1. Use of the Atomic Bombs in Japan
The End of WWII
Use of the Atomic Bombs in Japan

2. What is an atomic bomb? A nuclear weapon that creates mass destruction
An atom of a heavy element (like uranium) is split and releases an enormous amount of energy

3. Why did the U.S. start thinking about an atomic bomb?
German physicist, Albert Einstein, theorized that a large amount of energy could be released from a small amount of matter
Einstein: pacifist, Jewish, saw German
atrocities
August 2, 1939 (before WWII)
two German physicist, Leo Szilard and Eugene Wigner were concerned that Germany was developing an atomic bomb.
They didn’t have much influence, so they explained their concerns to Einstein
The 3 men wrote FDR to tell him they were concerned that Germany might be working on an atomic bomb

4. Development of the Atom Bomb
FDR receives letter – October 1939
(right after Germany invaded Poland)
A committee is formed to study uranium atoms (Briggs Committee)
Research was slow…people
were unsure an atomic bomb
was possible

5. Manhattan Project Code name for the research going on around the bomb
Research picked up pace
$2 billion spent on research from
Robert Oppenheimer
This was a massive scientific invention/discovery
Oak Ridge, Tennessee Facility 

6. The Test (“The Gadget”)
Finally, after $2 billion and over 600,000 people’s work (most had no idea what they were helping with)…
Dud or Success?
Los Alamos, NM
July 16, 1945
Flash could be seen 180
Miles away

7. Reactions to the Test
Oppenheimer: “A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent”
When he saw it, he said he thought of two passages from Bhagavad-Gita
“If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst into the sky, that would be the splendor of the Mighty One.”
“I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds”
Some witnesses signed a petition to keep the bomb from being used, but it didn’t go anywhere

8. Decision to Bomb FDR dies April 14, 1945 (President Truman)
Germany surrenders April 25, 1945
Japan still fighting through summer
At a war conference allies told them to surrender or they would face total destruction…they did not surrender
Allies ready to end war…win in Iwo Jima and Okinawa opened way to invade Japan

9. Hiroshima An industrial area with military
Bases, a source of communication,
2nd General’s headquarters
Population: about 350,000
City previously left untouched

10. Bombing of Hiroshima Enola Gay (plane) “Little Boy” (bomb)
August 6th, 1945
Radius of destruction: 1 mile…. 69% buildings turned to dust
Deaths: 70,000 immediately
90-140,000 estimated deaths due to health problems caused by bomb

11. Nagasaki “Fat Man” dropped August 9, 1945 Death toll estimates:
3 days after Hiroshima
Death toll estimates:
40-75,000 immediately
Up to 80,000 in end

13. August 14, 1945 Japan surrenders
Long-term
August 14, 1945 Japan surrenders
WWII ends