Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Cold War

By summer 1945, the Allies had takenOKINAWA, last island last island Before main Japanese Japanese Home island.

Japanesewarriorsneversurrendered.BANZAI SUICIDE SUICIDECHARGESbecameCommon in all of the in all of theISLANDHOPPING

Everyone dreaded The thought of a D-Day style invasion of Japan. Fortunately, a super secret US project came to fruition just at this time. MANHATTAN PROJECT

Early in the war, scientists (many of them Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany), persuaded Roosevelt to try to produce an Atomic bomb. They Were afraid that Hitler was also trying make an Atomic weapon. Actually Hitler had vetoed the attempt

The Manhattan Project cost $ 25 BILLION in 2012 dollars. Only the US could Afford to try. By July, 1945, Scientists at LOS ALAMOS had Produced THREE BOMBS. One tested; Two sent to Pacific War.

Truman told Stalin about this at Potsdam Potsdam Conference, but Stalin already knew because of Communist spies within the ManhattanProject.

August 5, 1945, the US dropped the first ever atomic bomb used on human beings on Hiroshima, Japan.

Three days later, the second bomb destroyed Nagasaki. These are the only two atomic weapons ever used in anger.

Some of Japan’s war party still did not want to surrender. The emperor had to intervene. In history’s greatest understate ment, he said, “The war has not proceeded necessarily to Japan’s advantage…..” JAPAN SURRENDERED.

The US has been criticized for using these bombs on people. It is important To keep in Context. More People were Killed in FIRE BOMBING of Tokyo.

Using atomic bombs definitely saved American lives. Also, because this was the END OF THIS WAR, scientists had a chance to see just how terrible atomic war was. They were appalled at destruction they saw.

Not only were BURN and BLAST injuries much worse than anticipated, scientists were totally unprepared for how much of a problem RADIATION proved to be. Thousands died from radiation poisoning after the bombing. Many died of cancers caused by the radiation in the decades after the bombing. Nations concluded that atomic war Nations concluded that atomic war HAD TO BE AVOIDED.

Meanwhile, the Allies were making peace in Europe. Stalin was determined that there would be a BUFFER BETWEEN RUSSIA & GERMANY. The Red Army occupied East Europe and engineered the introduction of Communism into these Countries. Britain and US wanted democracy In these countries.

Truman issued a new Policy for the US Called the TRUMAN DOCTRINE. US would Aid countries trying to resist communism, thereby CONTAINING COMMUNISM. This was first done in the Greek Civil War. Greek did not become Communist.

The US created the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe in order to keep these countries from going communist. By 1950 Europe was By 1950 Europe was divided into two hostile BLOCKS- NATO- west And democratic WARSAW PACT – east And communist.

The US had hoped to keep its monopoly on atomic weapons for a long time. Because of Communist spies, the USSR got an atomic bomb by August, By the early 1950s, By the early 1950s, both countries had a HYDROGEN BOMB which was much more powerful than atomic.

One hopeful outcome of World War II was the creation of the United Nations. Headquartered in New York city, the UN has enabled the world to avoid a 3 rd World War and continues to do many things to help the world’s poor countries.

Atomic & thermonuclear weapons raised the possibility that another all out war would destroy life on Earth. When North Korea attacked South Korea In June, 1950, the UN sent in an army made up primarily of Americans. Korean War remained local.

In 1953 the Korean War finally came to an end with a ceasefire. Battle lines were just about where they had started. There was no peace treaty so today The border—called the DMZ for demilitarized Zone—is one of the most tense in the world.

There have been many wars since WWII but Nations have managed To keep all of them Localized. Starting in the early Starting in the early 1950’s, the US tried to Prepare the population For possible atomic war. School children were Taught to DUCK AND COVER.

Bombs got bigger and bigger. In 1957 USSR stunned the world by launching SPUTNIK The first satellite to Orbit the earth. The US could not believe It had not been first. Now it was clear nuclear Weapons could be Delivered by missiles.

ICBM – intercontinental Ballistic missiles- Could travel between the US and the USSR in less than 30 minutes. 30 minutes. The idea of Civil Defense becameincreasinglyunrealistic.

Americans were encouraged to build homefalloutsheltersandstockthemwithfood.

The closest the world ever came to nuclear war was the CUBANMISSILECRISISIn1962.

USSR had out nuclear MISSILES in CUBA President Kennedy blockaded CUBA USSR did not challenge BLOCKADE USSR took missiles out of CUBA and US Took missiles out of TURKEY

The US and USSR had enough fire power in their weapons to destroy the world several times over.

The world remained in danger of destructionuntiltheUSSRcollapsed in 1991.

Now the danger is not from a world Destroying nuclear exchange but from a terrorist attacking a single city possibly with a suitcase bomb.