Description
It is vital to understand the psychology of leaders regarding nuclear weapons, and to do so, we must first examine the four most critical decisions made by leaders that took place at the dawn of the nuclear age. The first significant decision was regarding the creation of the atomic bomb by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). President Harry S. Truman, on the other hand, made three critical decisions: to utilize the atomic bombs in WWII, sanction the creation of the hydrogen bomb, and withhold the use of atomic bombs in the Korean War. Unfortunately, scholars overlook and neglect to address the psychological underpinnings of such significant decisions. Identity is one of the most overlooked and undervalued variables in understanding the creation and use of the first nuclear weapons. Identity is a set of complex, multi-layered constructs that cultivates and fosters one's sense of self. These layers are constantly shifting to reflect the present position an individual is facing. Understanding and examining the identities of FDR and Truman provides us insights into the reasoning behind their decisions. In FDR's case, two aspects of his identity shed light on the reason behind his decision: his health and cultural worldview. His health affected his psychological makeup; more specifically, it created a shift in his personality and his need for control. By examining his dichotomies, which are a unique characterization of one's cultural worldview, helps us comprehend the path that FDR took to initiate the project. In Truman's case, cultural worldview played a crucial part, specifically his military background as a soldier in WWI and how he based his decisions on what he would deem as 'morally correct.' Utilizing the lens of identity allows us to comprehend the psychological mechanisms behind a leader's decision-making process, and given today's political climate, it is imperative to understand.
