4.7 end of WWII in Japan: Atomic Bomb

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Today

End of the war in Asia (Japan)

Discuss what the short & long term consequences of the atomic bombs on cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki were

Lesson Goal

Pearl Harbor

7 december 1941

Japan wants power in the pacific

Japan is unhappy with the trading route blockades by the US

Secondly, now that Germany had surrendered, the Soviet Union wanted to declare war on Japan as well. The Americans wanted to prevent this: They were afraid that the Soviet Union would spread communism in the Asian countries they liberated from Japan.

So, on 6th August 1945, the new president of the United States Harry Truman gave the order to drop an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A second one was dropped on Nagasaki three days later. In the end, more than 200,000 people died as a result of these attacks. The Allied powers refused to accept a truce and Japan therefore unconditionally surrendered on 2nd September 1945. The Second World War was finally over.

The Enola Gay dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on Hiroshima. In this photograph are five of the aircraft's ground crew with mission commander Paul Tibbets in the center.

a Japanese survivor of the atomic bomb watches over the devastated city of Hiroshima

Give two reasons why the USA decided to use their atomic bomb

Answer

1. The Japanese died rather fighting than surrender (kamikaze). To prevent more deaths on both American and Japanese side, the atomic bomb was used (twice).

2. Germany had already surrendered. In order to prevent the Soviet Union from declaring war on Japan as well, thus spreading communism in Asia, the Americans used the atomic bomb.

Short term consequences

www.bbc.com

Name 3 short term consequences of the atomic bombs

Short term consequences

1. Dead and injured civilians (also because of the radiation)

2. Devastation of buildings in the area

3. Japan surrendered

In you opinion, was the use of the atomic bomb in WWII justified?

Yes

No

Long Term Consquences

Name 3 long term consequences of the atomic bombs

Long term consequences

1. Psychological and health problems (radiation)

2. Environmental problems (due to radiation)

3. Dawn of the atomic age (warfare changed)

nuclearsecrecy.com

• Start /finish exercises of 4.7: 10-12-13-15.

Ready?

• To practise your factual knowledge, you can use the quiz in Lessonup (WWII).