Lesson Topic World War II/ Harry Truman/ Atomic Bomb In Their Shoes Series Harry Truman

(created by B. Culp

Grade Level - High School Subject United States History Time to complete Activity 4 to !! minutes "ommon "ore Standards in addition to #ational History standards - $%&%'( %) *ecommendation +or the teacher "omplete this decision ma,ing and -riting activity at the end o+ your ..// unit% The activity gives goes into some bac,ground0 but it1s best used a+ter students have learned about critical events and dynamics o+ the -ar against 2apan% This is a terrific chance to have students think critically and produce a product that will be unique to them rather than some activity sheet where they all have the same answers. Youll be surprised (pleasantly and not) by student responses. Ive made them aware before completing this assignment that the letter (either to the American or Japanese woman) could easily go public and that all who read it would e press their own opinions of it. This !eeps students more careful and empathetic while writing.
3njoy using it in your classes and send me any +eedbac, you1d li,e

!S History

Topic and "ocus WWII and t#e Atomic Bomb

IN THEIR SHOES..HA$$% S T$!&A'

Some Bac()round* It is late +uly ,-./. 01er .223222 !S ser1icemen #a1e been (illed durin) America4s 5our years at 6ar. Italy o1ert#re6 &ussolini and #is 5ascist re)ime in ,-.. and 5reedom lo1in) Italians 7uic(ly 8oined t#e Allies. Hitler4s 9T#ousand %ear $eic#: 6as de5eated in &ay ,-./ a5ter ,; years. +apan t#ou)# 6as still sa1a)ely 5i)#tin) a)ainst t#e oncomin) Americans in t#e <aci5ic. +apan o5 course 6as t#e country t#at pulled us directly into t#is 6ar 6it# t#eir surprise attac( on <earl Harbor3 Ha6aii in =ec. ,-.,. In t#e ne>t si> mont#s3 t#ey 6ere able to ta(e arc#ipela)os and sin)le islands all 6it#in t#e <aci5ic rim )i1in) t#emsel1es t#e empire t#ey desired 5or so lon). Included in t#is early con7uest 6as t#e <#ilippines 6#ere !S soldiers became prisoners o5 t#e +apanese 5or t#e 5irst time. W#at 5ollo6ed slo6ly became public (no6led)e o5 #o6 +apan mistreated captured soldiers includin) torture and bein) put to deat# on a 6#im. (T#e !S did not understand at t#at time +apan4s culture and military 1alues 6#ic# 6ere di55erent 5rom ours Wit# +apan #a1in) its empire in ,-.;3 it came do6n to de5endin) it a)ainst t#e Americans until t#ey )re6 tired o5 sacri5icin) men3 money and time a)ainst 6#at t#e +apanese t#ou)#t 6as t#eir t#ree ad1anta)es o5 better men3 a better na1y and better planes. <resident "ran(lin $oose1elt stated a )oal o5 9unconditional surrender o5 t#e a>is po6ers: in ,-.? accordin) to Admiral Wm. Lea#y. At t#is time3 t#e !S 6as slo6ly but success5ully re)ainin) territory ta(en early by t#e +apanese. T#e +apanese may #a1e at t#is time be)un to reali@e t#at t#ey underestimated t#e !S4s resol1e in de5eatin) t#e +apanese completely and not 5allin) prey to 9tirin): o5 t#e 6ar. In ,-..3 as t#e !S 9island #opped: closer and closer to mainland +apan3 t#e desperate +apanese dispensed a ne6 6eapon in t#e 5orm o5 t#e kamikaze. W#ile stri(in) 5ear into many na1al personnel3 it did not deter t#e !S4s e55ort to 5or)e 9on6ard to6ard +apanA: In early ,-./ at t#e battle o5 0(ina6a3 an island considered part o5 +apan3 casualties 6ere #orri5yin).about /2B o5 all !S 5orces t#at in1aded t#e island 6ere (illed or 6ounded. Bottom line.t#e closer !S 5orces )ot to mainland +apan3 t#e more desperately t#e +apanese 5ou)#t and prepared t#eir people 5or t#e incomin) in1asion. As an e>ample o5 t#is desperation..t#e +apanese 6ere trainin) small c#ildren #o6 to stab a landin) !S soldier in t#e le) 6it# poison spears. In April o5 ,-./3 t#e tra)ic ne6s o5 "=$4s deat# le5t t#e nation 5eelin)

uncertain t#at t#e #eir to #is o55ice3 Cice <resident Harry S Truman could 5ill t#e battle tested $oose1elt4s place. Dermany surrendered in &ay endin) t#e 6ar in Europe. Truman made a speec# meant 5or t#e 6orld to #ear t#at t#e !S 6ould not 7uit t#e 6ar in t#e <aci5ic until +apan surrendered unconditionally. Wit# no 5ormal surrender 5rom +apan comin) a5ter t#e speec#3 it loo(ed li(e a 5ull scale in1asion o5 t#e mainland 6as t#e destiny o5 at least one million ser1icemen3 some o5 6#om #ad #elped to 6in t#e 6ar in Europe and t#ou)#t t#ey 6ere #eaded #ome. T#en 6#ile at a con5erence in <otsdam3 Dermany3 Truman )ot 6ord t#at t#e !nited States #ad success5ully e>ploded an atomic bomb bac( in Los Alamos3 '&. Harry S Truman 5rom t#e small to6n o5 Independence &issouri t#en #ad a decision to ma(e..and t#at decision and a small taste o5 t#e

conse7uences o5 it is no6 yours!

%our t6o options* ,. 0rder t#e mainland in1asion o5 +apan3 secure it 6it# )round troops to 5orce t#e surrender o5 +apan. Estimates 5rom Denerals in t#e <aci5ic #a1e t#e number o5 casualties startin) in t#e ;2232224s to complete t#is. ;. 0rder t#e droppin) o5 an atomic bomb(s to 5orce t#e surrender. Estimates 1ary3 but droppin) an atomic bomb on a city 6ill (ill some6#ere bet6een ,/3222 to F/3222 instantly. W#ile a city t#at ma(es munitions 5or t#e 6ar 6ill be c#osen3 it cannot be #elped t#at many ci1ilians includin) c#ildren are part o5 t#at estimate. %our Harry Truman in +une ,-./..6#at 6ill you c#ooseGAGA In1asion HHHHHHH E>plain your reasonin) #ere* =rop t#e aIbomb HHHHHH

'o6

If you chose invasion3 t#en 6rite a response letter to a

6oman 6#o lost #er #usband and one o5 #er t#ree brot#ers in t#e in1asion. S#e 6ants to (no6 6#y 6e #ad to in1ade. S#e states t#at +apan 6as already beaten and 6as no lon)er a t#reat. S#e as(s 6#o 6ill support #er t#ree year old )irl. S#e is de1astated.

If you chose to drop the a-bomb3 t#en 6rite a

response letter to a 6oman 6#o lost #er entire 5amily3 includin) #er #usband3 #er ,, year old son3 #er J year old dau)#ter and #er parents3 in t#e bombin) o5 Hiros#ima. S#e 6as 'ort# o5 t#e city on t#e #orri5ic day t#e 6orld 6as c#an)ed 5ore1er. S#e 6ants to (no6 #o6 you sleep at ni)#t. S#e sent pictures o5 #er (illed 5amily members. S#e 6ants to (no6 i5 t#is is #o6 America de5ines liberty and peace. S#e is de1astated.