1. The End of the War

2. Germany Yalta Conference, February 1945 (in USSR)
Discuss the fate of Germany
The Big Three
FDR, Churchill and Stalin
Compromises
Temporary division of Germany in to 4 pieces, each occupied by a different Allied Power
Reunited later
Germany

3. Germany The Battle of Berlin: last battle of WWII in Europe
Hitler commits suicide and orders his body burned
Last address blames Jews for starting the war and his generals for losing it
President Roosevelt dies from a stroke on April 12, 1945
Vice-President Harry S. Truman becomes the 33rd President
Victory in Europe  VE Day May 8th, 1945
Official surrender
Germany

4. Germany Nuremberg War Trials
24 Nazi war leaders on trial for crimes against humanity
12 sentenced to death, others to prison
200 more in lesser trials
Responsible for your actions even in war, “following orders” doesn’t exempt you
Germany

5. Had a huge army, even after the pacific campaign, and would fight for every inch of land
June 6th 1945, The Japanese Supreme War Council states:
“With a faith born of eternal loyalty as our inspiration, we shall – thanks to the advantages of our terrain and the unity of our nation, prosecute the war to the bitter end in order to uphold our national essence, protect the Imperial land and achieve our goals of conquest.”
Japan

6. To avoid a ground invasion that might cost a million American lives – Truman called up the Manhattan Project
Didn’t even know about it as Vice President
600,000 people involved but few knew the purpose
Test July 16th, 1945 in Los Alamos New Mexico
Cost $1,889,604,000 (1945)
$26 Billion (2012)
Japan

7. Japan Japan refuses to surrender
US warns of “prompt and utter destruction”
Use of atomic weapons
August 6th, 1945  Hiroshima, military center
Plane the Enola Gay drops Little Boy at 8:15 am
August 9th, 1945  Nagasaki, industrial complex
Fat Man

8. The Atomic Bombs Stages to the explosions
Flash of white light and heat
At the center estimate 7,000 ̊F
Wind
980 mph at center
190 mph 1 mile away
Radiation
Gamma and X rays cause radiation sickness/poisoning
1/16th of a mile away : within hours
½ of a mile away : within days
If you entered the city within 100 hours of the explosion you were affected
The Atomic Bombs

9. The Atomic Bombs Hiroshima 140,000 dead by the end of the year
200,000 total
Nagasaki
70,000 dead by the end of the year
The Atomic Bombs

10. Reasons for dropping the bomb
Political – the Soviet Union is emerging as a super power, a display of our nuclear weapons technology would reestablish the US in world affairs
Economic – billions of American tax dollars were spent on the Manhattan Project
Military – hundreds of thousands of American soldiers would be lost in a ground invasion of Japan
Changes in the way wars are fought
Advanced technology – missiles/nuclear
Fought from a distance, not as much emphasis on traditional ground troops and advances

11. August 15th the Emperor makes a radio broadcast announcing surrender to the Allies
September 2nd, 1945  Victory over Japan. VJ Day
Occupied by US forces under Douglas MacArthur
1,100 on trial for war crimes, 7 sentenced to death
7 year occupation
Introduced free market principles  led to economic recovery
New constitution  more democratic, called the “MacArthur Constitution”
Japan