Atomic Bomb Debate
You will need…
•ONE sheet of lined paper
•Your
research notes from the
Atomic Bomb Blendspace
Did the US have to drop atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
 Create
a T-Chart on your lined sheet of
paper
 Left Side: - SUPPORT – Truman
MADE the RIGHT decision
 Right Side: - OPPOSE – There were
OTHER options
 Using your research notes complete the
chart. (15 minutes)
Discussion…
 Let’s
see if you came up with what
I came up with!
Did Truman make the right decision? YES

SUPPORT

Land invasion would cost too many American lives
Quickest way to end the war
Revenge for Pearl Harbor and barbaric treatment of
POWs
Japanese “fight to the death” mentality/no
unconditional surrender
Two billion dollars spent on Manhattan project
Militarists in Japan planning coup to topple prosurrender gov’t
Civilians had been targeted throughout war; no
worse than bombing raids






Did Truman make the right decision? NO

OPPOSE/OTHER OPTIONS
Immoral weapon & the gov’t knew it
 Japanese were ready to surrender
 Scientists and leaders cautioned against its use
 Continue conventional bombing and blockade
 Demonstrate the bomb
 Wait for USSR to enter (what was the problem
with this option?)
 Negotiate peace
 Keep the emperor concession

Modified Debate
Claims & Counter Claims
Was the decision to drop the
Atomic Bomb justified?
1.
2.
3.
Find a partner. One person will SUPPORT
Truman’s decision to drop the bomb and the other
will OPPOSE
Using your “T” Chart info, write a justification
for your side in 3 – 4 EXCELLENT sentences on
your paper. (10 min.)
Trade papers with your partner.
Write a counterclaim & commentary to support it
in response to their argument in 3 – 4
EXCELLENT sentences on their paper (tell them
why their points are wrong, weak, or flawed and
add specifics from your side) (5 min.)
 Trade back, read what they wrote, and then rebut
the counterclaim – explain why it’s flawed using as
many specifics as you can. (5 min.)

Your opinion – Whole Class
Discussion
 Truman’s
decision to use atomic
weapons against Japan is one of the
most controversial choices made in
history. In retrospect, do you think
Truman made the right decision when
he authorized the use of atomic
weapons?
Four Corners Debate
 You will be numbered 1-4.
 Read the prompt associated
with
your number and write down
your opinion (is this a good
option? Why? Is it flawed?
How so?...with specific
reasons.)
 Use the back of your T-Chart
from last class (5 min)
 NO “I” STATEMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Rather than use the atomic bomb on populated
areas, the US should have conducted a noncombat demonstration of power (a publicized
test of the bomb, etc.).
Rather than use the atomic bomb strategy, the
US should have modified their unconditional
surrender demands (include options they could
have considered for the conditions of surrender).
Rather than use the atomic bomb, the US
should have continued their traditional
bombing tactics and waited for help from the
Allies.
Rather than use the atomic bomb, the US
should have conducted a land invasion of
Japan’s home islands.
Four Corners Debate
 MOVE
to your corner based on
your number.
 Divide in half…in two small
groups (we’ll have a total of 8, 2
groups in each corner of the
room).
 Discuss
as a group/share out
a synopsis of what you wrote.
(10 min)
Four Corners Debate
 Go
back to your seats.
 Volunteer from each of the
four corners will share out
what their group
discussed…commonalities &
differences

Turn in your papers with T-Chart,
claim/counterclaim/rebuttal & Four
Corners Debate opinion on the option you