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The Atom Bomb The Atom Bomb

The Atom Bomb - PowerPoint Presentation

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The Atom Bomb - PPT Presentation

Inventing to Incinerate The Debate By spring 1945 it was clear that Japan was not going to surrender to the Allies An invasion was being planned by the Allies to conquer Japan This wouldve resulted in massive loss of life anywhere between 5000001 millionplus or more Allied soldiers ID: 216782

japan bomb 1945 surrender bomb japan surrender 1945 japanese million scientists invasion 000 lemay atomic hiroshima fdr american casualties truman military build

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Slide1

The Atom Bomb

Inventing to IncinerateSlide2

The Debate

By spring 1945, it was clear that Japan was not going to surrender to the Allies.

An invasion was being planned by the Allies to conquer Japan.

This would’ve resulted in massive loss of life; anywhere between 500,000-1 million-plus (or more) Allied soldiers and even more Japanese soldiers and citizens.Slide3

Invasion?

In a letter sent to Gen. Curtis

LeMay

from Gen.

Lauris

Norstad

when

LeMay

assumed command of the B-29 force on Guam,

Norstad

told

LeMay

that if an invasion took place, it would cost the US "half a million" dead

.

A study done for Secretary of War Henry Stimson's staff estimated that conquering Japan would cost 1.7–4 million American casualties, including 400,000–800,000 fatalities, and five to ten million Japanese fatalities. The key assumption was large-scale participation by civilians in the defense of Japan.

Other estimates fell in between these numbers.Slide4

What Could’ve BeenSlide5

Developing the Bomb

In 1939, Albert Einstein wrote to FDR, suggesting Germany might build an incredibly powerful bomb, and urging the USA to build it before the Nazis.

Scientists had succeeded in splitting a uranium atom; to make a bomb they had to succeed in creating a chain reaction.

In theory, this would lead to a massive release of energy.Slide6

The Manhattan Project

Determined to build the bomb before Hitler, FDR organized the MANHATTAN PROJECT, a top-secret plan to develop the atomic bomb.

Composed of top nuclear physicists and scientists.

1942: ENRICO FERMI produced a controlled chain reaction in a laboratory at the University of Chicago.

Scientists began working on designing a bomb that could store more material and trigger a gigantic reaction on demand.Slide7

TESTING the bomb

In July 1945, Manhattan Project scientists tested the first atom bomb in the New Mexico desert.

Test explosion, called “TRINITY,” blew a huge crater in the ground and shattered windows 125 miles away.

Oppenheimer: “

Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.”Slide8

The Decision

With the bomb ready, the question was whether or not to use it.

Alternatives to its use included:

Invasion of Japan (and the massive casualties it would bring)

A naval blockade to starve Japan, combined with conventional (non-atomic) bombing

A demonstration of the bomb on a deserted island to scare Japan into surrender

A softening of demands on the Japanese for its unconditional surrender.Slide9

The Decision (Cont’d)

President Harry Truman’s advisors, called the INTERIM COMMITTEE, had met in the spring of 1945, before the Trinity test, to discuss the alternatives.

It could not recommend any.

Allies had already taken heavy casualties in Pacific fighting, especially at Iwo Jima and Japanese island of Okinawa.

Final authority ultimately rested with Truman.Slide10
Slide11

Truman’s Conscience

Truman took over as president after FDR died in April 1945.

Had no difficulty deciding to drop the bomb.

Considered the bomb a military weapon and had no doubt that it should be used.

Never regretted the decision

1963: “

You should do your weeping at Pea

rl Harbor.”

-

Truman

to criticsSlide12

Dropping the Bomb

August 6, 1945: American plane, the

Enola Gay

, drops a single bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Military target: Hiroshima was the site of large military base.

80,000 died; at least that many injured.

90% of city’s buildings were destroyed.Slide13
Slide14
Slide15
Slide16

“Wherever you went, you didn’t bother to take the roads. Everything was flat, nothing was standing — no gates, pillars, walls, or fences. You walked in a straight line to where you wanted to go. Practically everywhere you came across small bones that had been left behind.”

Hiroshima survivorSlide17
Slide18
Slide19
Slide20

No Surrender

Japan did not surrender immediately despite the awesome destructive power of America’s newest weapon.

Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

Major industrial center; site of major port, as well as shipbuilding and aircraft construction.

80,000 deadSlide21

V-J DAY

3 days after the second atomic bomb was dropped, Japan accepted the American terms for surrender, setting off a wave of celebration across the USA.

Formal surrender occurred aboard the battleship

USS Missouri

in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. The war was officially over.Slide22