Aim: Was the US justified Aim: Was the US justified in dropping the atomic in dropping the atomic bomb on Japan?bomb on Japan?

The Father of the Atomic Bomb: The Father of the Atomic Bomb: J. Robert OppenheimerJ. Robert Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer supervised Oppenheimer supervised the Manhattan Project to the Manhattan Project to build an atomic bombbuild an atomic bomb

““Oppy” had deep Oppy” had deep reservations about the reservations about the use of atomic weaponsuse of atomic weapons

Upon witnessing the first Upon witnessing the first atomic explosion, he atomic explosion, he quoted text from the quoted text from the Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita, “Now I , “Now I am become death, the am become death, the destroyer of worlds.”destroyer of worlds.”

Why Drop the Atomic bomb?Why Drop the Atomic bomb?

Bring about the immediate Bring about the immediate surrender of Japansurrender of Japan

Save American lives that Save American lives that would be lost in an would be lost in an invasion of Japaninvasion of Japan

Deploy an asset that was Deploy an asset that was meant to be used meant to be used (bureaucratic momentum)(bureaucratic momentum)

Display American powerDisplay American power Obviate the need for a Obviate the need for a

Soviet invasion of Japan--Soviet invasion of Japan--no power-sharing in Japanno power-sharing in Japan

President Truman’s WarningPresident Truman’s Warning

""Let there be no Let there be no mistakemistake, , we shall we shall completely destroy completely destroy Japan's power to make Japan's power to make war. If they do not now war. If they do not now accept our terms accept our terms [unconditional [unconditional surrender], they may surrender], they may expect a rain of ruin from expect a rain of ruin from the air the like of which the air the like of which has never been seen on has never been seen on this earth."this earth."

Hiroshima after the blastHiroshima after the blast

Near the epicenter of the Hiroshima blastNear the epicenter of the Hiroshima blast

The shadow of an incinerated personThe shadow of an incinerated person

Hiroshima: The Results Hiroshima: The Results

Roughly Roughly 70,000 people70,000 people died in the immediate died in the immediate atomic blast, including about 20 American atomic blast, including about 20 American POWS held in the city.POWS held in the city.

By the end of 1945, around By the end of 1945, around 30,000 more 30,000 more peoplepeople died from the lingering effects of the died from the lingering effects of the bombing. bombing.

The 5-year death total may have reached or The 5-year death total may have reached or exceeded exceeded 200,000 people200,000 people, as cancer and , as cancer and other long-term effects took hold. other long-term effects took hold.

The Nagasaki Bombing: The Nagasaki Bombing: 3 days after Hiroshima3 days after Hiroshima

The original mission was The original mission was to bomb the Japanese to bomb the Japanese city of Kokura.city of Kokura.

Poor weather caused Poor weather caused the US to move its the US to move its mission to Nagasaki.mission to Nagasaki.

Nagasaki was an Nagasaki was an industrial center and a industrial center and a major port with major port with approximately 200,000 approximately 200,000 residents. residents.

Nagasaki: The Results Nagasaki: The Results

The initial blast probably The initial blast probably killed 40,000 people, killed 40,000 people, with 60,000 more injuredwith 60,000 more injured

6 months later, another 6 months later, another 10,000 people had died.10,000 people had died.

The day after this The day after this bombing, the emperor of bombing, the emperor of Japan offered his Japan offered his country’s surrender.country’s surrender.

World War II ended. World War II ended.

The Post-WWII Arms RaceThe Post-WWII Arms Race

The use of the atomic The use of the atomic bombs caused an bombs caused an arms race between the arms race between the USA and the USSR. USA and the USSR.

The chart to the right is The chart to the right is a depiction of the a depiction of the number of US nuclear number of US nuclear weapons (by year) weapons (by year) capable of being used capable of being used after WWIIafter WWII