1. Nagasaki And Hiroshima

2. Progress in the pacific
The United States were winning the battle in the pacific. Japanese cities were being bombed, and blockades blocked Japanese ports. (Fire bombing of Tokyo)
Shortly after Truman became President the United States invade the island of Okinawa, resulting in the bloodiest battle of the Pacific.
Japan’s military was clearly defeated, but the United States wanted total surrender with no conditions. Something that Japan refused to do.
The Japanese believed in glory in death, suicidal kamikaze attacks struck horror in American soldiers. Leading to a believe that they would fight until the end.

3. Manhattan Project
Scientists were hard at work developing both a uranium and plutonium bomb.
Bombs were designed in secret, and tested in remote deserts.

4. Truman’s Decision
Truman had a tough decision to make, if to drop the bomb or not.
Some people wanted to warn the Japanese of the bomb, thinking that maybe the reveal of the weapon could convince them to surrender. They also wanted to warn Russia, to prevent surprising them that the United States had such a weapon. (Though through espionage, the U.S.S.R. already had information from within the Manhattan Project)
Others supported dropping the bomb. These people saw the bomb as a way to end the war quicker with less American casualties. It was also seen as a way to impress and intimidate the Russians.
A committee of scientists and other government officials decided to use the atomic bomb, and to give the Japanese no warning. This gave Truman a green light, a committee backing the decision if he were to decide to use the atomic bomb.

5. Hiroshima
On August 6th, 1945 the first atomic bomb “Little Boy”, a uranium bomb, was dropped on Hiroshima Japan.
Over 80,000 people were killed instantly, and by a year later injuries and radiation brought the estimated total to between 90,000 and 140, % of the city’s buildings were also destroyed in the bombing.

6. Nagasaki
On August 9, 1945, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb named “Fat man”, a plutonium bomb, was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
It is estimated that 73,884 were killed by the bomb and 74,909 more were injured.

7. Aftermath
In months after the war, according to public opinion polls, over 80% of the public supported the usage of the bomb.
It wasn’t until more information about the bombings describing the devastating destruction of civilians became available to the public that we begin seeing a debate on the morality of the decision to drop the atomic bombs Here is actual video footage of the bombs being dropped:
For homework, go to and read the Assignment in blue at the top left corner. Post your answer to the question by selecting the “+Add a note’ option on the top left. I ask that you do not cover up my note (which would result in a 0) and that you select any color other than blue for your posting. Provide a title that declares your decision to drop the bomb, or to not drop the bomb, your answer, and your name.