After years of fighting in Europe, the war in the Pacific was far from over. The Japanese leadership, influenced by their cultural values, refused to surrender, even as the tide of the war turned against them. President Truman faced a difficult decision: continue the costly land campaign in Japan, or pursue a faster end to the war. Ultimately, he authorized the use of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in massive destruction and loss of life.

Brave New World (July September 1945) Countdown to Victory: World War II