Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japan Surrenders

1. Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japan Surrenders By: John Baeck and Yonna Worku

2. Key Figures Harry S. Truman • Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States. There were two main reasons President Truman wanted to bomb Japan. Firstly, he wanted to end the war as soon as he can, to minimize the deaths of American soldiers and secondly he wanted to keep the U.S.S.R. out of Asia. Truman thought that by deploying the atomic bomb, it would not only be revenge on Japan for Pearl Harbor but would also display the strength of the United States to the Japanese and other countries.

3. Key Figures Paul Tibbets • Paul Tibbets was the commander and pilot of the plane that bombed Hiroshima, Japan. He flew the Enola Gay, the B-29 Boeing plane which was named after his mother. Getting prepared, the crew were only told that the weapon had the capability to end the war, but none of them were told what it actually was. Only Paul knew exactly what they were planning to do. After the bombing of Hiroshima, Paul was seen as a saviour to the Americans.

4. Key Figures Emperor Hirohito • Emperor Hirohito was afraid he would lose his throne if they lost World War II. The Allies said that Hirohito would have to “follow orders from the occupying force,” after they surrender. Even after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, some from the Japanese government wanted to continue the war. However the emperor was soon convinced to end the war, and finally on August 15, he broadcasted on the radio that the war was over.

5. Top Secret Military Project • After Pearl Harbor and the United States joining the war, there began a great effort to create a nuclear weapon. This effort began the biggest single military construction project in history, codenamed the “Manhattan Project”. • The United States thought that the Germans and Japanese were developing a nuclear weapon. However neither the Germans or Japanese prioritized the development of a nuclear weapon, the U.S. did not know this until the war was over. • As for the Soviets the Americans and the British didn’t inform them about the “Manhattan Project” because they did not fully trust their allies in the east.

6. Potsdam Conference and Ultimatum • After the bomb was produced and tested there were many talks between the United States and Britain on what to do with it. • At the Potsdam Conference from July 17th to August 2nd, 1945 President Truman mentioned to Joseph Stalin that the U.S. have developed a powerful new weapon. However with the help of Soviet spies who were closely involved with the “Manhattan Project”, Stalin knew about the weapon long before Truman told him. • Near the end of the conference Japan was given an ultimatum, to either surrender or to meet prompt and utter destruction. Japan ignored the ultimatum and it was decided that the nuclear weapon would be used on Japan.

8. It’s Your Decision Mr. President Basically, President Truman and the armed forces had three strategic options for inducing the Japanese surrender: • Continue the firebombing and blockade • This option would have Japan accept an unconditional surrender probably by November, the latest being the end of the year. • Invade Japan • This was another option because many people thought that firebombing and blockade wouldn’t push Japan into surrendering. An estimated 500,000 American soldiers would be killed. • Use the atomic bomb • This was thought by many as being the quickest way to end the war but would kill many Japanese citizens.

9. Why the U.S. Wanted to Bomb Japan • To end the war as soon as possible and limit allied soldier deaths. • To keep the U.S.S.R out of Asia. • To act as revenge for Pearl Harbour and to also demonstrate the power of the weapon and of the United States to other countries especially to the USA’s emerging rival, the U.S.S.R.

10. U.S. Base in Tinian • After the word was given that Japan would be bombed, the 509th Composite Group had been picked as the unit to deliver the atomic bombs. Crews were hand picked by the commander, Col. Paul Tibbets. The atomic bombs were transported to a secret U.S. military base on the Pacific island of Tinian 1,500 miles south of Japan.

11. The “Little Boy” and the “Fat Man” • The two atomic bombs were nicknamed the “Little Boy” and the “Fat Man”. The “Little Boy” was created using Uranium-235, a radioactive isotope of uranium and the bomb cost $2 billion dollars to produce. • The “Little Boy” was never tested and that is why the Japanese weren’t warned of the atomic bomb because of fear that the bomb would malfunction. The “Fat Man” was filled with Plotonium-239, but unlike the “Little Boy” it was tested in the United States before being transported to Tinian. • The two bombs were similar in weight but the “Fat Man” would have a larger explosion.

12. The Enola Gay • The 509th Composite Group was made up of fifteen Boeing B-29 Superfortress planes. The planes were modified with new propellers, stronger engines, and faster opening bomb bay doors. On August 5th, 1945 one of the fifteen B-29 planes was chosen to carry the “Little Boy”. Col. Paul Tibbets nicknamed the plane “Enola Gay” after his mother.

13. Dairy Entry:Enola Gay Crew Member

14. Where to Go? • There had been four cities chosen as possible targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki, and Niigata. The cities were chosen because they were relatively untouched throughout the war. The Target Committee wanted the first bomb to be spectacular for the importance of the bomb to be internationally recognized.

15. Hiroshima • At 2:45 a.m. on Monday, August 6th, 1945, the Enola Gay took off from Tinian. It was escorted by two other planes with cameras and measuring devices. Three other planes had departed earlier to scout out the weather conditions of the possible cities. Out of all the other cities, Hiroshima had the clearest weather and the best condition. • At precisely 8:16 a.m. the Enola Gay released the “Little boy” on to the city of Hiroshima. The explosion blasted 1900 feet above the city, missing the target, the Aioi Bridge by 800 feet. The blast disintegrated everything it touched. Staff Sergeant George Caron described that a huge purple mushroom cloud formed after the impact. And after the smoke had cleared out, there was nothing left, except for a few burning buildings.

18. Nagasaki • Three days after Hiroshima was bombed, the bombing of Nagasaki took place on Thursday, August 9th,1945. Another B-29 plane named the “Bock’s Car” departed from Tinian at 3:49 a.m. carrying the “Fat Man”. It was headed for Kokura, but the way there, the fuel ran out, leaving them no choice but to find the nearest city to bomb. At 11:02 a.m. the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and exploded 1,650 above the city. The city was home to 270,000 people, although there were many more people living here, many survived because of the mountainous terrain.

21. Dairy Entry:Japanese Survivor

22. Outcome Hiroshima • Approximately 70,000 died immediately from the flash of the blast and 70,000 died from radiation sickness within five years. • 600,000 buildings were demolished in the blast. Nagasaki • Out of the population of 270,000, approximately 40,000 died. Most people were spared because of the mountainous terrain.

23. V-J Day, Japan Surrenders • After the bombings Japan was frantically trying to comprehend the damage done to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. • Members of the Japanese government wanted to continue the war even after the bombings, however Emperor Hirohito was afraid that there would be more bombs like the ones that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. • The bombings ended the war immediately, which would have go on for much longer

24. V-J Day, Japan Surrenders (Cont’d) • It was estimated that the war would have killed over 300,000 American soldiers if it had continued. • The U.S. and the Allied nations thought that Japan surrendered after the bombings but they officially surrendered on August 15th,1945 when Emperor Hirohito broadcast the message over the radio. • This day was named V-J Day which means Victory Over Japan and ended WWII as the U.S. and the rest of the world rejoiced.

25. Works Cited American Air Force Association. "The Decision That Launched the Enola Gay." The Decision That Launched the Enola Gay. American Air Force Association, 1995. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.afa.org/media/enolagay/07-02.asp>. British Government. "The National Archives | Heroes & Villains | Truman & the Atomic Bomb | Why Did Truman Use It?" The National Archives | Heroes & Villains | Truman & the Atomic Bomb | Why Did Truman Use It? The National Archives, 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/heroesvillains/g5/cs2/>. Lawton, Clive. Hiroshima: The Story of the First Atom Bomb. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2004. Print Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima And Nagasaki." About.com 20th Century History. About.com, 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/hiroshima.htm>. World War 2 History.com. Nuclear Bomb on Hiroshima Pacific Front Key Moments WW2History.com. World War 2 History.com, 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://ww2history.com/key_moments/Pacific/Nuclear_bomb_on_Hiroshima>.