WHY DID PRESIDENT TRUMAN DECIDE TO USE THE

I. SLOW, AND STEADY ADVANCE IN PACIFIC AGAINST JAPANESE 1942 -1945 • Japanese Strategy=

PACIFIC BATTLES Guadalcanal • Aug-March 1942 • US Casualties= 7, 100 • Japanese Casualties=

PACIFIC BATTLES Iwo Jima (pg. 583) Okinawa (pg. 583) • Feb-March 1945 • US

INVASION OF JAPAN • Invasion of Japan planned for 1945 -46: • estimated US

THE ATOMIC BOMB What – “Manhattan Project” Who – J. Robert Oppenhiemer and thousands

II. DECIDING TO USE THE BOMB? : PRESIDENT TRUMAN AND THE INTERIM COMMITTEE •

OPTIONS CONSIDERED: • 1. DROP BOMB ON JAPANESE CITIES • 2. DEMONSTRATE THE BOMB’S

OPTIONS CONSIDERED: • 3. INVADE JAPAN— don’t use the bomb • 4. CONTINUE FIGHTING—”STARVE”

III. CONSEQUENCES OF USING THE BOMB • Two bombs were dropped on • HIROSHIMA

OTHER LONG TERM COSTS Human Cost • Loss of JAPANESE LIVES • Americans exposed

OTHER LONG TERM COSTS Military • Leads to ARMS RACE with USA vs. USSR

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WHY DID PRESIDENT TRUMAN DECIDE TO USE THE A-BOMB, AND WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES? UNIT 6 CORNELL C:

I. SLOW, AND STEADY ADVANCE IN PACIFIC AGAINST JAPANESE 1942 -1945 • Japanese Strategy= • Force US to NEGOTIATE for peace to end a long, bloody, costly war • Japanese will continue to FIGHT and not SURRENDER no matter how many lives they lose. • US Strategy= • “Island HOPING Strategy”= • BYPASS Japanese island-strongpoints to move closer to Japan, • avoids UNNECESSARY fighting but still takes time; • Japanese resistance is stubborn—fierce; • to them surrender is UNACCEPTABLE and dying for the Emperor is an HONOR - • they resort to SUICIDAL tactics (the KAMAKAZI) which result in thousands of US casualties.

PACIFIC BATTLES Guadalcanal • Aug-March 1942 • US Casualties= 7, 100 • Japanese Casualties= 31, 000 Midway • June 4 -7 th • US Casualties= 340 • Japanese Casualties= 3, 000

PACIFIC BATTLES Iwo Jima (pg. 583) Okinawa (pg. 583) • Feb-March 1945 • US Casualties= 6, 000 KIA + 20, 000 (W) • Japanese Casualties= 20, 500 KIA • Apr-June 1945 • US Casualties= 12, 600 KIA + 50, 000 (W) • Japanese Casualties= 110, 000 KIA From the battle of Guadalcanal to Okinawa, describe the trend in US and Japanese casualties as the US gets closer and closer to Japan?

INVASION OF JAPAN • Invasion of Japan planned for 1945 -46: • estimated US casualties for this attack are 1 MILLION • (meanwhile: FDR dies APRIL 1945, replaced by Harry S. TRUMAN) • OR……. . the US can use a new weapon = • the ATOMIC BOMB

THE ATOMIC BOMB What – “Manhattan Project” Who – J. Robert Oppenhiemer and thousands of scientists & workers Where – HQ was secret base at Los Alamos, N. M. How -- Tested in July 1945

II. DECIDING TO USE THE BOMB? : PRESIDENT TRUMAN AND THE INTERIM COMMITTEE • A special group of SCIENTISTS, military men and government officials • “The INTERIM Committee” to consider all OPTIONS • ADVISE the President about HOW to use this weapon or NOT

OPTIONS CONSIDERED: • 1. DROP BOMB ON JAPANESE CITIES • 2. DEMONSTRATE THE BOMB’S CAPABILIITES: show Japanese how devastating the bomb is without killing Japanese civilians, CONVINCE SURRENDER

OPTIONS CONSIDERED: • 3. INVADE JAPAN— don’t use the bomb • 4. CONTINUE FIGHTING—”STARVE” JAPANESE—USSR JOINS THE PACIFIC WAR FRONT • 5. NEGOTIATE A SURRENDER” CONDITIONAL SURRENDER”

III. CONSEQUENCES OF USING THE BOMB • Two bombs were dropped on • HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI in AUGUST 1945; • 200, 000 Japanese were killed. Japan surrendered on SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. • Video

OTHER LONG TERM COSTS Human Cost • Loss of JAPANESE LIVES • Americans exposed to RADIATION in desert tests Political Cost • USA is first to use WMD • Japan becomes the “VICTIM” and escapes responsibility

OTHER LONG TERM COSTS Military • Leads to ARMS RACE with USA vs. USSR • Led to spread of NUCLEAR WEAPONS Economic • Arms RACE cost MONEY • $$ TRILLIONS 1945 -1991 (cold war)