- The Development and Construction of the A- Bomb - How and Where the Bomb was used - Japanese Surrender - What other Options did the Americans have -

The End of WWII and the A-Bomb

What Will We be Examining

- The Development and Construction of the A-Bomb- How and Where the Bomb was used- Japanese Surrender- What other Options did the Americans have- The Fill in the Blanks will be Highlighted

Executive Committee, Manhattan Project, September 14, 1942Left to Right: Thomas Crenshaw, Robert Oppenheimer, Harold C. Urey, Ernest O. Lawrence, James B. Conant, Lyman J. Briggs, E. V. Murphree, Arthur Compton, Robert Thornton, K. D. Nichols

Manhattan Project

President Harry Truman-Took Office after FDR died three months after his fourth term in Office

- Made the final decision to use the Atomic Bomb to End World War Two

The Dropping of “Little Boy”

and “Fat Man”- After the Decision to use the Bomb was made, “Little Boy” was dropped on- The U.S. Army believed died from the initial impact and estimates vary from dead from the fallout

Hiroshima66,00

0100,000 – 200,000

“Little Boy”

The Dropping of “Little Boy”

and “Fat Man”

“Fat Man”

- When Japan refused to surrender the American Army dropped “Fat Man” on the city ofOn August 9th 1945 - It was only after the dropping of “Fat Man” did the Japanese Emperor surrender unconditionally

Nagasaki

Victory Over Japan- was declared on August 10th 1945 on the American Battleship USS Missouri where Emperor Hirohito signed an unconditional surrender - Japan was demilitarized and a new democratic government was established led by General Douglas MacArthur, of the Allied Forces

VJ Day

Supreme Commander

Where There Other Options?

Military Alternatives - Wait for Russia to enter the War against Japan- Japan would be greatly outnumbered and MAY finally surrender - Another option was to invade Japan itself through conventional bombing and warfare until victory

Diplomatic Options- The Americans could have modified the terms of an unconditional surrender in the Potsdam Proclamation - Allow the Emperor to be the ceremonial head of state

The Bomb-The Americans knew that an invasion of Japan would be very costly- Huge financial investment in the bomb- Retribution for Pearl Harbor and terrible POW conditions

Discussion… What would you do?