L21: Dropping the Atomic Bombs

Question 1

why were there disagreements at Potsdam

Answer 1

• Roosevelt died -> Truman becomes USA president
• Clement replaced Churchill (Brit)
• Truman = strong anti-communist
• Stalin set up communist govt in Poland despite promising free + fair elections
• Truman x elaborate on the new weapon to Stalin
• lack of trust bc Stalin + Truman -> USA want to decrease opportunity for USSR to increase their territory in Asia by bringing in a fast ending to the war with Japan
• co-operation b/w 2 superpower broke down
• Potsdam declaration was issued to Japan -> surrender or destruction

Question 2

what agreements are made at Yalta

Answer 2

• Gr divided into 4 zones of occupation with USSR, Brit, Fr, USA
• Berlin split into 4 despite being in USSR zone
• Stalin would have sphere of influence over E. Europe hw all liberated nations would have free + fair election
• Stalin would join war against J
• Nazi war criminals would be tried
• all allies would join UN

Question 3

impact of Atomic bombs

Answer 3

• Hiroshima 6 Aug -> ‘little boy’ bomb -> when exploded = it destroyed 5 miles squared of city + 80000 dead instantly & 60000 from burn and sickness + 80000 suffered radiation poisoning + 67% of city destroyed
• Nagasaki 9 Aug -> ‘fat man’ bomb -> 40000 dead immediately
• USSR invade Manchukuo 9 Aug
• 15 Aug -> emperor Hirohito = unconditional surrender

Question 4

reasons why the USA dropped in Atomic bombs

Answer 4

• force Japan to surrender
• shorten war
• save American lives
• stop spread of communism