21. Dropping the Atomic Bombs

Question 1

• What agreements were made at Yalta?

Answer 1

Yalta Conference, Crimea Feb 1945: With
the defeat of Germany within sight, the
Churchill, Roosevelt + Stalin discussed
post war Europe + made the following
agreements:
* Germany would be divided into four zones of
occupation with the USSR, Britain, France and
the USA each controlling a zone. The capital,
Berlin was also to be split into 4 despite it being
inside the Soviet zone.
* Stalin would have a sphere of influence over E.
Europe h/w all liberated nations would have
free + fair elections
* Stalin would join the war against Japan within 3
months of Germany being defeated
* Nazi war criminals would be tried
* All Allies would join the United Nations an
organisation dedicated to international
cooperation and the prevention of war.

Question 2

• Why were their disagreements at Potsdam?

Answer 2

fter Germany was defeated the Allies met again in Potsdam, Germany in July. This
meeting wasn’t as productive b/c:
* Roosevelt had died in April → VP Truman became president + midway through the conference
Clement Atlee replaced Churchill as PM of Britain. Neither could effectively negotiate with Stalin
* Truman was a strong anti-communist + was suspicious of Stalin
* There was disputes about boundaries regarding areas of occupation
* Despite promising free + fair elections, it was clear Stalin was setting up a communist govt. in Poland
* Truman told Stalin the US possessed “a new weapon of unusual destructive force” but didn’t
elaborate. Stalin already knew about the nuclear weapon through his spies

Question 3

• Reasons why the USA dropped in Atomic bombs

Answer 3

Force Japan to
surrender

Save American
Lives

Shorten the
war

28th July 1945: Japan refused the terms of the Potsdam declaration to
unconditionally surrender + wanted a peace treaty instead
* It was clear Japan wasn’t going to surrender as

The Island Hopping campaign demonstrated the willingness of the
Japanese to fight to the death

The Allies knew the only way to gain an unconditional surrender would be to
conquer Japan.
* H/w Truman was told to expect up to 1 mill casualties if they invaded
Japan’s home Islands.

Question 4

• Impacts of the Atomic bombs

Answer 4

Impact:
* When exploded = it destroyed 5 square miles of the city
* 80,000 dead instantly (+60,000 later from burns and radiation sickness)
* 80,000 suffered radiation poisoning
* 67 % of city destroyed

Short-term consequences:
* Hiroshima = 42/45 hospitals destroyed
* 90% nurses & doctors = casualties
* In total 120,000 died on detonation of the atomic bombs
* Long-term consequences:
* In total, up to 225,000 people died from the nuclear attacks because of
radiation poisoning + burns
* ↑ in number of cancers in survivors: Leukemia, breast & lung
* ↑ in number of miscarriages
* ↑ deaths of infants
* ↑ intellectual disabilities and impaired growth
* Scientists still conduct tests on those who live in Hiroshima &
Nagasaki – learn about how radiation affects human tissue
* Increased tensions between America and the Soviet Union as the USA
is only nation with a nuclear weapon → USSR invested heavily in
developing the technology