The Dropping of the Little Boy and Fat Man
What do we know about the bombs dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan? The Manhattan Project, Little Boy, and Fat Man, they sound like something straight out of Hollywood, but in fact they are straight out of our history books. They are all part of the events that led to World War II. Most people think it all started when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor causing the United States to enter World War II. That was in December of 1941, but it really started way before that. There were many events that led up to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One of the events had to do with science. I did my last research report on Albert Einstein, and while researching
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There were numerous casualties on all sides. All countries involved were becoming weary and frustrated. In 1945 President Roosevelt died and Harry Truman became president of the United States. Truman was well thought of by the American people. He was said to be very decisive and to have a lot of common sense, but he was coming in on a war already in progress and was not sure how to proceed. He was appalled by the number of Americans that had already lost their lives and he supported a quick end to the war. Truman attended the Potsdam Conference where he met with other world leaders such as Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. While he was in the meeting, he received word that the atomic bomb had been tested in the desert of New Mexico and that the test had been a huge success. Based on the information about the atomic bomb, the committee issued the Potsdam Declaration which stated the Japanese must “surrender unconditionally or there will be total destruction.” The Japanese ignored the declaration.
In late May, 1945, Germany surrendered, but the war with Japan was still going on. Reports state that an invasion of Japan was being planned. Japan knew the Allies were planning to invade, but they refused to surrender. It was considered dishonorable in their culture. The use of the bomb was supported by most Americans. They had heard of the kamikaze attacks and the devastating casualties in Okinawa and Iwo Jima. The people of America were ready for the war to be over. Newspapers were printing pictures of American POWs being beheaded by Japanese