1. Entry Task
What do you know about the use of the Atomic Bomb in WWII?

2. Background: Bataan Death March
Japan invaded the Philippines on Dec 8, 1941
American & Filipino troops surrendered April 9, 1942
Forced to march 65(+/-) miles, took 6 days
10,000 troops died b/c of brutality (starved & beaten, those too weak to walk were bayoneted)
Survivors taken by rail to POW camps, thousands more died from disease, mistreatment & starvation
America invaded in October 1944, recapturing the Bataan Peninsula, & liberating the Philippines in early March
The War clip 1:09-1:20

3. Background: Iwo Jima February 1945
Americans needed a base near the Japanese coast
Defended by 23,000 Japanese troops & an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, & tunnels
US won after almost 2 months of fighting
Photographer Joe Rosenthal took the now infamous picture (restaged for the purpose) of Americans raising the flag over Mount Suribachi at the SW corner of Iwo Jima

4. Background: Okinawa April 1, 1945 Last major battle in the Pacific
Final push toward Japan: Okinawa = major air base
180,000 American Army & Marine Corps
130,000 Japanese troops instructed not to fire but instead watch & wait, Battleship Yamato would trap them
Huge casualties
US: 36,000+ injured, 12,500+ killed
Japan: 110,000 soldiers killed, 40, ,000 civilians
War in Europe is wrapping up, Germany would surrender in just a few weeks

5. Unit 8: WWII

6. Goals:
Understand what happened in the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
Understand the reasons behind the decision to use the atomic bomb
Understand two different perspectives of the bombing’s significance

7. The Pacific Theater Fighting in the Pacific started 12/8/41
Japan invades the Philippines
Bataan Death March
October ‘44, Americans invade the Philippines, re-take the islands in March ‘45
Iwo Jima (March ‘45)
Close location to Japan – good place to launch attacks from
2 months of fighting – US takes the island
Famous photo

9. The Pacific Theater Okinawa (April ‘45)
War in Europe is wrapping up, German will surrender in just a few weeks
Air base
Huge casualties (Japan loses 110,000 of their 130,000 troops), especially civilians (up to 150,000)

10. Iwo Jima
Okinawa
Bataan Peninsula

11. The Bombing Final stages of WWII in 1945
War in Europe over (V-E Day May 8)
The bomb had been developed over several years through the “Manhattan Project”

12. The Manhattan Project Nazis had an atomic energy program
Allies learned later that developing a weapon was never a priority for them
August 1942, Los Alamos, NM
Two Goals:
Develop a weapon to bring a swift end to the war
Develop a new, boundless source of energy

13. The Bombing Paul Tibbets & the “Enola Gay”
Dropped “Little Boy” on Hiroshima: Aug. 6, 1945
“I thought: ‘Thank God the war is over and I don’t have to get shot any more. I can go home.” – Enola Gay crew member

14. The Bombing Frederick Bock & the “Bockscar”
Dropped “Fat Man” on Nagasaki: Aug. 9, 1945
“When the bombs dropped and news began to circulate that [the invasion of Japan] would not, after all, take place, that we would not be obliged to run up the beaches near Tokyo assault-firing while being mortared and shelled…we cried with relief and joy. We were going to live. We were going to grow up to adulthood after all.” – 21 year old US soldier

15. The Bombing Fireball: 540,000 degrees F Shockwave Radioactivity
Black rain
Intense heat turned thousands of people into small, charred lumps of flesh
Radiation burns and internal damage caused by gamma rays produced lethal injuries to people as far as 2 miles from the center

16. The Bombing Approximately 100,000 people died within 4 months
½ the deaths happened on the first day
Many more deaths in the years later

17. Why Use the Atomic Bomb?
Class read: “July 1945: The Moment of Decision”
Take notes in your notebook

18. Unit 8: WWII

19. Why Use the Atomic Bomb?
Class read: “July 1945: The Moment of Decision”
Take notes in your notebook

20. Timeline
February: At the Yalta Conference, Stalin promises to declare war on Japan within 3 months of Germany’s surrender
May: Japan reaches out to the Soviet Union to negotiate a peace agreement
May 7/8: Germany surrenders (V-E Day)
July 24: President Truman approves the use of atomic bombs on Japan
July 26: Potsdam Declaration calls for Japan’s complete surrender
July 28: Japan rejects the Potsdam Declaration
August 6: “Little Boy” is dropped on Hiroshima
August 8: The Soviet Union declares war on Japan
August 9: “Fat Man” is dropped on Nagasaki
August 10: Japan Surrenders on condition of keeping the emperor
August 14: Tokyo is bombed
August 14: Japan surrenders (V-J Day)

21. Smithsonian Controversy
1995: Smithsonian Institution exhibit for 50th anniversary of the bomb
Cancelled after intense debate:
How to display pictures of the victims
How to remember the use of the bombs:
Victimization
Triumph
Smithsonian Institution is a collection of 19 museums throughout the US
WWII vets did not want the Japanese to be portrayed as the victims of American aggression.
Wanted more information on the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers against civilians & POWs
Thought it unfair to talk about the surprise use of the atomic bomb without talking about the surprise attack of Pearl Harbor

22. How should we remember the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki?
Your Task
How should we remember the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki?
You will become an expert on either the Japanese experience or the American experience

23. Background Read “Two Historical Narratives”
Narrative: a story
Answer the questions in your notebook

24. Expert Partners Read the documents
Answer the questions to complete the table
Work with your partner on this part
Answer the 2 questions on the back

25. Unit 8: WWII

26. Expert Partners Read the documents
Answer the questions to complete the table
Work with your partner on this part
Answer the 2 questions on the back

27. Partner Work
Discuss with your partner how you would convince someone else – what quotes/facts are convincing? (10 minutes to coordinate)

28. Group Discussion Discuss how the atomic bombing should be remembered
Stay in character & represent that perspective

29. Group Discussion 1st Japanese Experts, THEN American Experts.
Describe your experience and how you see the Atomic Bombing
Describe how you think it should be remembered
Complete the “Online Memorial” worksheet as you go
When you’re done, pick up a packet of images from me

30. Group Discussion When you’re done, pick up a packet of images from me
Discuss which ONE image should be on the Smithsonian’s website about this topic
Complete the white worksheet
Copy the title, create a caption, & explain why

31. Class Discussion What did your group choose & why?
What disagreements came up?
What was difficult about this?
What do you really believe? How should the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki be remembered?