Manhattan ProjectWhat Is It?

How does it relate to World War II?

Why is it important?

Nuclear fission bomb project in New Mexico 1942-1945

It provided the two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan in 1945.

It was the first successful attempt at creating nuclear weapons.

e knew the world wouldnot be the same.

A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture … Vishnu … 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.

W

J. Robert Oppenheimer

HiroshimaWhat Is It?

How does it relate to World War II?

Why is it important?

A city in Japan with over 400,000 people. That’s the size of Sacramento today.

In 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing one third of the population.

It was the first time an atomic bomb had been used in warfare.

NagasakiWhat Is It?

How does it relate to World War II?

Why is it important?

A city in Japan.

The US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima.

It was the last time an atomic bomb has been used in warfare.

1. Little Boy

2. Fat Man

The bombingWhat do you think happened?

How did this change the world?

HiroshimaWhat do you think happened?

How did this change the world?

Hiroshima

HiroshimaWhat do you think happened?

How did this change the world?

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Many people were vaporized, leaving only a shadow where they were.

There were no bodies near ground zero.

Hiroshima

The ones who died were the lucky ones.

The survivors suffered horribly.

Many people were vaporized, leaving only a shadow where they were.

There were no bodies near ground zero.

•Hair loss•Nerve damage•Intestinal damage•Nausea•Headache•Diarrhea•Vulnerable to disease•Cancer•Cataracts•Leukemia•Birth defects•Premature aging•Emotional damage

Survivors suffer:

•Buildings burn.•People die or get sick.•Japan surrenders.•The rest of the world wants the same powerful weapon.•The rest of the world wants the same clean energy.

The consequences:

The most important consequence.

• World War II ended

How was the decision made?

• People had to decide whether the suffering caused by the bomb would be worth the value of what it might achieve.

Cost Benefit Analysis

Costs BenefitsDropping the atomic bomb on Japan

Cost Benefit Analysisof dropping the atomic bomb on Japan

Costs• $2 billion dollars• Up to 200,000 people killed• Civilians killed• Radiation illness, cancer, burns, etc.• Domestic and International criticism

Cost Benefit Analysisof dropping the atomic bomb on Japan

Benefits• Saved 1 million American lives• Saved the cost of a land invasion of Japan• Ended WWII immediately• Convinced the Japanese to surrender• Showed the world the strength of the US• Demonstrated what the $2 billion was spent on

Cost Benefit Analysisof dropping the atomic bomb on Japan

Risks• Maybe the bomb doesn’t work• Maybe spies give the bomb to an enemy• Maybe scientists working on the bomb die while still

developing it• Maybe the bomb blows up at the wrong place or

time• Maybe the bomb starts a nuclear chain reaction that

destroys the entire planet

Other examples of human cost

• Imperialism

• Munich Conference

• Capitalism

• Stalin’s Five Year Plans