Atomic Bomb

INTRODUCTION

It’s 1945 and the war in Europe has concluded with the surrender of the Nazi’s and the Fascist Italian government, otherwise known as V-E Day. Only the Imperial Japanese government stands in the way of possible world peace.

TASK

Your task is to sit in the Oval Office in 1945, alongside or in the chair of President Harry S. Truman.

Now that Germany and Italy have surrendered and the War in Europe is over, Imperial Japan remains the lone obstacle to establishing peace throughout the world.

How will you choose to end the war? Will you choose the quick end or will you choose the invasion route? Will you choose the diplomatic route? Or will you choose to accept Japan’s terms of surrender?

The entire nation awaits your decision.

PROCESS

In groups of 4, you will first determine which role each student will play: the president, the president’s chief military adviser, the president’s chief political advisor and the president’s chief scientific adviser. Using the links provided, each of you will answer the questions for your role before advising the president.

• As the president, you will research President Truman’s speech and understand why he chose to use the Atomic Bomb as opposed to continued relentless conventional bombing of Japan to bring an end to the Second World War.
• As the the president’s chief military adviser, you will research and then council the president on whether or not to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan or invade the country, secretly known as Operation Downfall. Also, will the Soviet Union help us defeat Japan just as we had helped them defeat Germany, secretly known as Operation August Storm?
• As the president’s chief political adviser, you will research and council the president on whether or not to follow a more diplmatic route, to simply threaten Japan with the use of an ultimate weapon or to accept Japan’s terms of surrender. Or were they? Was Japan really willing to surrender without the need for further death?
• As the president’s chief scientific adviser, you will research and council the president about the Manhattan Project, stressing the bombs destructive nature and informing the commander-in-chief of its successful detonation, secretly known as the Trinity Test.

You, the president of the United States, must decide what is ultimately the best decision for the United States and its future, while at the same time taking into account the immediate and long term impact your decision will have upon the U.S., Japan and the world.

Finally, you are to use the information you obtain to write a 5-7 paragraph speech, telling the nation:

1. what course of action will bring an end to war,
2. why you have chosen that course of action,
3. what other choices have been considered and why you choose against those
4. and lastly the possible consequences of your choice.

You will type your speech in Canvas.