Presentation Questions
- Explains and assesses historical factors of this event and how it shaped the modern world.
The atomic bomb created moral dilemmas among Americans who had viewed themselves on morally higher ground, especially in regards to the German concentration camps and the Japanese death marches. Many citizens from United States and all over the world could not justify the atomic killings of men, women and children and openly criticized the United States for having committed such an act against humanity.
John Haynes Holmes of The Community Church of New York believed there was no justification for the atomic bombings as he states "We denounce the use of the bomb under whatsoever circumstances as a hideous atrocity and an outrage upon every principle of ethics and religion. Our nation stands disgraced before the world as the perpetrator of this monstrous crime.” The disgrace of the use of the atomic bombs against women and children, coupled with the lack of solid moral ground upon which to stand would plague Americans for years to come, and there are some, even today, who cannot erase the guilt they feel as citizens of the only country to use such a weapon against humanity. This shaped the modern moral of never using such technological advances that can be the perpetrator that wipes out humanity.
With the use of atomic bombs, it has created a permanent stigma and fear of these powerful weapons that changed the perspective of warfare forever. It is because of the secrecy behind the building of the atomic bomb that caused the cold war. Harry Truman did not tell Josef Stalin of the plans on building an atomic bomb and the cold war has stayed cold because all the parties on both sides know that if another world war was to take place, than life on earth would come to an end with the use of nuclear fission. Moulding the world of the warning of the Hiroshima consequence, it has shaped the world to fear for another world war and now strives to maintain peace.
- Explains and analyses the motive and actions of individuals and groups- remember this can be positive or negative and related to their significance.
The initial sole motivation behind the American effort to build a nuclear weapon, The Manhattan Project, was out of fear that Germany’s development of nuclear expertise would be utilised by Hitler to construct an atomic bomb for Nazi Germany. If Germany had managed to create an atomic bomb, they could have used it to demolish Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States. In the August of 1943, Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Manhattan Project wrote, “ It is possible that the German will have, by the end of this year, enough material accumulated to make a large number of gadgets [atomic bombs] which they will release at the same time on England, Russia, and this country”. By the time the Manhattan Project was near completion, it was seemingly certain that Germany would be defeated before their atomic bomb could be fully developed; the final collapse of Nazi Germany occurred two months before the first atomic bomb prototype was tested at Alamogordo in New Mexico. A number of scientists and government officials began questioning the proceeding of the research and development of the atomic bomb to use it to defeat the remaining Axis Power, Japan. Many signed the petition against the bombing of Japan, led by Leo Szilard but it useless as Harry Truman, President of the United States at that time, never saw it. After much decision, it was made that the atomic bomb that has been developed for six years would be used to defeat Japan and get their surrender. Truman saw it as a way to shortened the war and prevent the deaths of Americans and to save resources and money.
- Explains different contexts, perspectives and interpretations of your event as well as its impact on the modern world and Australia.
Different perspectives and context of the interpretation of Hiroshima was that the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was plummeted down to quickly and decisively to end the war and save lives. Although it may have saved millions of lives, it wasn’t humane to test out the affects of a never seen before bomb on humans. Japan should have had a right to another way of surrendering. City after city, in the path of fighting and bombing, innocent men, women and children died to see all the effects atomic bombing can have on the environment and human health.
Another different perspective on the context of the interpretations of Hiroshima was that it undoubtedly saved countless of lives when America had made the decision to end the war. Many millions of people was spared from being physically and psychologically victims that would have been added to WWII’s toll. Many nations were saved from death and human destruction.
Hiroshima’s impact on modern society is the commemoration of movies, documentaries and websites, some examples include:
· An Unrecognized Loss – Message From Hiroshima (film)
· Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall For The Atomic Bomb Victims
· Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall For The Atomic Bomb Victims
· Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
· Hiroshima and Nagasaki: A Look Back at the US Atomic Bombing 64 Years Later – video by Democracy Now!
· Hiroshima & Nagasaki Remembered 2005 website commemorating 60th anniversary
There is also a campaign for the city of Hiroshima to invite people from all over the world to participate in the making of paper cranes to remember those who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. in Australia, while learning about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we read the story of Sadako, a Japanese girl who was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and later passed due to leukaemia that was caused by the exposure to nuclear radiation. That is why the residents of Hiroshima folds paper cranes as it was an action that started in the memory of Sadako who believed that folding 1000 paper cranes would help her recover. She had kept folding them until she passed away on October 25th, 1955 after an eight-month struggle with the disease. Sadako didn’t finish folding 1000 paper cranes, so after she died, her classmates folded the remaining paper cranes so she could reach 1000 in total.
As there were Australian war prisoners in the city of Hiroshima, it impacted the educational system of Australia so all students of Australia would know about the passed and the survivors that made it out alive during the bombing.