1. The Use of the Atomic Bomb
Should the U.S. have dropped the Atomic Bomb?

2. August 6th, 1945 Hiroshima is destroyed
August 8th, 1945 Soviet Union enters the War
August 9th, 1945 Nagasaki is destroyed
August 11th, The Japanese surrender.

3. Development of the Bomb
Theory developed in the 1930’s
Oct Albert Einstein writes a letter to FDR
The Manhatten Project begins

4. FDR dies April 12th,1945 Pres. Truman learns of the Bomb April 24th
Chief advisor Sec of War Henry Stimson
First Atomic test July 16th, 1945

5. Truman decides to order the use of the Bomb.
It will end the war quickly
We are already using Fire Bomb raid
It will prevent an invasion of Japan

6. The use of the Bomb was a War Crime.
Crimes against humanity
Making Aggressive war
Mass killing of civilian populations
By definition it was a war crime.

7. Was the use of the Bomb justified?

8. Stimson says yes! Goal was Unconditional surrender.
Potsdam Ultimatum July 26th
Invasion would cost 1 million American lives

9. Japanese peace offers were vague and involved conditions.
The Bomb ended the war quickly and saved lives.

10. Hanson Baldwin - The Bomb should not have been used.
Japan was almost defeated already
Japanese had started peace negotiations
We demanded unconditional surrender but accepted conditions after the use of the Bomb.

11. We had alternatives that could have worked.
A demonstration of the bomb
A naval blockade
Continue conventional bombing

12. The Bomb was not decisive
The Supreme War Direction Council was deadlocked
The Emperor planned to intervene

13. Revisionist P.M. Blackett
Bomb was used to impress the Soviet Union
Bomb was the first shot of the Cold War, not the last shot of World War II.

14. Nuclear age is born