Just War Theory Essential Question Considering Just War

Just War Theory Essential Question: Considering Just War Theory, should the U. S. have sanctioned the dropping of atomic weapons on Hiroshima & Nagasaki? Created for ARK 2013 -2014 by Jennings & Markowski, Loch Raven High School Atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, taken by Charles Levy. Creative Commons

Overview In this research simulation, you will determine whether atomic weapons should have been used in World War II and if the use of those weapons is in keeping with Just War Theory. Step #1 - Read the overview of Just War Theory from Oregon State University and answer the questions. Step #2 - Examine the photographs from the firebombing of Dresden and answer the analysis questions. Step #3 - Determine your stance in response to the essential question and read the accompanying documents. Step #4 - Respond to the SAT timed writing prompt.

Essential Question: Considering Just War Theory, should the U. S. have sanctioned the dropping of atomic weapons on Hiroshima & Nagasaki? Directions: Read each of the texts below and answer the accompanying questions. 1. Document: Operation Downfall full text (the specific excerpt is here) Questions 2. Document: Truman’s Press Release (page 1, page 2) (A retyped version is here) Questions 3. Document: Former Secretary of War Henry Lewis Stimson’s Essay (full version & excerpt) Questions

Essential Question: Considering Just War Theory, should the U. S. have sanctioned the dropping of atomic weapons on Hiroshima & Nagasaki? Directions: Read/view each of the items below and answer the accompanying questions. 1. Multimedia Clip: Trinity Test (start at 8: 00) 2. Document: Trinity Test (retyped version here) Questions 3. Szilard Petition Questions

Decisions, decisions. . . 25 minutes War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell Assignment: Is war ever justified? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on one of these issues. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. Adapted from a prompt in The Official SAT Study Guide, The College Board, 2009. Rubric

Extension The future of atomic weapons Given what we know about Hiroshima & Nagasaki, should nations maintain nuclear arsenals today? For more information: • White Light Black Rain DVD • Rogue Nations & Nuclear Weapons (Bolton memo)

Information for Teachers Lexile Information on Flesch-Kincaid Scale: • • • Just War Theory 10. 3 Press Release 11. 3 Operation Downfall 12. 5 Stimson Essay 11. 1 Szilard Petiyion 12. 3 Trinity Test 9. 7 This unit plan was created for Baltimore County Public Schools World History classes as part of the ARK endeavor in 2013 -2014. Questions are crafted to imitate those found on the public release PARCC assessments and address the Reading History Standards for grades 9 -10 for Common Core. This unit plan follows the tenets of Reading Like a Historian, a plan for teaching students about history through inquiry. Heather Jennings hjennings@bcps. org Greg Markowski gmarkowski@bcps. org