Atomic Bomb

Review: Base your answer to this question on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies. Which policy is being questioned in this cartoon? nonalignment détente militarism isolationism

The Letter that started it all…. Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him that Nazi Germany might be working on developing an atomic weapon on the eve of WWII American response: Manhattan Project Gave approval to develop an atomic bomb This would set off a race to see who would be the first to create the bomb

Manhattan Project Code-name to develop an atomic bomb Facilities were set up in remote locations such as New Mexico, Tennessee and Washington First testing of the atomic bomb was done in Alamogordo, New Mexico – Trinity test Successful Created an enormous mushroom cloud that ushered the Atomic age

Potsdam Conference Allied conference held in a suburb in Germany United States (President Truman) Britain ( Prime Minster Winston Churchill) and Soviet Union (Premier Joseph Stalin) were all in attendance Discuss the peace settlements in Europe- but did not write any peace treaties Berlin, Vienna and Austria was split into four zones all controlled by the “big three” and the French Truman’s ultimatum was issued to Japan- demanded unconditional surrender and heavier air attacks or else… Promised “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan did not surrender  Japan did not

Next Stop japan! After Okinawa, Allied forces looked to Japan next President Truman’s advisers informed him that an invasion of the Japanese homeland might cost the Allies half a million lives If you were in Truman’s shoes, what would you do?

The powerful weapon The atomic bomb/ a-bomb Was created by 1945 by the Manhattan Project Scientists had create two types of atomic bombs: Uranium based “the Little Boy” and a plutonium based weapon called “the Fat Man” The capacity to end the war with Japan was in President Truman’s hands

Drop the bomb? American soldiers had been fighting the war for four years Meant total destruction Shorten the war with minimal causalities Justifies the cost for the Manhattan Project To simply use the bomb Impressing the Soviet Union Response for Pearl Harbor Forcing Japan to surrender Save American lives

President Truman’s decision was not just made by him- but was supported by a committee of shared responsibility Japanese were warned- Potsdam Conference

Against the bomb Inhuman It is illegal to drop the bomb The bomb was only created for defensive purposes It is illegal to drop the bomb Racially motivated to drop the bomb What if the bomb doesn’t work? - U.S would look weak and foolish Demonstration would eliminate the element of surprise Inhuman Against the bomb

Homeland invasion/blockade For: Against: Operation Downfall-proposed Allied plan to invaded Japan 2 parts- Operation Olympic and Operation Coronet Operation Olympic- southern Japan Operation Coronet-Planned invasion of Kanto plain near Tokyo Blockade- with the help of airpower Proposed operations to capture airbases in Shanghai, China, and Korea -This would give the United States Air Forces bases to bombard Japan Fears Japan would fiercely fight back if invaded Cost of millions of American causalities Japan can predict an invasion Blockade would prolong the war

Hiroshima August 6, 1945 Manufacturing center- 500 miles from Tokyo Enola Gay (B-29 Bomber Plane)- dropped “Little Boy” Dropped at 8:15 in the morning Failed to have immediate surrender from Japan Explosion was equivalent to the force of 12- 15,000 tons of TNT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wxWNA M8Cso Estimated deaths: 90,000-146,000

Nagasaki August 9, 1945 Second Atomic bomb dropped Bocks car- B-29 Bomber Plane Thick clouds over the original target - Kokura- took Sweeney to Nagasaki “Fat Man” was dropped at 11:02 in the morning More powerful then “Little Boy”-explosion was equivalent to the force of 22,000 tons of TNT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncq_Wy e43TM Estimated deaths: 60,000- 80,000 Result: Japan’s unconditional surrender

https://www. trumanlibrary https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php ?documentdate=1958-00-00&documentid=20&pagenumber=1 Handwritten notes from President Truman https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php ?documentdate=1955-00-00&documentid=7-4&pagenumber=1 Bomb https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/index.php ?documentdate=1951-00-00&documentid=1-7&pagenumber=1