The atomic bomb is a nuclear weapon that suddenly releases the energy in the nucleus of certain types of atoms in the form of a nuclear explosion that has the power to destroy a city and kill every person in it. Atomic bombs and japans surrender in world war ii i recently read a fascinating book describing japans decision to surrender at the end of world war ii. Newbery honor book for 20, bomb by steve sheinkin follows the story of the development of the first atomic bomb during world war ii. Spies who spilled atomic bomb secrets as part of the soviet unions spy ring, these americans and britons leveraged their access to military secrets to help russia become a nuclear power. A professor of ethnic studies at the university of california at berkeley, takaki has published much on multiculturalism and ethnicity, especially regarding american. Historians and the public continue to debate if the bombings were justified, the causes of japans surrender, the casualties that would have resulted if the u. The race to buildand stealthe worlds most dangerous weapon by steve sheinkin, hiroshima by john hersey, the girls. Dropped on hiroshima and nagasaki of japan to end ww2.
Atomic bombs have been used only twice in warboth times by the. More than seventy years after the end of world war ii, the decision to drop the atomic bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki remains controversial. A summary of the fall of japan in history sparknotess world war ii 19391945. List of books and articles about hiroshima and nagasaki. The book, japans longest day, was published 20 years after the end of the war and written by 14 japanese historians, members of the pacific war research society, who spent years. Books about the manhattan project and birth of the atomic. The atomic bomb at the start of world war ii in 1939 the atomic bomb had not yet been invented. The atomic bomb and the end of world war ii a collection of primary sources updated national security archive posting marks 70 th anniversary of the atomic bombings of japan and the end of world war ii extensive compilation of primary source documents explores manhattan project, petitions against military use of atomic weapons, debates over japanese surrender terms, atomic targeting. The bomb designs were created by robert serber who chose the codenames according to the design shapes of the bombs. His thesis is that the bombs were dropped because americans in general and harry truman in particular were racists. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on the city of nagasaki resulting in an additional 40,000 deaths.
The manhattan project was named for the manhattan, new york, home of columbia university, one of the initial sites of atomic study in the united states. Douglas macarthur gold medal books, greenwich, conn. Before the war, many scientists had been investigating the possibility of generating energy and even weapons from the atom, the. In fact, something far more sinister was in hand, as the americans were telling stalin at potsdam. The historical facts of the dropping of these bombs has been discussed many.
How a sneak attack by norways skiing soldiers deprived the nazis of the atomic bomb seventyfive years ago, in operation gunnerside, a stealthy group of commandos took out a crucial nazi. Both bombs caused widespread death, injury, and destruction, and there is still considerable debate about the need to have used them. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of world war ii 19391945 and what it means. The atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki by the manhattan. The great danish physicist niels bohr, writes journalist and historian richard rhodes, liked to dream of great interrelationships. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Why america dropped the bomb explores the decisionmaking process that led up to americas use of nuclear weapons against japan in world war ii. The manhattan project and the invention of the atomic bomb. Kids learn about the history of the atomic bomb during world war ii. In 1945, the us dropped two atomic bombs on japan, effectively ending world war ii. Bomb orderd to be usedtruman held knowledege of the bomb being formed, the ability to end the war was in his hands, but it involved exposing the worst weapon known to man. Meet the world war ii female scientists who worked in the secret sites of the manhattan project.
By august 1945, the allies manhattan project had produced two types of atomic bombs, and the 509th composite group of the united states army air forces usaaf was equipped with the specialized silverplate version of the boeing b29 superfortress that could. Reasons against dropping the atomic bomb argument 3. Book report about the atomic bomb with the history and. Wwii atomic bomb atomic bomb facts for kids dk find out. When i first started reading this book, i figured that it would be a typical presentation of the war between japan and the u.
The two atomic bombs were the result of the work of thousands of people. Japanese time, at the moment when the atomic bomb flashed above hiroshima. Poison gas was authorized by hirohito in china many times, millions of lives destroyed. The great advantage of writing nonfiction is that it doesnt have to be plausible, it only has to be true. They were leaning over the edge of the unknown and afraid of what they would discover there. Robert oppenheimer is often called the father of the atomic bomb for leading the manhattan project, the program that developed the first nuclear weapon during world war ii.
Throughout july 1945 the japanese mainlands, from the latitude of tokyo on honshu northward to the coast of hokkaido, were bombed just as if an invasion was about to be launched. The notion that the atomic bombs caused the japanese surrender on aug. My best friend max would like this book because he likes books about history and world war ii. Five myths about the atomic bomb the washington post. In 1945, the usa dropped two atomic bombs on japan, effectively ending world war ii. It won the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction, 1 the national book award for nonfiction, 2 and a national book. In fact, their involvement was critical to its success, though many of them were not. On 6 august 1945 the united states exploded an atomic bomb over hiroshima and revealed to the world in one blinding flash the start of the atomic age. Atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki wikipedia. The epic mission to sabotage hitlers atomic bomb bascomb, neal on. On 6th august, the bomb was dropped on the city of hiroshima.
Germany did not experience the massive destruction because they already surrendered in the world war ii. While the research took place at several secret sites across the u. Provocative and challenging, paul hams book strips away the cosy myth that the atomic bombings of hiroshima. It exploded 600m 2,000ft above the city, creating a blast of heat and blinding light. Almost,000 people were killed, injured, or missing, and 90% of the city was leveled.
The story of the atomic bomb started around the turn of the century when a small number of physicists began to think about, discuss, and publish papers about the phenomenon of radioactivity, the behavior of alpha particles, and the properties of various materials when irradiated. The code name for the bombs was taken from the movie the maltese falcon the bomb dropped over hiroshima was a uranium guntype atomic bomb with codename little boy while the one dropped on nagasaki was a plutonium implosiontype atomic bomb with codename fat man. An atomic bomb is a weapon with huge power created by splitting an atom. In this harrowing history of the hiroshima and nagasaki bombings, paul ham argues against. Opponents of president trumans decision to use the atomic bomb argue that racism played an important role in the decision. On august 6, 1945, during world war ii 193945, an american b29 bomber dropped the worlds first deployed atomic bomb over the japanese city of hiroshima. However, scientists discovered about that time that a powerful explosion might be possible by splitting an atom. Of all the campaigns in my life20 major ones to be exactthe one i felt the most sure of was the one i was deprived. By august 1945, the allies manhattan project had produced two types of atomic bombs, and the 509th composite group of the united states army air forces usaaf was equipped with the specialized silverplate version of the boeing b29 superfortress that could deliver them from tinian in the mariana islands. Scientists first developed nuclear weapons technology during world war ii.
World war ii books books about nuclear issues books based on actual events. Bomb meets code girls in this nonfiction narrative about the littleknown female scientists who were critical to the invention of the atomic bomb during world war ii. Herseys extraordinary, gripping book tells the personal stories of six people who. List of books and articles about atomic bomb online. S used the atomic bombs on japan in the waning days of world war ii. The creation of the atomic bomb during world war ii, codenamed the. An atomic bomb is a weapon with huge power created by splitting an atom of the element uranium. National security archive electronic briefing book no. Therefore, us invaded japan and truman who was the president of us decided to drop the atomic bomb in hiroshima and nagasaki. Electronic books bibliography biography political aspects nuclear physics history oppenheimer, j. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. Book report about the atomic bomb with the history and some facts about the bomb essay by latinokid1124, high school, 10th grade, a, february 2004 download word file, 2 pages download word file, 2 pages 4. The decision to drop the atomic bomb came about becausse of the japaneese leaders rejected the postdam declaration. Ronald takaki has written a book which presents the revisionists view of why the u.
That adage certainly seems apt for the story of the making of the atomic bomb. How a sneak attack by norways skiing soldiers deprived. To this day, those two world war 2 atomic bomb attacks remain the only nuclear bomb attacks in history. They had accepted the responsibility to try to split the atom, and to explore its potential as a bomb that could be controlled and released on demand. From the possibility to the discovery of nuclear fission through the nazi heavy water manufacture to the manhattan project and the attempts of the soviet union to steal the bomb design, bomb is a riveting book, exposing the heavy toll. Books about the manhattan project and birth of the atomic bomb. During world war ii, hiroshima was the target of the first atomic bomb ever dropped on a populated area. The atomic bomb was developed during ww2 by scientists working on the top secret manhattan project. This type of bomb could destroy large cities in a single blast and would change warfare forever.
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