Lesson 4 - flashcards
Q: Why did the Manhattan Project begin in 1939?
A: Due to concerns that Nazi Germany might develop atomic weapons first.
Q: Where and when did the first successful atomic bomb test occur?
A: In the desert of New Mexico on July 16, 1945, known as the Trinity Test.
Q: What was the role of the atomic bombs in ending World War II?
A: The bombs forced Japan to surrender after being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Q: When and where was the atomic bomb “Little Boy” dropped?
A: On Hiroshima, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 AM by the aircraft Enola Gay.
Q: What were the immediate effects of the Hiroshima bombing?
A: Approximately 70,000 people were killed instantly, with many more suffering from radiation poisoning and burns.
Q: When was the atomic bomb “Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki?
A: On August 9, 1945.
Q: What was the immediate death toll of the Nagasaki bombing?
A: Around 40,000 people died instantly.
Q: How did the atomic bombings impact the USA’s global status?
A: They established the USA as a dominant military superpower.
Q: How did the atomic bombings influence Soviet strategy?
A: Stalin accelerated the development of the USSR’s own atomic weapons.
Q: What ended the U.S. monopoly on nuclear weapons?
A: The USSR’s successful atomic bomb test on August 29, 1949, followed by nuclear developments in the UK, France, and China by 1964.
Q: How did the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki affect U.S.-Soviet relations?
A: They increased distrust and tension between the two superpowers.
Q: What was a significant consequence of the secretive stance by Truman towards Stalin?
A: It led to further distrust and divisions between the USA and the USSR.
Q: What was Stalin’s objective after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
A: To launch the USSR’s own nuclear weapon and establish a buffer zone to protect the Soviet Union.
Q: When was Truman informed about the atomic bomb development, and who was kept in the dark?
A: Truman was informed in April 1945 and decided to keep it a secret from Stalin.
Q: What was the historical significance of the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, 1945?
A: It marked the first use of an atomic bomb in warfare, leading to mass destruction and ending WWII.
