further discussion.

At last Truman was heading home, trying to relax after the grueling round of negotiations. He strolled the deck, attended church services, enjoyed a concert by the ship's band. On his fourth day at sea, the mission which would forever mark his place in history began.

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