2. The Dropping of The Atomic Bomb at Hiroshima and Nagasaki The atom bomb was no great decision. It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness. ~ Harry S. Truman The atom bomb was no great decision. It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness. ~ Harry S. Truman

3. Essential Questions 1. Why did the US use the Atomic Bomb against Japan in World War II? 2. Was the decision to drop the bomb right? 3. Was it worth the cost of human life?

4. The Beginning of A Crash Program American atomic bomb project was in its early stages in 1941. Independent research was done in Britain. Basically, everyone including the Germans was involved in trying to create an atomic bomb.

5. The Manhattan Project June 1942, atomic-bomb project was controlled by War Department's Army Corps of Engineers. American and European physicists discovered that the fission of uranium could be a powerful weapon. At the height of construction in mid 1944, the Project employed nearly 129,000 people. No other nation in the world had the massive industrial capacity to make this possible.

6. Robert J. Oppenheimer Late in 1942, physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer was chosen to head a new laboratory devoted to the designing atomic bombs. Oppenheimer recommended a remote site at Los Alamos New Mexico for the new facility, where many famous scientists could work together in complete secrecy.

7. The Manhattan Project Cont. “Gadget” (Trinity) on July 16, 1945 Until the atomic bomb could be tested, doubt would remain about its effectiveness. The world had never seen a nuclear explosion before, and estimates varied widely on how much energy would be released.

8. http://ww w.youtube. com/watch ?v=Ru2P WmGIoB8http://ww w.youtube. com/watch ?v=Ru2P WmGIoB8 “Trinity” July 16, 1945

9. It Worked At precisely 5:30 a.m. on Monday, July 16, 1945, the nuclear age began. While Manhattan Project staff members watched anxiously, the device exploded over the New Mexico desert, vaporizing a metal tower and turning the asphalt around the base of the tower to green sand. Seconds after the explosion came a huge blast wave and heat searing out across the desert. No one could see the radiation generated by the explosion, but they all knew it was there.

10. Robert J. Oppenheimer When you see something that is technically sweet, you go ahead and do it and you argue about what to do about it only after you have had your technical success. That is the way it was with the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb made the prospect of future war unendurable. It has led us up those last few steps to the mountain pass; and beyond there is a different country.

11. The Manhattan Project Success Two atomic bombs were made, “Little Boy” and “Fat Man.” Bombs designed to create an accurate and symmetrical implosion.

12. Fat Man and Little Boy “Fat Man” “Little Boy”

13. Russian Influences on Development of the Atomic Bomb The US carefully considered Russia in the development of the Atomic Bomb. The US viewed the Soviet Union as one of America’s future enemies. Truman’s advisors convinced him that if the Atom bomb was used, it would keep Russia at bay after the war. Postwar use of the bomb as a bargaining chip for territory was highly valued.

14. Uses for the Bomb Now That It Works Against Germany or Japan Many believed it could end World War II. $2 billion used to build the bomb. Not using it would be a waste. 'If this weapon fizzles, each of you can look forward to a lifetime of testifying before congressional investigating committees." Gen. Groves to his staff, December 24, 1944

15. Battle of Okinawa Known as “Typhoon of Steel” Largest amphibious assault in Pacific of the War. Operation Downfall – invasion of main islands in Japan 48,000 Americans died. 150,000 Japanese civilians died. Japanese propaganda viewed Americans as “barbarians.” This gave the Japanese the mindset of never surrendering to an American. Japan still didn’t surrender…..

16. Debate over the Bomb: American Support Americans were suffering many casualties and the Japanese were showing no signs of possible negotiation. A cease fire was non-negotiable. If the United States dropped the atomic bomb many felt that surrender and peace would probably occur.

17. Possible Target Locations The target committee at Los Alamos from May 10 – 11, 1945, recommended Kyoto, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and arsenal at Kokura as possible targets. The psychological effects on the Japanese citizens were important to the committee members. The target location for the detonation of the bomb should be spectacular for international recognition.

18. Saving Lives by Using the Bomb Non-combatants were dying throughout Asia at the rate of 200,000 per month. The complete naval blockade of Japan would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths due to malnutrition, dehydration, and famine. The atomic bomb saved thousands of American soldier’s lives Secretary of State James Byrnes claimed 500,000 would have died if they invaded Japan. Total combat deaths after four years of war – 292,000.

19. Official Order To Drop Bomb 1.Stimson (Sec. of War) and Byrnes (Sec. of State) advised Truman to use the bomb. Spring and summer of 1945, Truman approves decision. 2.Official order was issued on July 25 th.

20. The Enola Gay On August 6, 1945, the B- 29 Enola Gay, under colonel Paul Tibbits left Tinian airbase in the West Pacific.

21. The Atomic Bomb at Hiroshima http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=NF4LQaWJRDg

22. WHY HIROSHIMA? Hiroshima was chosen as the primary target since it had remained largely untouched by bombing raids, and the bomb's effects could be clearly measured. While President Truman had hoped for a purely military target, some advisers believed that bombing an urban area might break the fighting will of the Japanese people. Hiroshima was a major port and a military headquarters, and therefore a strategic target. Also, visual bombing, rather than radar, would be used so that photographs of the damage could be taken. Since Hiroshima had not been seriously harmed by bombing raids, these photographs could present a fairly clear picture of the bomb's damage.

23. Hiroshima Before The Atomic Bomb

24. Hiroshima After The Atomic Bomb

26. Hiroshima – August 6, 1945 ©70,000 killed immediately. ©48,000 buildings. destroyed. ©Crewmembers of the Enola Gay saw a column of smoke rising fast and intense fires springing up. ©The burst temperature was estimated to reach over a million degrees Celsius, which ignited the surrounding air, forming a fireball some 840 feet in diameter. Eyewitnesses more than 5 miles away said its brightness exceeded the sun tenfold.

27. The Mushroom Cloud The bomb has a blast the equivalent to 13 kilotons of TNT. Due to radiation, approximately 152,437 additional people have died.

28. Success A few hours after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, General Leslie Groves called Dr. Robert Oppenheimer to tell him of the weapons mass success Groves said “Apparently it went with a tremendous bang.” Right after the tremendous success with the Hiroshima bombing, “Every effort is being devoted to their next objective” (Nagasaki three days later) After Nagasaki it was mentioned that there will be a following objective implying that there could be a third bombing

29. Bockscar Sometimes called Bock’s car. B-29 bomber Superfortress, flown by Major Charles W. Sweeney dropped the “Fat Man” on August 9, 1945. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWoNDxjOksM

30. The Bombing: Nagasaki AfterBefore

31. Nagasaki – August 9, 1945 ©Fat Man exploded at 1,840 feet above Nagasaki and approximately 500 feet south of the Mitsubishi Steel and Armament Works with an estimated force of 22,000 tons of TNT. ©40,000 killed immediately. ©60,000 injured. ©100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

32. Blast The atomic explosion created a super-high pressure at the epicenter of several hundred thousand atmospheres. The surrounding air expanded enormously, creating a tremendous blast. All wooden houses were destroyed within a radius of two kilometers from the hypocenter. Even ferro- concrete structures were crushed by the power of the blast. Windows were smashed at a distance of sixteen kilometers.

33. Fire When the atomic bomb detonated, houses at or near the hypocenter ignited all at once. Flames leapt up quickly throughout the city. For the next 3 days, the city burned. Within a radius of two kilometers, all combustible material was burned and the thousands of people trapped under collapsed buildings were burned to death.

34. The Effects of the Atomic Bomb on People

35. Japanese A-Bomb Survivors

37. A strap of her bag saves part of her skin from the keloids or tumor-like growths of scar tissue

39. “There were the shadowy forms of people, some of whom looked like walking ghosts. Others moved as though in pain, the scarecrows, their arms held out from their bodies with forearms and hands dangling. These people puzzled me until I suddenly realized that they had been burned and were holding their arms out to prevent the painful friction of raw surfaces rubbing together.”

40. MATSUMURA Kazuo 32 years old in August 1945 Mother looking for a place to cremate her dead child. The artist’s text notes that the child’s burned face was infested with maggots, and speculates that the distraught mother “probably picked up the metal helmet as a receptacle for her child’s bones.”

41. TANIMOTO Hatsuto 41 years old in August 1945 “Parent and child.” In the emotional text that accompanies this ink painting, the artist observed that the bodies were so charred that it was not possible to be sure of the gender of either corpse.

42. ONOGI Akira 15 years old in August 1945 A man, skin peeling from his hands, “desperately looking for his child.” Neither the man nor his child survived.

43. Kazuo Matsumuro was 32 when she witnessed the Hiroshima bombing 1300 meters from the epicenter. She said that people's skin was falling off and they kept their arms in front of them like zombies to prevent the skin from sticking.

44. The artist’s text describes a long line of burned people “sticking their hands forward and crying for water.”

45. Badly burned survivors being treated with mercurochrome. YOSHIMOTO Satoshi 13 years old in August 1945

47. Mr. Akihiro Takahashi was 14 years old, when the bomb was dropped. He was standing in line with other students of his junior high school, waiting for the morning meeting 1.4 km away from the center. He was under medical treatment for about year and half. And even today black nail grows at his finger tip, where a piece of glass was stuck. “The heat was tremendous. And I felt like my body was burning all over. For my burning body the cold water of the river was as precious as the treasure. Then I left the river, and I walked along the railroad tracks in the direction of my home. On the way, I ran into an another friend of mine, Tokujiro Hatta. I wondered why the soles of his feet were badly burnt. It was unthinkable to get burned there. But it was undeniable fact the soles were peeling and red muscle was exposed. Even I myself was terribly burnt, I could not go home ignoring him. I made him crawl using his arms and knees. Next, I made him stand on his heels and I supported him. We walked heading toward my home repeating the two methods. When we were resting because we were so exhausted, I found my grandfather's brother and his wife, in other words, great uncle and great aunt, coming toward us. That was quite coincidence. As you know, we have a proverb about meeting Buddha in Hell. My encounter with my relatives at that time was just like that. They seem to be the Buddha to me wandering in the living hell.”

48. Acute Effects The most common acute disorders were epilation, symptoms of damage to mucous membranes including diarrhea, dysentery, melena and bleeding from gums, and impeded blood-forming functions. The acute effects had largely subsided by the end of December, approximately five months after the bombing. Hair combed off of head in 3 strokes of a brush

49. Radiation The defining characteristic of an atomic bomb that distinguishes it from any conventional bomb is radiation. Those exposed within about 1000 meters of the hypocenter received life-threatening doses, and most died within a few days. Decades later, that radiation was still producing harmful aftereffects. Leukemia and other cancers appeared over the course of 2 to 20 years, and radiation effects still threaten the health of the survivors.

50. Black Rain Soon after the explosion, a giant mushroom cloud billowed upward, carrying dirt, dust, and other debris high into the air. After the explosion, soot generated by the conflagration was carried by hot air high into the sky. this dust and soot became radioactive, mixed with water vapor in the air, then fell back to earth in what came to be called "black rain.“ The black rain contained radioactive material. Fish died and floated to the surface in the ponds and rivers where this rain fell. Many of the people who drank from wells in areas where the black rain fell suffered from diarrhea for three months.

51. Poems and Testimonials The following verse is from "Flower of Summer" (Natsu no Hana), a collection of short stories by Tamiki Hara (1905-1951), writer and A-bomb survivor. This is a human being? Look how the atom bomb changed it. Flesh swells fearfully. All men and women lake one shape. The voice that trickles from swollen lips on the festering, charred-black face whispers the thin words, "Please help me." This, this is a human being. This is the face of a human being.

52. The Japanese Surrender The Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945. The ceremony took place on the USS Missouri accompanied by British ships in Tokyo Bay. Japan agreed to a ceasefire and the release of POW’s.

53. http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027j/ groundzero1945/gz_core_despair.htmlhttp://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027j/ groundzero1945/gz_core_despair.html http://www.hiroshima- remembered.com/history/hiroshima/pag e9.htmlhttp://www.hiroshima- remembered.com/history/hiroshima/pag e9.html http://www.atomicbombmuseum.org/3_s ocial.shtm