the decision to drop the bomb and the aftermath
What was the atomic bomb?
During WWII a race of militaristic technology was taking place. Countries were racing to be the first to successfully create the first atomic bomb. The US won that race and was the first to not only create the first atomic bomb, but also the first to use it. On August 6, 1945 a B-29 sent by the US dropped an atomic bomb called “little boy” on the city of Hiroshima, which was Japans 7th most populated city. Just 3 days after the first bomb in Hiroshima the US dropped yet another devastating bomb in Nagasaki.
The video above explains how the bomb was dropped and what impact it had once it landed. It shows the eye witness accounts of people who lived through the bomb how it felt and what it looked like. This shows how people felt and what they went through when the bomb hit Hiroshima.
The Creation
The first contribution to the dropping of the atomic bomb was Albert Einstein's letter to President roosevelt. This letter informed Roosevelt of Germany’s attempt to create an atomic weapon. It was because of this letter written in August 1939 that the Manhattan Project was created. This was a topic secret project devoted to the creation of the first atomic bomb. It was so top secret that even vice president Harry Truman did not know of it until the day he was sworn in as president. America was the first country to successfully create the atomic bomb which gave us a huge advantage over other countries.
The Decision
The dropping of the atomic bomb was a huge decision that affected many people. There was much controversy over whether or not dropping the bomb was the right choice. Many things contributed to the final decision. At this point of the war the american army was tired and unwilling to fight much longer, while the Japanese army was strong willed and refused to give up. The US wanted to end the war quickly, to many it made sense to drop the bomb because it would not require any more american men to fight and lose their lives. Many people however did not agree with this decision. For example, the scientists who created the bomb strongly opposed the use of the bomb because they knew how powerful it was and knew the destruction and deaths of innocent people. The scientists on the Manhattan project even signed a petition strongly advising the President not to use the bomb.
The newspaper article above in which the top of the page reads, “Atom Bomb Hits Japs”. This was the headline on all of the newspapers. The article explains how the US had just sent an Atomic Bomb and killed thousands of people. The top picture shows the atomic bomb hitting and the could of smoke coming up from where the explosion happened.
Effects of the Bomb
The dropping of the bomb had a huge impact on nearly everything. After the second bomb in Nagasaki the Japanese surrendered giving the US victory. However the destructruction the bomb created was so create that even today, almost 70 years later, people are still feeling the effects.It was estimated that the first bomb in Heroshima killed between 60,000 to 70,000 people. Because of the radiation even people who were not alive during this time were being affected by the deadly disease. The pictures of how much destruction the bomb caused shows how powerful the bomb was and why it was such a hard decision to make because they knew how many people it was going to kill and how much it was going to destroy the towns.
The above video is a new broadcasting regaurding the bombing. It reflects on the decision, and comapres it to our presesnt. This video also includes what they still hope to see from the US in response to the destruction caused by the bombing.
CONCLUSION
The decision to use the atomic bomb was a very hard one that brought a lot of criticism and regret. However it did have its advantages, such as ending the war with as little american casualties possible.
Did the advantages of dropping the bomb out way the losses?
Do you think that if we agreed to give them the emperor the war would have turned out as it did?
Do you think that people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki still have resentment against the US due to people still dying today because of radiation poisoning?
Keeping in mind the situation at hand would you have made the same decision to drop the bomb or would you have chosen a different option?
Summary of picture #1
This is a picture of bones and skulls this is just a fraction of the people that were killed during the explosion of the atomic bomb. You can see how many skulls and bones are here and think of how many people died because of the atomic bomb.
Summary of picture #2
his is a picture of when the atomic bomb hit and what it looked like after the initial impact of the bomb. You can see how much smoke and destruction his would have caused hitting the ground and killing all of the people.
Summary of picture #3
This is just one of the many pictures of the destruction that the atomic bomb caused. You can see how everything in its path was destroyed and how the this part of a town was now in ruins with no people around, no houses or stores. There was nothing in sight because of the atomic bomb and how much it destroyed.
This is a picture of bones and skulls this is just a fraction of the people that were killed during the explosion of the atomic bomb. You can see how many skulls and bones are here and think of how many people died because of the atomic bomb.
Summary of picture #2
his is a picture of when the atomic bomb hit and what it looked like after the initial impact of the bomb. You can see how much smoke and destruction his would have caused hitting the ground and killing all of the people.
Summary of picture #3
This is just one of the many pictures of the destruction that the atomic bomb caused. You can see how everything in its path was destroyed and how the this part of a town was now in ruins with no people around, no houses or stores. There was nothing in sight because of the atomic bomb and how much it destroyed.
Literature relating to the bomb:
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
by: Eleanor Coerr
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes written by, Eleanor Coerr was a story about a little girl who’s biggest struggle in life was to win running race at her school. Little did she know that soon she would be effected by the atomic bomb. Sadako was only a little girl when it happened and it had been years since it. When she started to get dizzy spells she didn’t know what they were. Soon she would find it, it was leukemia. Leukemia was the diease that spread from the radiation of the atmoic bomb. When in the hospital to get treatment she told the story of the little boy she met and how he had leukemia too. He wasn’t even alive for the bomb however since his mother was it past through her into him. In the end of the book she would die from leukemia this shows just how powerful and how it affected people years later.
The Manhattan Project
by: Cynthia C. Kelly
This book was the first collection of writings of what happened and the insight of the creators of the atomic bomb. This book explains how the Manhattan project started in 1939 and emplyed by the end more then 130,000 people and how it cost over two billion dollars. It has excerpts from books, movies, plays, letters, and eyewitness accounts. This book shows what actually happened and how the creation of the atomic bomb started.
Voices from Hiroshima and Nagasaki
by: Koyoko Iriye and Mark Selden
Voices from Hiroshima and Nagasaki written by Koyoko Iriye and Mark Selden is a book that uses the stories of survivors from the atomic bomb. It tells their stories of what happened during and after the bomb. It does this by using short stories, photographs, drawings, and poems to explain their feelings and what is was like living through the atomic bomb explosion.
Living With the Bomb is a novel
by: Laura Elizabeth Hein and Mark Selden
Living With the Bomb is a novel written by Laura Elizabeth Hein and Mark Selden with the opinions of the Japanese people and the American people on whether or not the bomb should have been used. It explains how opinions are still being changed on both sides of wether or not it was the right thing to do. It the media, arts, and political views and puts the voices of both people to how they feel about it.