1. The Atomic Bomb Debate
Pros, Cons, and Effects

2. Why the bomb?
Japan’s refusal to surrender, even after defeats at Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Planned invasions of Japan would have heavy casualties on both sides.
Estimated 250,000-1 million US lives would be lost in a D-Day style invasion
Japanese toll in lives lost would be high

3. Pros of the bomb No American lives lost No invasion necessary
Would convince Japan to unconditionally surrender
Would (hopefully) have less lives lost for Japanese than a full-scale invasion

4. Cons of the bomb Not 100% sure what it will do in the long term
Many scientists who created it were AGAINST IT!
Some admirals said an effective blockade of Japan would end war soon
Not even 100% sure it will work as it should
Massive Japanese civilian casualties— “hurting the wrong people”

5. Potsdam Conference, July 1945
British PM Clement Atlee, US President Harry Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin

6. A Heavy Decision… Truman’s Diary
Making a Statement to the USSR at Potsdam
Truman warns Japan to “unconditionally surrender or face total destruction”
Japan thinks this is an INVASION!

7. Enola Gay

8. August 6, 1945: Hiroshima
“military base” but no more than Dayton, OH is

11. “Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki

12. Effects? Hiroshima: (“Little Boy”) 135,000
Nagasaki: August 9, 1945: (“Fat Man”) 64,000
Long-term casualties from cancer, leukemia, etc. are much higher
Birth defects, environmental damage, etc.
ENDS THE WAR, but starts an ENTIRELY NEW KIND OF WAR
VJ Day: August 15, 1945