-Memoirs of Sec. of War Henry L. Stimson, 1947 “The principal political, social, and military objective of the U.S. in the summer of 1945 was the prompt and complete surrender of Japan… As we understood it in July, there was a very strong possibility that the Japanese government might determine upon resistance to the end, in all areas of the Far East under its control. In such an event the Allies would be faced with the enormous task of destroying an armed force of 5 million men and 5 thousand suicide aircrafts, belonging to a race which had already amply demonstrated its ability to fight literally to the death.” -Memoirs of Sec. of War Henry L. Stimson, 1947

EQ: How should the U.S. have ended the war with Japan? Based on what you already know, should the U.S have dropped atomic bombs on Japan?

Yalta Conference (Feb 4-11, 1945) Big 3 made postwar plans Agreements: Poland Free elections in liberated countries of E. Europe Stalin promises to enter war against Japan (territory promised in return) UN would be formed at conference in San Francisco (April 1945)

Truman becomes President April 12th FDR dies VP Truman comes to office

Germany surrenders April 30th, 1945 Hitler’s suicide May 8th, 1945 V-E day "Jubilant American soldier hugs motherly English woman and victory smiles light the faces of happy service men and civilians at Piccadilly Circus, London, celebrating Germany's unconditional surrender." Pfc. Melvin Weiss, England, May 7, 1945.

Atomic bomb Manhattan Project July 16th, 1945- test explosion J. Robert Oppenheimer July 16th, 1945- test explosion near Alamogordo, New Mexico Opinions on use of atomic weapons?

Potsdam Conference (July 17-Aug 2, 1945) Stalin, Truman, Clement Attlee (new British prime minister) Potsdam Declaration warning to Japan to surrender Potsdam Agreement Military occupation plan Soviet annexation of former Polish territory War-crimes trial

Japanese attempts to negotiate June 22 – Japanese Supreme War Strategy Council approves negotiated peace July 12 – Japan attempts to get Soviet mediation to end war BUT July 28 - rejected Potsdam ultimatum

August 6, 1945 Enola Gay “Little Boy” dropped on Hiroshima ~140,000 killed

Hiroshima after bomb

Effects of atomic bomb Thermal heat Blast Radiation Severe burns, loss of eyesight Blast Wind pressure destroyed buildings, homes Radiation ~2-3 miles range Hair fell out, fever, red spots, gums bled Cancers

August 9, 1945 “Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki ~70,000 killed

Nagasaki after bomb

Surrender Japan agreed to surrender if emperor was recognized Radio address announcing surrender August 15th Sept 2nd – formal surrender signed aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay

Survivor Accounts Read Shige Hiratsuka’s story Discuss reactions Does reading survivor accounts change your perspective at all? If so, how? Survivors of the United States' atomic attack on Hiroshima, still hospitalized two years later, 1947.

-Harry S. Truman, radio address, August 1945 “I realize the tragic significance of the atomic bomb. …We won the race of discovery against the Germans. Having found the bomb, we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned the pretense of obeying international laws of warfare....We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans. We shall continue to use it until we completely destroy Japan’s power to make war. Only a Japanese surrender will stop us.” -Harry S. Truman, radio address, August 1945

“I made one great mistake in my life “I made one great mistake in my life... when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made; but there was some justification - the danger that the Germans would make them.” -Albert Einstein, Nov. 1954

Should the U.S. have dropped atomic bombs on Japan? EQ: How should the U.S. have ended the war with Japan?