American views mixed over use of 1945 atomic bombing on Japan: survey
The nationwide survey, conducted by Pew Research Center, revealed that 35 percent of American adults think using nuclear weapons in 1945 was justified, while 31 percent thought otherwise. A third said they are not sure.
Days before the 80th anniversary of the bombings, the survey found that the gap between those who support the atomic bombings and those who do not has narrowed, particularly because of signs that younger people's perceptions of the attacks have changed.
Among those aged 30 to 49, 34 percent believed the bombings were not justified, more than the 29 percent who said they were, while 36 percent reported being unsure.
In the 18 to 29 age group, the gap between those opposed to and those supporting the bombs' use widened to 44 percent against 27 percent.
In a similar survey carried out by the center a decade ago, 56 percent of Americans justified the use of the bombs. At the time, however, there was no "not sure" option.
The latest survey was conducted from June 2 to 8, with a total of 5,044 people responding out of 5,742 sampled.
By gender, it showed that 51 percent of men consider the use of the bombs justifiable while 25 percent did not. Among women, the figures were 20 percent and 36 percent.
The United States carried out the world's first-ever nuclear attack over Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and detonated a second atomic bomb above Nagasaki three days later. Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing, bringing an end to World War II.
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