Name: Jane doe

Atomic Bomb Debate

There is no denying that the atomic bomb was and is a weapon of horrific proportions. In August
1945, President Harry Truman authorized the atomic bombs to be dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. The two bombs killed nearly 130,000 people, most of whom were civilians. For decades
there has been a historical debate over the ethical, moral, and military controversies as well as the
role that the bombings played in Japan’s surrender, ending the war.

DIRECTIONS:
For this assignment, you will begin by working independently to research the factors that contributed
to the decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan through the links I have provided. Fill out the
decision-making graph below as you read. Any ideas or information that you think would support the
decision to drop the bombs should go in the “Pros” column. Place any ideas or information that you
think does NOT support the position to drop the bombs in the “Cons” column. You should have four
key points in each column at the very minimum. Place any alternative plans or battle strategies in the
“Alternatives” column and lists the pros and cons of those strategies as well. You may include
alternative ideas from other people as well as your own if you have any, although you are not
required to come up with an alternative strategy of your own. Please specify whose idea it was in
each column at the end of the point.

You may use bullet points in the graphic organizer potion, just make sure that your bullets are not
vague. Simply putting “people will be killed” is not enough. You should expand on that point to
include who the people are and how many people.

After you have filled in all the necessary information, think critically, weigh all the factors, and take a
side in the debate.

LINKS:
Encyclopaedia Britannica

US History.org

History.com

History Extra- Historians’ view of debate

Short documentary on bombings

 Decision Making Graph
Pros
 Would have prevented casualties on
both sides during Operation Downfall. -
civilians would have died during an
invasion anyway because the entire
population of Japan had been mobilized
during the war.
 Japanese ideology- importance placed
on honor means they will never
surrender.
 Would end the war quicker, meaning
that fewer American soldiers would be
killed.
 Truman and advisors thought it would
intimidate the Soviet Union. Diplomatic
relations between the U.S. and Soviet
Union had deteriorated. Soviet Union
had occupied most of Eastern Europe.
Alternatives
 Carry out Operation Downfall and invade
Japan.
 Negotiate with Japan and change the
demand for an unconditional surrender
to accept a conditional surrender.
(Tsuyoshi Hasegawa’s idea)
 Continue with the conventional bombing
strategy.
My Position:
Pro
Cons
 Mass casualties of civilians- women and
children
 Bombing civilians is immoral and can be
considered an act of terrorism or a war
crime.
 Using the bomb to intimidate the Soviet
Union would mean that the US would be
using the deaths of Japanese civilians as a
tool in another fight.
 Even though the Japanese military
refused an unconditional surrender, they
indicated at a possible conditional
surrender.
 Unnecessary military strategy- Japan’s
resources were close to running out so
the US would have won the war anyway.
Pros and Cons
(+) Potential for fewer Japanese civilians to be
killed.
(-) Would result in more American deaths and
casualties. War will continue. End of war
unknown. Civilians would still be killed because
of mobilized population of Japan.
(+) Still end the war. End the war peacefully
and without fighting.
(-) No guarantee of surrender. Possible that
war will still continue. American public wanted
an unconditional surrender of Japan because
of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
(+) Japan will eventually surrender because
they are also running low on resources.
(-) No clear end to the war in sight. Civilians
still die. Still American casualties.