Tube Alloys, Québec agreement and Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings

[DavidFrankenberg]

Hi,

"Tube Alloys" was british code name for atomic bomb project. Before american atomic bomb project (code name "Manhattan Project"), british one was set up.
The Americans benefitted from the british research, as british research benefitted french-german-polish researchers. The Americans seemed to have been a bit selfish in that matter. After britishs gave them all they knew (1940-1943), Americans were reluctant to give informations back (1943). This led the Britishs to stop giving any infos anymore to the Americans that year (1943). Americans begged Britishs to stop that kind of "boycott". So were signed the "Québec agreement" (19 august 1943), the british-us cooperation will continue and :

"we will never use this agency against each other"
"we will not use it against third parties without each other's consent"
"we will not either of us communicate any information about Tube Alloys to third parties except by mutual consent"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Agreement

Following that agreement, "we will not use it against third parties without each other's consent", US should have asked UK to use the A bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (6-9 august 1945). But, as far as i know Truman didnt ask anything to Churchill. Am i wrong ?

[Carl Schwamberger]

....

Following that agreement, "we will not use it against third parties without each other's consent", US should have asked UK to use the A bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (6-9 august 1945). But, as far as i know Truman didnt ask anything to Churchill. Am i wrong ?

In some generalities & a few specifics yes. Churchill had been defeated in the British election & resigned 28 or 29 July 1945. Was not his place to be consulted after that. In general the use of the weapon & general targeting policy had been discussed by Roosevelt, Churchill, and selected others in both governments. While there was no formal policy written I don't recall any significant disagreement over using the weapon to bring the war to faster end. Through most of 1944 the assumption had been it would be used against Germany, and likely to destroy industry. No one was thinking in terms of specific targets. Use vs Japan gained the forefront in late 1944 when it appeared Germany would be near defeat before the weapon was ready.

[DavidFrankenberg]

Hi,
thank you for correcting me about Churchill since he was not PM anymore at the time.
But, whatever ? The agreement was signed between UK and USA, whoever was PM or Pdt of USA. Both Roosevelt and Churchill were not anymore, but the agreement was still there.
Truman should have asked Atleee about H&N. US has explained after H&N that they had "lost the copy" of the Québec agreement, they refound it after Britishs remembered it to them... bad joke !
Im surprised this case of misconduct from americans is not discussed so far, especially in books which present H&N as an evil thing.