WWII: The Atomic Bomb

Historical context The Manhattan Project led by Oppenheimer Truman made the final decision Dropped 2: 8/6/45 Hiroshima, 8/9/45 Nagasaki Killed an estimated 200,000 people Japan surrenders after 2nd bomb

Truman’s Reasons would end the war at the earliest possible moment justified effort and expense of building the bombs offered hope of achieving diplomatic gains in the growing rivalry with the Soviet Union a lack of incentives not to use the weapons because of America's hatred of the Japanese and a desire for vengeance

Quick Write Do you agree with Truman’s reasoning? Why or why not? Can you come up with more reasons to justify dropping the bomb? What reasons are there to not drop the bomb? What are the moral implications of the atomic bomb? Support all of your answers with facts.

Other Questions to consider: Why would President Truman be against sharing the secret of the atomic bomb with the world? Why would he support sharing atomic technology with Great Britain and only divulge minor details to the Soviets? To what extent did the decision to drop the atomic bomb and subsequent postwar foreign policy decisions of the Truman administration lead to the Cold War?