Bellwork

1. Bellwork • Please take out your notebooks and a pen or pencil. • Today’s Agenda: • Japanese Expansion • Tape in notes and discussion on WWII in the Pacific. • Atomic Bomb Perspectives

2. War in the Pacific Photos

3. Japan Expands Its Empire • Japan had not only bombed Pearl Harbor, but it launched attacks throughout the Pacific • Fighting between Japan and the US raged in the Philippines, however, the US was afraid that Japan may try to invade Australia so they retreated from the Philippines to protect Australia • Bataan Death March – 70,000 Filipino and American troops marched 60 miles to a prison camp, over 10,000 troops died

4. Japanese Victories in the Pacific • Philippines • Korea • Manchuria (China) • Took over several British colonies (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Burma) • Had plans to take India • The territories that were taken by the Japanese were subject to extreme cruelty

5. Allies Turn the Tide at Midway • US launched air raids on Japan (Doolittle’s raids) – didn’t do much damage but boosted the morale of US troops • This also made the Japanese civilians/soldiers doubt their invincibility • Battle of **Midway** proved to be the turning point in the war, the Japanese navy and air force suffered a huge blow – they lost 250 planes and four carriers and were never able to fully recover

6. The Allies Advance • Island hopping was a military strategy in which the Allies would invade islands that were not heavily defended by the Japanese, take control quickly, and then use that island as a base and from there they could stage further attacks • Guadalcanal – the first major land victory for the Allies • Navajo code talkers played a role in transmitting messages that could not be deciphered by the Japanese • Kamikazes – Japanese suicide pilots still couldn’t stop the advancing Allies

8. Moving Closer • Battle of Leyte Gulf – MacArthur returns to Philippines • Japan took a risky gamble – it’s intent was to destroy the Allied fleet, but in order to do so, they had to bring in their entire fleet, compromising the Japanese navy – Japan lost big time and only had air force left • Allies needed to get closer to the Japanese mainland – islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa • US troops invaded Iwo Jima and Okinawa and were successful in taking over - Japan’s last ditch effort, lost over 100,000 troops

9. Atomic Weapons End the War • Manhattan Project – a top secret program to build the atomic bomb totaling $2 billion, over $20 billion by today’s standards • US wanted to avoid a mainland invasion of Japan – gave them an ultimatum in which they threatened the use of the atomic bomb if Japan did not surrender • Japan refused and on August 6, 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima killing 70,000 people • The US gave Japan another ultimatum, Japan refused and the US dropped the second bomb on Nagasaki three days later killing another 40,000 people • Japan eventually surrendered on September 2, 1945

10. The Atomic Bomb On the eve of WWII, scientists in Germany succeeded in splitting the nucleus of an atom, releasing a huge amount of energy. Albert Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt to warn him that Nazi Germany might be working to develop nuclear weapons. Roosevelt responded by giving his approval for an American program, later code-named the Manhattan Project, to develop an atomic bomb. Roosevelt’s decision set off a race to ensure that the US would be the first to develop the bomb.

11. On the morning of August 6, 1945, the B-29 bomber Enola Gay, flown by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr., took off from Tinian Island in the Mariana Islands.

12. At precisely 8:16 am the atomic bomb exploded above Hiroshima, a city on the Japanese Island of Honshu.

13. Hiroshima: Day of Fire The overwhelming destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb, and the bomb dropped on Nagasaki three days later, changed the nature of warfare forever. Nuclear destruction also led to questions about ethics of scientists and politicians who chose to develop and use the bomb.

15. Notebook Entry • Respond to the following question: • What are your thoughts on the use of nuclear/atomic weapons? • Things to think about: Was it necessary? Civilian vs soldiers lives lost? Environmental impact? • Be prepared to share your response.

16. REGULAR ONLY

18. Read the Two Historical Narratives • Mark the Text: • Number the paragraphs • Circle key terms, names of people, places and dates. • Highlight or box any unfamiliar words. • Underline the author’s claims, points, and relevant information. • Finally, answer the two text dependent questions.

19. HONORS ONLY

20. Review of Historical Narratives • Hiroshima as Victimization • Hiroshima as Triumph

21. Document Analysis • Find one person in the class with the same color worksheet. • You will work in pairs to analyze the documents according to your assigned perspective. • Pink = Japanese • Blue = American • You will need to have at least 8 pieces of evidence that support your particular viewpoint (Cite) • You have about 20 minutes for this task

22. Sharing Ideas • Next, you will find one other pair in the classroom with a different color worksheet than you • The four of you will exchange ideas and pieces of evidence. • Take notes on the other group’s key pieces of evidence. • You will have about 15 minutes to complete this task.

23. The Use of Nuclear Weapons • Finally, you will need to display your findings. • One side of your poster should illustrate your group’s opinion on the use of the atomic bomb on Japan during WWII. • The other side of your poster should illustrate your group’s opinion on the use of nuclear weapons today. • Be sure to include evidence (three pieces for each side of your poster) • Creativity always counts!