Atomic Bomb Project

"Who Done It"

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Hiroshima from the sky.

Fat Man the hit Nagasaki

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▼ 2011 (11)
- ▼ March (11)

Nagasaki from the sky.

Little Boy that hit Hiroshima

Followers

Theodore Van Kirk

Theodore Van Kirk

Theodore Van Kirk was aboard the Enola Gay during the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; he was the navigator. In one of his interviews, he tell the audience in great detail his opinion of the dropping of the atomic bombs. Kirk plainly states that during that time it was necessary because the United States had three options of ending the war. One was to set up a blockade in Japan and resulting in starving them until they surrendered, another was invading them resulting in massive casualty numbers, and lastly was using the atomic bomb resulting in less casualties but killing innocent civilians. In the end, we all know what Truman chose. However, he also states that he would never participate in another opportunity such as that one. Kirk also explains in his interview about the shock wave that the B-29 experienced in the sky after dropping the bombs. He explained that all the people aboard the Enola Gay felt the shock wave that was measured to be about three and a half G's. All in all, Theodore Van Kirk claims his opinion states that these atomic bombs were no joke and had wiped out everything and was very violent.

Pilot of the Enola Gay

Pilot of the Enola Gay

The pilot of the Enola Gay was Paul Tibbets. He personally owned the Enola Gay. He name his B-29 after his mother. He flew the Enola Gay oer Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was interviewed asking about his mission and one of the questions that was asked was if he regretted his mission and dropping the first ever atomic bombs. Tibbet's plainly states that he doesn't. He also explains in his interview that he, "...got into the air corps to defend the United States to the best of my ability. That's what I believe in and that's what I work for." In conclusion, this is one man that believes that the bombs were necessary, never regrets dropping them, and being an American that killed many innocent people. That's Paul Tibbet's opinion on the dropping of the atomic bombs.

Leo Szilard

Leo Szilard was one of the many physicists working the atomic bombs. He was very intelligent along with Albert Einstein and Enrico Fermi. He knew that by creating something this destructive could cause many problems for many people and places. One of the things Szilard feared was that the German's would create the first a-bomb and point it directly at us and we would be unprepared. However, his fear was kept to himself majority of the time. Szilard sent letters to Roosevelt stating his fears about the atomic bomb and what would happen if we dropped it. He also explains that he wanted to meet with Mrs. Roosevelt in May to tell her about the possibilities of what could happen, however plans changed when Roosevelt died and she never got the news. Next, Szilard tried talking to Truman but only was able to discuss the matters with James Byrnes who blatantly denied everything he had to say. "Szilard was one of the main authors of the Franck Report in June, 1945. This report warned that even if the a-bomb helped save lives in this war, the a-bomb's use could lead to a nuclear arms race and, possibly, a nuclear war that would take far more lives than however many might be saved in the current war." So, it is safe to say that he was against the dropping of the atomic bomb because he thought it would cause mass destruction.

Robert Oppenheimer

Robert Oppenheimer

Robert Oppenheimer was in charge of the Manhattan Project. He was a "theoretical physicist" and also was a professor of physics. He called the nuclear weapons the "father of the atomic bomb". He was pro rather than con on the idea of dropping the atomic bomb onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, Oppenheimer did start off slowly as a leader. His roles included calculating the mass of uranium-235. He worked with Hans Bethe and Edward Teller and Albert Einstein and much more people that were great physicists. In the end, however, he was given the nickname, "father of the A-bomb." One of his quotes makes people think if he really did or didn't regret the bomb because he states, "In some sort of crude sense, which no vulgarity, no humor, no overstatement can quite extinguish," he would say, "the physicists have known sin, and this is a knowledge which they cannot lose." In the end, one can ultimately say that majority of the problems in Japan and majority of the deaths that had occurred are Robert Oppenheimer's fault due to his suggestions. Unfortunately, people listened to his idea and Truman followed through with it. It always takes two to screw something up.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein wrote many letters to Roosevelt and also Truman trying to warn them of the dangers of the atomic bombs. Einstein said in his letters the outcomes of many innocent people in Japan. Einstein also agreed with Szilard about the German's and what they could possibly have or be building. Obviously Einstein was very intelligent and he knew that with great inventions comes great responsibility. Also, he stated in one of his documents that he regrets building the atomic bomb sometimes because he feels responsible for many of the thousands of live in Japan that suffered the atomic bombs. Albert Einstein is a famous physicists and if we regrets the atomic bombs then I would imagine that everyone would. http://hypertextbook.com/eworld/einstein.shtml#first http://hypertextbook.com/eworld/einstein.shtml#second http://hypertextbook.com/eworld/einstein.shtml#third http://hypertextbook.com/eworld/einstein.shtml#fourth

Harry Truman

Harry Truman

Harry Truman was the ultimate decision maker of dropping the atomic bombs. He had no problem doing this either. Truman's main reasons why he chose to drop the bombs and not go with another alternative was because he thought it would save American lives, shorten the war, and lastly revenge. Truman states in the Public Papers of Presidents of 1945, "Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans." Truman thought that because because Japan attacked the United States without warning and hit Pearl Harbor randomly that it's okay to do the same except ten times worse. Revenge was not the answer here. Also, just because the Japanese broke the Laws of War doesn't mean America should have done the same. In some opinions, that makes the Unites States seem worse and stoops down to other levels. Also, one of the other reasons why Truman decided to drop the bomb was because he wanted a faster end to the war. However, there is a saying that the nature of war should not be messed with and that's exactly what Truman did. Lastly, he wanted to save American lives but at the same time kill half of japanese people with either an abrupt death or slow and painful death due to radiation. In the end, Truman did what he thought he had to do and some people agree with him and other clearly think it was a cruel act against mankind.

Letter from Albert Einstein to Roosevelt

Letter from Albert Einstein to Roosevelt

Letter from Stimson to Truman

Letter from Stimson to Truman

Part two

Part two

Newspaper Article displaying tragedy

Newspaper Article displaying tragedy

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