No. 33 · The Presidents
Harry S. Truman
1945-1953
The only president ever to use nuclear force, Truman ordered the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, respectively, of 1945. These attacks killed 250,000, mainly civilians, either instantly or as a result of radioactivity within the year. Whether or not this casualty total would have been less than the result of a full-fledged invasion of Japan, the overwhelming destruction of so many civilians is difficult to defend, and likely helped spur the arms race of the Cold War to come.
Lyrics
Em, C, G, D/F♯
Oh Truman, it's not your show. You don't get to decide who goes.
Hiroshima. Nagasaki. August '45.
Quarter million mere civilians radioactively died.
It's simple math you said.
You saved more lives than invading Japan.
But you killed a quarter million civilians.
and you fueled the arms race to come.
There's a nuclear option.
And there's a crazy man pushing sorts of buttons
In world war II
Which one were you?
From the book, published 2009 · song & page updated
It's simple math you said