1. 12.5 Overview The war in the Pacific intensified despite the firebombing of Japan. With the Japanese refusing to surrender unconditionally, commanders became convinced that only an invasion of Japan would end the war. Truman who became president after Roosevelt’s death decided to use a new weapon - the Atomic Bomb. After the military dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. The Allies formed a military tribunal to try German and Japanese leaders for war crimes.

2. Iwo Jima U.S. was trying to bomb Japan - Problem: to far away U.S. military leaders decided to Invade Iwo Jima Located 1/2 way between Mariana island and Japan U.S. had intentions of using island as a base to launch B- 29’s

3. Invasion of Iwo Jima Terrain rugged, high cliffs, caves, deep volcanic ash Japanese built system of bunkers connected by tunnels Feb. 19, 1945 - 60,000 U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima Troops faced heavy fire - 6,800 men died

5. Firebombing Japan While Iwo Jima airfields were being prepared: Gen. Curtis LeMay - commander of B-29 fleet changed bomb strategy Curtis Decided to load bombs with napalm Designed to: hit, explode, and start fires U.S decided to use in order to stop Japans war production

6. Firebombing cont..... Firebombs - Controversial: kill innocent civilians Gen. LeMay - Felt no other way to stop Japan March 9, 1945 B-29’s Firebombed Tokyo - Major firestorm - so hot, fire sucked the oxygen out of the air - asphyxiating ppl.

7. Survivor’s memory: The fires were incredible, flames were leaping hundreds of feet in the air..... many people were gasping for breath. With every passing moment, the air became more foul.... the noise was a continuing crashing roar....fire-wind’s filled with burning particles rushed up and down the streets..... I watched people running for their lives... flames raced after them like living things, striking them down as they gasped for air. Where ever I turned my eyes, I saw people.....seeking air to breath.

8. Charred Remains of Japanese Civilians

11. Tokyo Fire bombing’s Killed over 80,000 Destroyed 250,000 building 6 of Japan’s most important cities had been firebombed destroyed 1/2 of total urban area By wars end - 67 Japanese cities were fire bombed

12. Invasion of Okinawa Despite firebombing, Japan was not ready to quit U.S. needed a base closer to Japan to stockpile munitions & troop build up Okinawa only 350 mi away

13. Okinawa Invasion American troops landed April 1, 1945 - Japanese didn’t defend beaches Japanese dug into the hillside on islands rugged terrain American troops had to fight up hill / faced major machine gun fire over 12,000 soldiers died June 22, 1945 - Captured

14. Terms of Surrender After Okinawa - The Emperor of Japan wanted his govt to end the war Many Japanese leaders willing to surrender = as long as Emperor stays in power U.S. wanted Japan to surrender / no conditions

15. Manhattan Project German scientist discovered splitting an atom releases huge amounts of energy Albert Einstein - Warned U.S. President - splitting uranium would create an extremely powerful bomb

16. Manhattan Project Cont... Roosevelt set up a scientific committee to do research and build the bomb Code Name “Manhattan Project” July 16, 1945 - scientist detonated 1st atomic bomb in Alamogordo, NM.

17. Decision to Bomb Japan Secretary Henry Stimson warned Japan to surrender or face “Prompt and utter destruction” Japan did not reply Truman ordered the military to drop the bomb Aug. 6, 1945 - “Enola Gay” aircraft dropped the bomb - Code name “Little Boy” on Hiroshima

18. Atomic Bomb:Hiroshima 8:15 am - the bomb was dropped - 43 sec. later it exploded Destroyed: 76,000 buildings, 63% of the city, 80,000 - 120,000 people instantly Thousands more later from burns and radiation

20. Nozaki Kiyoshi: Survivor “The center of the city was still burning bright red like live charcoal. Roof tiles were popping, We passed numerous war dead who had been carbonized... We found five or six half burned roofless street cars, inside were piles of corpses smoldering under white smoke.... a young mother lay face down, her baby tucked under her breast. They looked like wax dolls, not humans”

21. Nagasaki 3 days later - Aug. 9 - U.S. dropped another atomic bomb “Fat Man” Killing 35,000 - 80,000 people The Japanese Emperor ordered his govt to surrender Aug. 15, 1945 - Japan surrendered - “V-J Day”

22. Video Clip

23. Putting the Enemy on Trial 1945 - U.S., Britain, France, Soviet Union created the International Military Tribunal Punish German and Japanese leaders for their war crimes Held in Nuremberg, Germany - Nuremberg Trials

24. Nuremberg Trial Trials of lower ranking German officials / military officers. Rulings were: over 24 German leaders were executed 107 given prison sentences

25. Japanese Trial Similar trials held in Tokyo International Military Tribunal charges the following: 25 leaders tried 18 sentenced to prison 7 sentenced to death **Japanese Emperor NOT tried for fear of civilian uprising

26. Nuremberg Opening Statement “The wrongs we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant, and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored because it cannot survive their being repeated” - Robert Jackson, Chief Counsel for the United States

27. Discussion Question 1. Did the U.S. need to drop the bomb on Japan?

28. Discussion Question 2. Were there other alternatives to dropping the bomb?

29. Discussion Question 3. If you were the president, what would you have done?

30. Discussion Question 4. If you were the pilot of the Enola Gay, would you be able to drop the bomb knowing what was going to happen?

31. Discussion Question 5. Could the U.S. have been tried for War Crimes? Why or why not?