Transcript The Atom Bomb and the Post-War World

Lecture #6 The End of World War II (the
Cold War) and the Rise of the Nuclear Age
Part I- The Atom Bomb Decision
The Theoretical Framework of the Atom Bomb
• In roughly the year 1900, scientists discovered
radiation and the atomic forces that bind atoms
together
• Ten years later, Einstein published his relativity
theory
• Einstein’s theory argued (in part) that matter was
simply an incredibly concentrated bit of energy
– It became theoretically possible that great energy
could be released from matter
– Nuclear power
Einstein’s Warning
• When World War II broke out, Einstein (a
Jew who fled Nazi Germany) sent a letter
to FDR warning that it was theoretically
possible for the Nazis to build an atomic
bomb
• FDR made the decision to set up a special
project to make an American bomb first
The Manhattan Project
• The top secret American project to build an atomic
bomb
• the Manhattan Project would eventually employ
more than 130,000 people and cost a total of nearly
$2 billion ($20 billion in 2004 dollars)
– Irony of the fact that a great many of the U.S.’s scientists
(and Einstein) were refugee European Jews?
• The first two bombs were tested and ready after VE day but before V-J day
OK To Bomb Civilians???
• The Industrial Revolution made it
increasingly possible to target civilians
– During WWI Germans dropped bombs on
London from blimps
• In addition, with total war, is there such a
thing as a civilian?
– Remember, everyone is working towards the
war effort!
Yeah, But Aren’t We the Good Guys?
• Japan
– Rape of Nanking
• Germany
– Holocaust
• Allies are too nice, right?
– Actually, the first major bombing of civilians was
carried out by the British who were desperate during
the air battle called the Battle of Britain
– They bombed German cities
• Even the U.S.???
– As our troops marched on Berlin and hopped towards
Japan, we developed the tactic of firebombing
– Dresden, Tokyo as examples
Tokyo Firebombing
• Bombing accuracy during WWII was poor
– Bombs had to be dropped from a high altitude and
bombers had to dodge enemy fire
• With incendiary bombs, no need to ‘hit’ your target
– Just drop a million little ‘hot’ bombs and start a fire
• March 9th, 1945
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334 bombers American bombers attacked Tokyo
1700 tons of incendiaries dropped
Between 80k and 100k Japanese killed that night
More immediate deaths than either atom bomb
1 million made homeless!
14 American bombers lost
The Atom Bombs
• Use them…
– We spent billions on them during a total war. Why spend it if
not use them?
– Arguably save 1 million Americans by not having to invade
home islands
• Iwo and Okinawa have demonstrated Japanese resolve
• …or not?
– Japanese probably would have surrendered anyway
– Kill innocents (babies, elderly, etc.)
– American reputation? We used THE nastiest weapon ever
(and we are the only country to have done so!)
Our Decision
• Use both of the bombs that were ready
– Hiroshima
– Nagasaki
• Cities chosen because they were
undamaged up to that point
– We can observe the power of the bombs
(No notes on this section!)
Hiroshima, Japan: August 6th, 1945
8:15am: The mushroom cloud looms over the city and OVER
70,000 people are killed instantly.
This number of deaths will increase to 140,000 over the course of a year.
How Much Damage did the Atomic Bomb
Cause in Hiroshima?
From the Hypocenter:
1-2 miles in all directions:
• Pressure Wave. Winds of 500 to 100 mph. This force would
crush internal organs and sent a fireball outward. As buildings
are destroyed, gas lines rupture and more fires are started.
• 99% of people die – people are vaporized from intense heat or
die from fatal third degree burns that are hotter than the sun.
Within 5 miles:
• Winds of 150mph – wood and stone structures destroyed
• People suffer from second degree burns – half of the people
are killed or seriously injured.
Within 10 Miles
• Winds shatter all windows – glass spears travel at speeds of
over 100 mph and these imbed themselves in humans, walls,
trees, etc.
• Firestorms – heat exceeds 1400 degrees
Within 35 miles
• Blinding of the Eyes – if one glanced at the bombs bright light
their eyes will become burned an the person becomes blind
• Nuclear Fallout
• Radioactive atoms in the air which eventually fall to the
ground and contaminate the soil and water with radioactivity.
Humans and animals in close vicinity to the blast within the
first few hours will be exposed to high levels of radiation. The
greater the exposure the greater the chances of developing
cancer and immune deficiencies. Symptoms may develop
years after exposure.
Side Note***
There are enough nuclear weapons
today to drop 1 Hiroshima-sized
nuclear bomb every 8 miles on
every continent in the world.
After the Second Atom Bomb
Japan Surrendered
• V-J Day
• End of
World
War II
Part II. The Post War World
• Cleaning up the Mess
– The United Nations
– The Nuremberg War Tribunal
– The founding of the state of Israel
The United Nations
• Revision of the League of Nations
– Prevent future war
• But a few key modifications
– Has a military!
– Victors of World War II give themselves a
special power
• General Assembly  regular voting nations
• Security Council  China, Soviet Union, America,
Britain, and France  can veto, unilaterally, any
United Nations decision/action
The Nuremberg War Tribunal
• Try Nazis for
their crimes
• Need for a
new legal
principle
– Why?
• Crimes
Against
Humanity
Foundation of the State of Israel
• Where should the surviving
Jews of Europe go?
• ‘Never again’!
• UN declared Israel a state in
1946. It was promptly
attacked by its Arab
neighbors who resented
having a piece of their land
taken from them
• Israel, with support from guilty
western nations, defeated the
Arabs.
Who Runs the World Now?
• Europe was exhausted after two World Wars
• The U.S. and the Soviet Union were the two
remaining great powers
– They have completely opposite views of the
future  Capitalism v Communism
• Stalin Refused to allow elections in Eastern
Europe
• Churchill, in 1946 gave his ‘iron curtain’
speech
– The iron curtain?
Hansen
Name ___________________
U.S. History
Period __________________
WWII Lecture Lecture #6- The Atom Bomb and the Post-War World
Part I. The Atom Bomb Decision
•
The Theoretical Framework of the Atom Bomb
–
In roughly ____________, scientists discovered radiation and
the _____________________________________________
–
Ten years later, Einstein published _____________________
–
Einstein’s theory argued (in part) that matter was simply an
_________________________________________________
• It became theoretically possible that ________could be
released from _______________
• __________________________
•
Einstein’s ____________________
–
When World War II broke out, Einstein (a ______________
Nazi Germany) sent a letter to _______ warning that it was
_________________________ for the Nazis to build an
atomic bomb
–
FDR made the decision to set up a special project to ______
________________________________________________
•
The ________________________ Project
–
The ____________ American project to build an atomic bomb
–
the Manhattan Project would eventually employ more than
__________people and cost a total of nearly $2 billion ($____
billion in 2004 dollars)
• Irony of the fact that a great many of the U.S.’s
scientists (and Einstein) were ___________________?
–
–
•
_________________________________________
–
•
•
The _________________were tested and ready after
__________ but before _______________
OK to Bomb ____________??
–
____________________________made it increasingly
possible to target civilians
• During WWI Germans dropped bombs on __________
___________________________
–
In addition, with total war, is there _____________________?
• Remember, _________________________________
the war effort!
Yeah, but Aren’t We the Good Guys???
–
Japan
• ______________________
–
Germany
• ____________________
•
Allies are too nice, right?
• Actually, the first _______________________
was carried out by the British who were
____________________________________
called the Battle of Britain
• They bombed _______________________
–
Even the U.S.???
• As our troops marched on Berlin and hopped
towards Japan, we developed the tactic of
___________________
• ___________, __________as examples
Tokyo Firebombing
–
Bombing accuracy during WWII ____________
• Bombs had to be dropped from
______________ and bombers had to _______
______________________________________
–
With incendiary bombs, no need to ________________
• Just drop a ___________________________
and start a fire
–
March 9th, 1945
• ______________________ flew over Japan
• 1700 tons of ___________________________
• Between ___and ___ Japanese killed that night
• More ______________ than either atom bomb
• _____________ made homeless!
• ____________________________lost
The Atom Bombs
–
Use them…
• We spent ___________on them during a _____
_____________. Why spend it if not use them?
• Arguably save 1 million Americans by not
having to ___________________________
– Iwo and Okinawa have _____________
________________________________
–
…or not?
• Japanese probably would have _____________
____________________________
• Kill innocents (____________, elderly, etc.)
• American ___________? We used
_______________ weapon ever (and we are
the ________________ have done so!)
•
•
Our Decision
–
Use both of the bombs that were ready
• _________________
• Nagasaki
–
Cities chosen because they were _____________________
• We can observe the __________________________
After the Second Atom Bomb Japan Surrendered
–
______________________
–
End of World War II
Part II. The Post War World
•
Cleaning up the Mess
–
The United Nations
–
The Nuremberg War Tribunal
–
The founding of the state of Israel
•
The United Nations
–
Revision of the League of Nations
• _______________________________
–
But a few key modifications
• Has a __________________!
• Victors of World War II gave themselves a special
power
– General Assembly  ________________
– Security Council  China, _____________,
America, Britain, and _____________  can
_________, ________________, any United
Nations decision/action
•
Nuremberg War Tribunal
–
–
–
Try ________________________________________
Need for a new legal principle
•
Why? - _________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Crimes Against _ __________________
•
•
Foundation of the State of Israel
–
Where should the surviving __________________ go?
–
‘_____________’!
–
UN declared Israel a state ___________. It was promptly
attacked by its _____________________ who resented
having __________________________________________
___________________________
–
Israel, with support from ____________________________,
defeated the Arabs.
Who Runs the World Now???
–
Europe was ______________________ two World Wars
–
The U.S. and the Soviet Union were the two remaining
_____________________________________
• They have completely ____________ views of the
future  _______________ v
______________________
–
Stalin Refused to ___________________________________
–
Churchill, in 1946 gave his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech
• The Iron Curtain? ____________________________
___________________________________________