SKU: 57155854260

The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age

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The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age"This is historical research at its best." Dan Carlin "I thought I knew the story but learned much that I didn't know. Outstanding!" Richard Rhodes "A well written opus." The Wall Street Journal President Truman's choice to drop the atomic bomb is the most debated decision in the 20th Century. But what if Truman's actual decision wasn't what everyone thinks it was? The conventional narrative is that American leaders had a choice: Invade Japan, which

"This is historical research at its best." -- Dan Carlin

"I thought I knew the story but learned much that I didn't know. Outstanding!"-- Richard Rhodes

"A well-written opus." -- The Wall Street Journal

President Truman's choice to drop the atomic bomb is the most debated decision in the 20th Century. But what if Truman's actual decision wasn't what everyone thinks it was?

The conventional narrative is that American leaders had a choice: Invade Japan, which would have cost millions of Allied and Japanese lives, or instead, use the atom bomb in the hope of convincing Japan to surrender. Truman, the story goes, carefully weighed the pros and cons before deciding that the atomic bomb would be used against Japanese cities, as the lesser of two evils.

But nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein argues that is not what happened. Based on a close reading of the historical record, The Most Awful Responsibility shows that, despite his reputation as an ardent defender of the atomic bomb, Truman:

 

  • Wanted to avoid the "murder" and "slaughter" of innocent civilians
  • Believed that the atomic bomb should never be used again
  • Hoped that nuclear weapons would be outlawed in his lifetime

 

Not only did Truman not take part in the decision to use the bomb, but the one major decision that he did make was a very different one -- one that he himself did not fully understand until after the atomic bomb was used. The weight of that decision, and that misunderstanding, became the major reason that atomic bombs have not been used again since World War II.

Wellerstein makes a startling case that Truman was possibly the most anti-nuclear American president of the twentieth century, but his ambitions were strongly constrained by the domestic and international politics of the postwar world and the early Cold War. This book is a must-read for all who want to truly understand not only why the bomb was dropped on Japan but also why it has not been used since.

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SKU: 57155854260

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Amazon Customer
New York, US
★★★★★ 1
wrong size of metal components. incorrect items. non functioning
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-88''
The owner of this product sent me the incorrect pieces when I tried to install. It didn’t fit. The pieces were missing holes and once I connected the wrong pieces after knowing now they’re stuck and I can’t return them even though Amazon was kind enough to refund me. I just want to warn people this product is such a disappointment because it looks good. It’s good price, but you can’t even assemble the thing very disappointed.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2026
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foundbyXtopher
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 4
Sturdy Folding Room Divider with Good Privacy Coverage and Modern Look
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-88''
I picked this room divider up to help separate space in a room without needing permanent walls, and overall it works very well for creating privacy while still looking clean and modern. The size is one of the biggest advantages. At 6 feet tall and roughly 88 inches wide, it creates a noticeable visual separation and works well for apartments, dorms, offices, studios, shared rooms, or content creation setups where you want to hide clutter or define different areas. The black fabric and frame design give it a simple modern appearance that blends easily into most spaces without looking overly decorative or outdated. It has a clean minimalist look that works especially well in offices, bedrooms, gaming rooms, or studio environments. Assembly was fairly straightforward overall. Once fully put together, the divider feels reasonably stable for normal indoor use. The folding panel design also makes it flexible enough to angle different ways depending on the room layout. The portability is another strong point. Since it folds down, it is much easier to move or reposition compared to permanent partitions or heavier wooden dividers. That makes it practical for temporary privacy setups or changing room layouts frequently. Privacy performance is solid visually. It blocks sightlines well enough for changing areas, workspaces, video backgrounds, or separating sections of a room. The fabric also softens the space slightly instead of feeling harsh or industrial. One thing worth noting is that while it provides visual privacy, it is not soundproof. It helps define space and reduce some openness, but conversations and noise will still pass through normally. The material quality feels decent for the price range. The frame is lightweight but functional, though I would still avoid rough handling or constant aggressive repositioning over time. Value for money is good considering the size, flexibility, and convenience. Similar room dividers can become expensive quickly, especially for taller multi-panel setups. Overall, this is best for anyone needing an affordable flexible way to create separation and privacy in shared or open spaces. It works especially well for apartments, dorms, offices, studios, remote work setups, or content creators wanting a cleaner background without permanent construction.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2026
R
RealDeal
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Looks nice but it's not very stylish, works as intended, happy with purchase
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-88''
This 6 ft room divider is exactly what I needed and works great! It was very easy to set up and took only a few minutes to assemble. I was pleasantly surprised by how lightweight it is, and it folds up easily for storage when not in use. The fabric-style panels look nice and provide good privacy, and the included clips help keep everything neatly in place. It’s a simple but effective design that does what it’s supposed to do. Because it’s lightweight, it may need a bit of extra support depending on where you place it—I used small weights on the base, and that completely solved the stability issue. Overall, I’m very happy with this purchase. It’s practical, easy to use, and a great value for the price. I would definitely recommend it! Industrial
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2026
L
LSch01
Draper, US
★★★★★ 3
Assembly is harder than it should be; you get what you paid for
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-88''
Review of SUNALLY Room Divider 6FT Folding Privacy Screens, 4 Panel Fabric Divider for Room Separation, 88" W Freestanding Portable Wall Dividers Screen for Home Dorm Studio Office, Black I hate when I have to leave products a not so good review... Assembly is harder than it should be, mainly because there shouldn't BE any assembly. I have ordered several room divider privacy screens over the last couple of years and not one of them needed any kind of assembly. With that aside, it STILL was a pain in the sphincter to assemble. One of the "legs" just sits on top of a foot plate - it's not screwed in to anything. It's kind of flimsy and the base plates don't have anything on them to not scuff up the floor. With all that said, though, it does stand up and will block out what I need to block out. At the less-than-$50 price-point, it's kind of what should be expected. If I had purchased this outright, I would have considered sending it back and getting a higher quality. But if you only have $50 to spare and don't mind assembling things, it could be good for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2026
O
Ocean
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Great buy
Color: Black, Size: 4 Panel-88''
This room divider is exactly what I needed. When you have 2 kids sharing a room and don’t want to spend a lot of money to divide their space this is what you can use. Believe it or not they are much happier now. This came in a small box which scared me but once I was able to get this up I was very pleased. It was easy to put together. The fabric is pretty good quality, it’s stable and stands up fine. Good value and worth it to have peace and quiet in the house.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026

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