Potsdam and the Potsdam and the Decision to Drop the Decision to Drop the

BombBomb

Military USEMilitary USE

After the battle of Okinawa, Truman After the battle of Okinawa, Truman sees the dropping of the bomb as a sees the dropping of the bomb as a way to…way to… 1. end the war quickly 1. end the war quickly 2. save approximately 1 million US 2. save approximately 1 million US

soldierssoldiers

Yalta Conference – Feb. Yalta Conference – Feb. 19451945

Decisions Made for Post Decisions Made for Post European War with USSREuropean War with USSR Soviet Union will help fight Soviet Union will help fight

against Japan.against Japan.

Soviet Union will oversee Soviet Union will oversee Eastern EuropeEastern Europe

Allow Eastern Europe to Allow Eastern Europe to have free and unfettered have free and unfettered electionselections

Gave much more into Gave much more into Stalin’s demandsStalin’s demands

Churchill, FDR, and Stalin at Yalta

The Potsdam Conference The Potsdam Conference July 1945July 1945

Truman, Stalin, and Truman, Stalin, and Churchill met to discuss Churchill met to discuss Post War Europe and Post War Europe and Japanese SurrenderJapanese Surrender

Tension over decisions Tension over decisions about Post-War Eastern about Post-War Eastern EuropeEurope

Allies not as willing to give Allies not as willing to give in to Stalinin to Stalin No longer needed him in No longer needed him in

JapanJapan Could throw around their Could throw around their

“might”“might”

Churchill, Truman, and Stalin

The Potsdam Conference The Potsdam Conference July 1945July 1945

Truman stated that the US had a Truman stated that the US had a “powerful and destructive new “powerful and destructive new weapon”, but did not say specifically weapon”, but did not say specifically that it was a nuclear bomb.that it was a nuclear bomb.

Appeared Stalin did not grasp the Appeared Stalin did not grasp the significance of the weaponsignificance of the weapon

Demand for an Demand for an Unconditional SurrenderUnconditional Surrender

The Potsdam DeclarationThe Potsdam Declaration

July 26, 1945: Japan is given an July 26, 1945: Japan is given an ultimatum, known as the Potsdam ultimatum, known as the Potsdam declaration:declaration:

1.1. Japan must surrender immediately or Japan must surrender immediately or face “prompt and utter destruction”.face “prompt and utter destruction”.

2.2. Implies that Emperor Hirohito would be Implies that Emperor Hirohito would be removed from the throne.removed from the throne.

3.3. No mention of Soviet entry in the war or No mention of Soviet entry in the war or the atomic bomb.the atomic bomb.

Excerpt from the Potsdam Excerpt from the Potsdam Declaration:Declaration:

““We call upon the government of We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrenderunconditional surrender of all of all Japanese armed forces, and to Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.prompt and utter destruction. “ “

Japan’s ResponseJapan’s Response

Japanese premier wanted to accept, could not Japanese premier wanted to accept, could not convince military leadersconvince military leaders

Hint from Tokyo that government might surrender, Hint from Tokyo that government might surrender, in return that Japan could keep their emperor.in return that Japan could keep their emperor.

US insisted on unconditional surrender, ie. No US insisted on unconditional surrender, ie. No emperor, because believed these hints were emperor, because believed these hints were coming from people who did not have power to coming from people who did not have power to follow through. (May have been right)follow through. (May have been right)

Officially - Japan refuses to surrender and Officially - Japan refuses to surrender and announces that it will “ignore” the Declaration.announces that it will “ignore” the Declaration.

Alternatives to dropping the Alternatives to dropping the bombbomb

Drop the bomb or:Drop the bomb or:

• Massive invasion of Japan, costing Massive invasion of Japan, costing approximately 1 million Allied casualtiesapproximately 1 million Allied casualties

• Naval blockade to starve Japan and Naval blockade to starve Japan and continued fire-bombingcontinued fire-bombing

• Demo of new weapon on deserted or Demo of new weapon on deserted or scarcely populated island to pressure scarcely populated island to pressure Japan to surrenderJapan to surrender

• Weaken Allied demands for an Weaken Allied demands for an unconditional surrenderunconditional surrender

• Simply stop fightingSimply stop fighting

Consider this…Consider this…

"As long as America and England "As long as America and England insist on unconditional surrender insist on unconditional surrender our country has no alternative our country has no alternative but to see it through in an all-but to see it through in an all-out effort for the sake of survival out effort for the sake of survival and the honor of the homeland."and the honor of the homeland."

- Japanese prime minister Shigenori - Japanese prime minister Shigenori TogoTogo in turning down surrender in turning down surrender demand, July 11, 1945.demand, July 11, 1945.

In-class notebook:In-class notebook: Rank the options for ending the war Rank the options for ending the war

in terms of 1 – best way to end the in terms of 1 – best way to end the war to 6 – include the atomic bomb war to 6 – include the atomic bomb and the alternatives. (You may add a and the alternatives. (You may add a seventh option, if you see it as the seventh option, if you see it as the best way to end the war.)best way to end the war.)

““Fat man” (plutonium)Fat man” (plutonium)

“Little boy” (uranium)

Hiroshima – August 6, 1945Hiroshima – August 6, 1945 Chosen because of its large size, its being Chosen because of its large size, its being

"an important army depot" and the "an important army depot" and the potential that the bomb would cause potential that the bomb would cause greater destruction because the city was greater destruction because the city was surrounded by hills surrounded by hills

Approximately 140,000 deaths by the end Approximately 140,000 deaths by the end of 1945of 1945 About ½ on the day of the bombingAbout ½ on the day of the bombing Others died from injury or illness due to radiationOthers died from injury or illness due to radiation

The majority dead were civiliansThe majority dead were civilians

Nagasaki – August 9, 1945Nagasaki – August 9, 1945

Nagasaki was one of the largest sea ports in Nagasaki was one of the largest sea ports in southern Japan and was of great wartime southern Japan and was of great wartime importance because of its wide-ranging industrial importance because of its wide-ranging industrial activity, including the production of ordnance, activity, including the production of ordnance, ships, military equipment, and other war materials.ships, military equipment, and other war materials.

Bombings prior to the Atomic Bomb caused Bombings prior to the Atomic Bomb caused concern and many civilians left for rural areasconcern and many civilians left for rural areas

An area about 2.3 miles by 1.9 miles was destroyed An area about 2.3 miles by 1.9 miles was destroyed

Approximately 80,000 deaths by the end of 1945 Approximately 80,000 deaths by the end of 1945

In an August 1945 poll, 85% In an August 1945 poll, 85% of Americans felt it was OK to of Americans felt it was OK to

use the atomic bomb.use the atomic bomb.

When the bombs dropped and When the bombs dropped and news began to circulate that [the news began to circulate that [the invasion] would not, after all, take invasion] would not, after all, take

place, that we would not be place, that we would not be obliged to run up the beaches obliged to run up the beaches near Tokyo assault-firing while near Tokyo assault-firing while

being mortared and shelled, for all being mortared and shelled, for all the fake manliness of our facades the fake manliness of our facades

we cried with relief and joy. We we cried with relief and joy. We were going to live. We were going were going to live. We were going to grow up to adulthood after all. to grow up to adulthood after all.

~ ~ Paul Fussell, age 21 in 1945Paul Fussell, age 21 in 1945