What event from WWII does this show? How useful is this picture in debating today’s key question?

Which of these images tells us more Which of these images tells us more about the effects of the atomic bomb?about the effects of the atomic bomb?

Drawing by Sawami Drawing by Sawami KatagiriKatagiri

Photograph taken days after the Photograph taken days after the Hiroshima bomb was dropped in Hiroshima bomb was dropped in

August 1945August 1945

Was America right to use atomic bombs to end WWI?

WWII in Colour

LOs

To identify arguments for and against the use of the atomic bombs

To reach a judgement on whether the US was justified in using them

Why did the US decide to Why did the US decide to drop the bomb?drop the bomb?

Pacific warPacific war Millions invested Millions invested

in developmentin development Growing threat Growing threat

from USSRfrom USSR Vengeance for Vengeance for

torture & suicide torture & suicide attacksattacks

What happened when the What happened when the bomb was dropped?bomb was dropped?

6 August 1945 Enola Gay 6 August 1945 Enola Gay dropped atomic bomb on dropped atomic bomb on HiroshimaHiroshima

70,000 immediate deaths70,000 immediate deaths 200,000+ deaths 200,000+ deaths

radiation and radiation and fall outfall out 9 August, Nagasaki9 August, Nagasaki

40,000 deaths40,000 deaths 14 August Japan 14 August Japan

surrenderssurrenders www.peace-www.peace-

museum.org/museum.org/welcome.htmwelcome.htm

What did the bombs look What did the bombs look like?like?‘Little Boy’ Uranium,

Hiroshima

‘Fat Man’, Plutonium, Nagasaki

How powerful were they?How powerful were they? ‘‘Fat Boy’ blast equivalent to 20,000Fat Boy’ blast equivalent to 20,000 tons of tons of

explosives detonated at onceexplosives detonated at once Strong winds from blast destroyed all buildings Strong winds from blast destroyed all buildings

within a 1.5 mile radiuswithin a 1.5 mile radius Heat generated incinerated everything in its Heat generated incinerated everything in its

pathpath

What was the impact?What was the impact?

Your taskYour task

Study the sources from, Study the sources from, ‘The Twentieth Century: A ‘The Twentieth Century: A World Study’ (p.50-1). World Study’ (p.50-1). Gather evidence that Gather evidence that Truman’s motives were Truman’s motives were acceptable and that is acceptable and that is motives were motives were questionable.questionable.Write a judgement, using Write a judgement, using 2 pieces of evidence to 2 pieces of evidence to support your answersupport your answerWhich piece of evidence Which piece of evidence most helped you reach a most helped you reach a decision? Explain your decision? Explain your answer.answer.

Harry S Truman, US President who approved the use of atomic

bombs in 1945

This house believes that the dropping of atomic bombs on

Japan was a necessary evil to end

WWII

ExtensionExtension Read the account of the Read the account of the

bombing of Hiroshima by bombing of Hiroshima by Kyoko Iwanaga on the BBC Kyoko Iwanaga on the BBC website. Summarise her story website. Summarise her story and explain whether her and explain whether her testimony has changed your testimony has changed your view from today’s lesson.view from today’s lesson.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/august/onthisday/hi/witness/august/9/9/newsid_4720000/4720807.stmnewsid_4720000/4720807.stm

Watch frozen in time

HomeworkHomework

Imagine you are President Truman. Imagine you are President Truman. Write a letter to the people of Japan Write a letter to the people of Japan explaining your decision to use the explaining your decision to use the atomic bomb. You must:atomic bomb. You must: Provide reasons why you think it was Provide reasons why you think it was

necessarynecessary Respond to criticisms people have madeRespond to criticisms people have made Express how you hope event will be a Express how you hope event will be a

force for good in the futureforce for good in the future

PlenaryPlenary

What can you remember about the What can you remember about the destructive power of the Bomb?destructive power of the Bomb?

3 reasons for using it on Japan3 reasons for using it on Japan 3 criticisms made about Truman3 criticisms made about Truman Your judgement?Your judgement? How might nuclear weapons have How might nuclear weapons have

made the world a safer place?made the world a safer place?