Was the dropping of atomic bombs justified?

Why did the US decide to drop the bomb? Japanese determination in Pacific war Japanese determination in Pacific war High American casualties in Pacific High American casualties in Pacific $Millions invested in development $Millions invested in development Growing threat from USSR Growing threat from USSR Vengeance for torture & suicide attacks Vengeance for torture & suicide attacks

What happened when the bomb was dropped? 6 August 1945 Enola Gay dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima 70,000 immediate deaths 200,000+ deaths radiation and fall out 9 August, Nagasaki 40,000 deaths 14 August Japan surrenders museum.org/welcome.htm museum.org/welcome.htm

What did the bombs look like? ‘Little Boy’ Uranium, Hiroshima ‘Fat Man’, Plutonium, Nagasaki

How powerful were they? ‘Fat Man’ blast equivalent to 20,000 tons of explosives detonated at once ‘Fat Man’ blast equivalent to 20,000 tons of explosives detonated at once Strong winds from blast destroyed all buildings within a 1.5 mile radius Strong winds from blast destroyed all buildings within a 1.5 mile radius Heat generated incinerated everything in its path Heat generated incinerated everything in its path

What was the impact?

 Your task Read Source 1 (an eye-witness account) and list the different effects the bomb had on people and things in the city of Hiroshima. Eye-witness account

Which of these images tells us more about the effects of the atomic bomb?

Drawing by Sawami Katagiri

Photograph taken days after the Hiroshima bomb was dropped in August 1945

The Pictures They Didn’t Want Us To See pictures-they-didnt-want-us_05.html pictures-they-didnt-want-us_05.html pictures-they-didnt-want-us_05.html pictures-they-didnt-want-us_05.html We Must Never Forget!