HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI: HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI:

Right Right oror

Wrong?Wrong?

HARRY S TRUMAN

He was the President of the USA in 1945-1953.

The President before died in April 1945 and Truman took up the job.

He had to make the decision on whether to drop the bomb.

YouYou are advisors to are advisors to Truman.Truman.

YouYou must help him must help him decide. decide.

Should he drop Should he drop the bomb?the bomb?

THINGS THINGS TO TO

CONSIDERCONSIDER::

America is very angry that Japan bombed Pearl Harbour.

This is a new weapon. It will probably kill thousands of ordinary

people.

Japan said no to surrender (Potsdam Declaration).

They were told to expect the worst.

Japan cannot continue fighting for much longer.

They might give up soon.

TIME TO DECIDE! You have ONE MINUTE

Japan destroyed Pearl Harbour and killed lots of people!

BUT this new bomb will probably kill even more... We don’t know!

HOWEVER the USA, UK and Russia warned Japan they should surrender and they said no!

ON THE OTHER HAND Japan probably can’t fight on for much longer. They might want to surrender in a different way.

TIME TO VOTE:Should Truman drop the

bomb?Hands up for YES Hands up for NO

TRUMAN DID DROP THE BOMBS

Hiroshima Nagasaki

What do you What do you remember from last remember from last

lesson?lesson?

This plane dropped the bomb on Hiroshima

It was dropped on Hiroshima at

8:15 on August 6 1945

The bombs killed 240,000 people

Lots of people have strong about the bombings:

Some people agree with it – they think it was right.

Other people disagree with it –

they think it was wrong.

Was President Truman right to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

To find out different people’s points of view.

The Question:

Your Task:

Nagasaki

survivor

Bomber pilot Truman’s

advisor

Japanese Army

General

American civilian

Nuclear Scientist

YOU ARE GOING TO MEET THESE SIX CHARACTERS

Your task:

Read your card

In your group decide if your character is

FOR or AGAINST the bombing.

YOUR TASK:

Find ONE person in the room who represents each character

For each one find out:

Are they FOR or AGAINST the bombings?

Why?

SHARE WITH YOUR

GROUP WHAT YOU

HAVE FOUND OUT!

CHARACTER ONE

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

CHARACTER TWO

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

CHARACTER THREE

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

CHARACTER FOUR

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

CHARACTER FIVE

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

CHARACTER SIX

What is their name?

Are they for or against the bombings?

Why?

Right or wrong?YOUR TASK:

In your group you will get eight cardsRead each card Decide in your groups to put the cards into two columns “Truman was right” and “Truman was wrong” Feed back to the class

Which side do you agree with more?

TIME TO VOTE:Was Truman right to drop the

bomb?Hands up for YES Hands up for NO

TIME TO VOTE:Was Truman right to drop the

bomb?

YES NO

Don’t know!