What are we going to discuss today?

1. 2. 3.

Challenge: What can you

tell me about this already?

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 Was America right to drop the bomb?

Learning objectives:
• identify the events surrounding Japan’s surrender.
• explain American reasoning for dropping the bomb.
• evaluate the need for the use of the Atomic Bombs.
• defend your opinion as to whether the bomb should
or should not be dropped.

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 Setting the scene:

• It is 1945. Germany has surrendered, and

the European stage of the Second World
War is over.

• In the Pacific, Japan is still fighting

America.

• Whilst there was no way Japan could beat

• =the Allied Forces, they refused to
surrender.

• The United States dropped two atomic

bombs:
– 6 August 1945 on Hiroshima.
– 9 August 1945 on Nagasaki.

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 Arguments on both sides:
• We are now going to watch two videos – one arguing that the
bomb was necessary, and one arguing that it was not.

Bomb Was Justified Bomb Was Not Justified

• Remember: both of these

videos want to convince Challenge: If the
you of a particular point bomb was ‘necessary’,
of view. You must think does this still mean it
critically whilst taking notes. was justified?

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 Your opinion:

• It is now time to make an initial Challenge: Can you

choice about whether you think take arguments for
the bomb was or was not justified. the other side, and
refute them?
• Form four groups:
– totally justified
– fairly justified
– fairly unjustified
– totally unjustified.

• You will have six minutes in these groups to choose one or

more speakers, and prepare a case to present your opinion.

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 Presentations:

• We are now going to hear

from each group.
– While you are listening
to the arguments
THINK - is your opinion
changing?

• Consider the following questions:

– was the bomb necessary?
– if it was necessary militarily, could it still be justified?
– what alternatives were there?
– what did the Americans know at the time?

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 Justifying your opinion:

• Take two minutes to consider

your own opinion.
• Write a paragraph explaining
whether or not you think America
should, or should not, have
dropped atomic bombs on Japan.
• =

Challenge: Consider the

following perspectives:
• militarily
• diplomatically
• ethically.

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 Review: Was America right to drop the bomb?

Learning objectives:
• identify the events surrounding
Japan’s surrender.
What is the most
• explain American reasoning for
surprising thing
dropping the bomb.
you have learned
• evaluate the need for the use of today?
the atomic bombs.
• defend your opinion as to
whether the bomb should or
should not be dropped.

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 We knew the world would not be
the same. A few people laughed,
a few people cried. Most people
were silent.
I remembered the line from the
Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad
Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade
• the Prince that
= he should do his
duty and, to impress him, takes
on his multi-armed form and
says, 'Now I am become Death,
the destroyer of worlds.'
I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.

Robert Oppenheimer, speaking in 1965

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