A New Weapon, a New Trial, and a New Declaration WHAP/Napp
Do Now:
“Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy.That bomb had more power than 20,000 tons of TNT. It had more than two thousand times the blast power of the British "Grand Slam" which is the largest bomb ever yet used in the history of warfare.
The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold. And the end is not yet. With this bomb we have now added a new and revolutionary increase in destruction to supplement the growing power of our armed forces. In their present form these bombs are now in production andeven more powerful formsare in development.
It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed against those who brought war to the Far East.” ~ U.S. President Truman, August 6, 1945
What did the American President announce on August 6, 1945? Why did the President make this decision?
______
Notes:
I. The Atomic Bomb
A. August 6, 1945
1- U.S. dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan
2- To force a Japanese surrender…avoid more American casualties
3- 135,000 Japanese died
B. August 9, 1945
1- U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki
C. August 14, 1945
1- Japan surrendered
2- Emperor spoke to people for the first time
3- Unconditional surrender
4- Allied occupation of Japan
a) Japan became a democracy
b) Emperor became a symbol but not divine
c) Women given equal rights
d) No military for war
II. Trials and a New International Organization
A. Nazi war criminals tried at Nuremberg
B. Imprisoned and executed Nazi leaders
C. Established United Nations (Replaced League of Nations)
1- International organization to promote peace and security
2- Adopted Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Questions:
1- What happened on August 6, 1945?
2- Why did this happen on August 6, 1945?
3- What happened on August 9, 1945?
4- What did Japanese officials do after August 9, 1945?
5- State three changes that occurred in Japan after World War II.
6- What happened at the German city of Nuremberg?
7- What happened to the Nazi leaders after the war?
8- What was the League of Nations?
9- What did the League of Nations replace?
10- What was the mission of the League of Nations?
11- Critical Thinking Question:
Should the Americans have dropped the atomic bomb? Support your answer.
Base your answer to question 1 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.
The German people were never more pitiable than when they stood by and watched this thing done. For the raiders who were let loose on the streets and given a day to sate [indulge] the lowest instincts of cruelty and revenge were indeed an enemy army. No foreign invader could have done more harm. This is Germany in the hour of her greatest defeat, the best overcome by the worst.
While many protested at the outrages, and millions must have been sickened and shamed by the crimes committed in their name, many others looked on stolidly or approvingly while the hunters hunted and the wreckers worked. There are stories of mothers who took their children to see the fun
— New York Times, November 12, 1938
1. This 1938 passage criticizes those German people who did not
(1) participate in these demonstrations
(2) condemn the violent acts of Kristallnacht
(3) support the government’s policy in Austria
(4) resist the war effort
2. . . . “You should take steps now to cease military resistance. Otherwise, we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.”
This paragraph from a 1945 Allied leaflet warned the
(1) Czechs of a German invasion
(2) Americans in Hawaii of a Japanese attack
(3) Koreans of a Russian invasion
(4) Japanese civilians of a U.S. attack / 3. Which important principle was established as a result of the Nuremberg trials?
(1) Defeated nations have no rights in international courts of law.
(2) Individuals can be held accountable for “crimes against humanity.”
(3) Soldiers must follow the orders of their superiors.
(4) Aggressor nations must pay war reparations for damages caused during wars.
4. One reason for the outbreak of World War II was the
(1) ineffectiveness of the League of Nations
(2) growing tension between the United States and the Soviet Union
(3) conflict between the Hapsburg and the Romanov families
(4) refusal of the German government to sign the Treaty of Versailles
5. • Japan resigns from the League of Nations, 1933
• Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis formed, 1936
• Japan invades China, 1937
• United States places embargo on scrap iron, steel, and oil exports to Japan, 1941
Which event occurred immediately after this series of developments?
(1) Manchuria became a Japanese protectorate.
(2) Pearl Harbor was attacked.
(3) The Japanese fleet was destroyed.
(4) The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.