History assessment 2 term 3 Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing

A] Answer the following questions.

1] Explain the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing?
At 8:15am on August 6th 1945 an American B-29 Bomber called Enola Gay
dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. 120,000 people were
killed and 78,000 people were injured half of which very severely. Hiroshima was
chosen as the primary target since it had remained largely untouched by bombing
raids, and the bomb’s effects could be clearly measured. This bomb was code
named Little boy. Three days later another bomb was dropped on the city of
Nagasaki, this killed 74,000 people. Both of these bombs were dropped without
warning. The president of America at that time President Truman wanted the
bomb to be dropped at military targets but he was advised to drop it on urban
areas to ensure that Japan would surrender. This came true on the 15 th August
1945, Japan surrendered to the allies and the second world war ended. There
were many effects of the atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. People lost their hair because of the radiation. Many people also lost
many of their possessions. There were also lots of physical and physiological
damages. After the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing there was an increase in
complaints among survivors of neurotic symptoms, including general fatigue,
amnesia, and lack of concentration. The survivors had PTSD and had several
nightmares and flashbacks about the bombing. They also had a lot of anxiety,
depression and suicidal thoughts. Many people were killed or were disabled.
People got burnt and had bleeding. There was also an increase in cancer cases.
Because of the radiation the babies born after the bombing had lower IQ’s and
had mental retardation and had a smaller brain size. Some people became blind
and some had body parts which were smaller or bigger then usual. There was also
an increase in people with diarrhea. Many people did not think the bombs should
have been dropped. According to President Truman general Marshall said that if
the war continued more than 500,000 Americans would have died. He said that
the atomic bombs being dropped killed less people then the war would have
killed if it continued. However, many people didn’t believe that was the reason
the bombs were dropped. This was because right before the bombs were
dropped Japan was on the verge of surrender. Some documents were leaked after
the bombing that showed that japan was asking for peace with the US. So, there
was no need for the bombs. Another reason for the bombs being dropped was

Turissa Sullivan S3(1)

History assessment 2 term 3 Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing

the fact that the bombs costed $2000 million. So, they could not justify not using
it. They also wanted to see how destructive and dangerous their bombs were by
seeing the fruit of their labor. However, many historians believe the main reason
for the bombing was for the USA to show the USSR how powerful and destructive
the USA was. By 1945, the American president Truman and the soviet leader
Stalin started to be suspicious of each other. They were both competing to have
the most powerful area. This was to lead to a war which was to last for about 45
years. The Cold War.
2] What was the arms race?
After the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Stalin the leader of the
USSR ordered scientists to develop nuclear bombs. In 1949 the USSR tested its
first atomic bomb. From then on each side built a vast stockpile of nuclear
weapons. Each side wanted to get ahead of each other.
3] What was the cold war?
It was between the USA and the USSR, two countries that had always been on the
same side during the second world war. It is called the cold war because neither
the USA nor the USSR directly attacked each other at anytime during the 45 years
they were at war. The USA and the USSR had different ideas and beliefs about the
way for people to live. They had very different ideas about how countries should
be run and how governments should be elected. The USA was a capitalist country
while the USSR was a communist. This is what they meant by ideologies.

Turissa Sullivan S3(1)