Should i drop the atomic bomb on japan?
START
Bombing Japan
Background
Document 5
DBQ Question
Document 6
Document 1
Document 7
Document 2
HIPP Reminder
OUtside Evidence Ideas
Document 3
Document 4
Essay
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
By summer 1945, World War II in Europe had ended. Germany surrendered in May. Japan was still fighting in the Pacific. The United States had captured islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa, but fighting caused many deaths. President Harry Truman had to decide whether to invade Japan or use a new weapon: the atomic bomb. The U.S. dropped bombs on Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). Japan surrendered soon after. Historians still debate why Truman made this decision.
DBQ Question
Evaluate the extent to which the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 mainly because of military necessity rather than political or diplomatic reasons.
DBQ Question
Document 1
President Harry Truman Announces the Bombing of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945)
“Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, an important Japanese Army base. That bomb had more power than 20,000 tons of TNT. It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. We have used it against those who attacked us at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten American prisoners of war, and against those who have abandoned all rules of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans.” Source Notes: Author: President Truman Audience: American public Purpose: Explain and defend his decision
Doc 2
DOCUMENT 2
U.S. Military Estimates for an Invasion of Japan (1945)
American military planners prepared for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan. The first stage would attack the island of Kyushu, followed by a larger invasion near Tokyo. Officials expected fierce Japanese resistance. The battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa had shown that Japanese soldiers often fought to the death. Some estimates predicted hundreds of thousands of American casualties. Japanese civilian deaths were also expected to be very high. Many leaders believed invasion would be long and bloody. Source Notes: Historical Situation: Summer 1945 Context: U.S. deciding how to end war
Doc 3
DOCUMENT 3
Statement Attributed to James Byrnes, Truman Adviser (1945)
Secretary of State James Byrnes believed that possession and use of the atomic bomb could strengthen the United States in dealing with the Soviet Union after the war. According to later accounts, Byrnes argued that the bomb might make Russia “more manageable” in Europe and Asia. As wartime cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union weakened, American leaders increasingly thought about postwar influence. The bomb was not only a military weapon—it was also a symbol of power in a changing world. Source Information Author: James F. Byrnes Historical Situation: Early Cold War tensions emerging
Doc 4
Document 4
General Dwight D. Eisenhower Reflects on the Bomb
“In 1945, I had expressed to Secretary of War Stimson my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary.” Source Information Author: Dwight D. Eisenhower Historical Situation: Written after the war in memoirs Purpose: Describe his earlier objections Point of View: Military leader who believed victory was near
Doc 5
DOCUMENT 5
Japanese Leadership Divided Over Surrender (Summer 1945)
By mid-1945, Japan’s military position had become desperate. Its navy had been largely destroyed, cities were being bombed, and shortages of food and fuel were severe. However, leaders within the Japanese government remained divided. Some officials wanted to seek peace, especially if the emperor could remain in power. Others believed Japan should continue fighting in hopes of gaining better surrender terms or causing enough American losses to force negotiation. Source Information Historical Situation: Japan weakened but not fully united on surrender. Purpose: Shows internal political conflict
Doc 6
Document 6
Political Cartoon on Atomic Diplomacy (1945)
A political cartoon published after Hiroshima shows the United States holding an enormous atomic bomb while the Soviet Union watches cautiously from the background. The image suggests that the new weapon changed not only the war against Japan, but also the balance of power in the postwar world. The cartoon implies that U.S. leaders understood the bomb’s diplomatic importance beyond the Pacific War. Source Information Type: Political cartoon Purpose: Critique emerging power politics Audience: Newspaper readers
Doc 7
DOCUMENT 7
Historians Debate the Decision
Some historians argue that the atomic bomb ended the war quickly and prevented a bloody invasion of Japan. Others argue that Japan was already close to surrender because of naval blockade, conventional bombing, and Soviet entry into the war. Still others maintain that Truman acted for multiple reasons at once: military necessity, domestic pressure to end the war, and a desire to strengthen America’s position in the coming Cold War. Source Information Type: Secondary source interpretation Purpose: Present differing historical arguments
H.I.P.P
HIPP & 411
HIPP in Analysis
Whats the 4-1-1
Historical Situation - What was happening when this was written? Intended Audience - Who was meant to read/hear this? Purpose - Why was it created? Point of View - How does the author’s job or beliefs shape the message?
4 - Historical Background1 - Thesis Sentence 1 - Roadmap Use to make your Introduction Paragraph.
Rubric
Outside Evidence
battle of okinawa
BaTTLE OF iWO JIMA
Manhattan Project
firebombing of tokyo
soviets invade manchuria
postdam conference
Essay
Complete your essay in Google Docs
Essay Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the United States decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 primarily because of military necessity rather than political or diplomatic goals.
Once completed, attach the file in the assignment. There will be no extension, 10 minutes after the class ends, the window to turn in the assignment will close and you will recieve a (0) for the Essay if it is not turned in.
Please look at the rubric to make sure you are getting full credit for the DBQ
Should I drop the bomb DBQ
Randal Wolfinger
Created on April 28, 2026
This DBQ is written for Topic 7 for the APUSH curriculum.
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Transcript
Should i drop the atomic bomb on japan?
START
Bombing Japan
Background
Document 5
DBQ Question
Document 6
Document 1
Document 7
Document 2
HIPP Reminder
OUtside Evidence Ideas
Document 3
Document 4
Essay
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
By summer 1945, World War II in Europe had ended. Germany surrendered in May. Japan was still fighting in the Pacific. The United States had captured islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa, but fighting caused many deaths. President Harry Truman had to decide whether to invade Japan or use a new weapon: the atomic bomb. The U.S. dropped bombs on Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). Japan surrendered soon after. Historians still debate why Truman made this decision.
DBQ Question
Evaluate the extent to which the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 mainly because of military necessity rather than political or diplomatic reasons.
DBQ Question
Document 1
President Harry Truman Announces the Bombing of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945)
“Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, an important Japanese Army base. That bomb had more power than 20,000 tons of TNT. It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. We have used it against those who attacked us at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten American prisoners of war, and against those who have abandoned all rules of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans.” Source Notes: Author: President Truman Audience: American public Purpose: Explain and defend his decision
Doc 2
DOCUMENT 2
U.S. Military Estimates for an Invasion of Japan (1945)
American military planners prepared for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan. The first stage would attack the island of Kyushu, followed by a larger invasion near Tokyo. Officials expected fierce Japanese resistance. The battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa had shown that Japanese soldiers often fought to the death. Some estimates predicted hundreds of thousands of American casualties. Japanese civilian deaths were also expected to be very high. Many leaders believed invasion would be long and bloody. Source Notes: Historical Situation: Summer 1945 Context: U.S. deciding how to end war
Doc 3
DOCUMENT 3
Statement Attributed to James Byrnes, Truman Adviser (1945)
Secretary of State James Byrnes believed that possession and use of the atomic bomb could strengthen the United States in dealing with the Soviet Union after the war. According to later accounts, Byrnes argued that the bomb might make Russia “more manageable” in Europe and Asia. As wartime cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union weakened, American leaders increasingly thought about postwar influence. The bomb was not only a military weapon—it was also a symbol of power in a changing world. Source Information Author: James F. Byrnes Historical Situation: Early Cold War tensions emerging
Doc 4
Document 4
General Dwight D. Eisenhower Reflects on the Bomb
“In 1945, I had expressed to Secretary of War Stimson my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary.” Source Information Author: Dwight D. Eisenhower Historical Situation: Written after the war in memoirs Purpose: Describe his earlier objections Point of View: Military leader who believed victory was near
Doc 5
DOCUMENT 5
Japanese Leadership Divided Over Surrender (Summer 1945)
By mid-1945, Japan’s military position had become desperate. Its navy had been largely destroyed, cities were being bombed, and shortages of food and fuel were severe. However, leaders within the Japanese government remained divided. Some officials wanted to seek peace, especially if the emperor could remain in power. Others believed Japan should continue fighting in hopes of gaining better surrender terms or causing enough American losses to force negotiation. Source Information Historical Situation: Japan weakened but not fully united on surrender. Purpose: Shows internal political conflict
Doc 6
Document 6
Political Cartoon on Atomic Diplomacy (1945)
A political cartoon published after Hiroshima shows the United States holding an enormous atomic bomb while the Soviet Union watches cautiously from the background. The image suggests that the new weapon changed not only the war against Japan, but also the balance of power in the postwar world. The cartoon implies that U.S. leaders understood the bomb’s diplomatic importance beyond the Pacific War. Source Information Type: Political cartoon Purpose: Critique emerging power politics Audience: Newspaper readers
Doc 7
DOCUMENT 7
Historians Debate the Decision
Some historians argue that the atomic bomb ended the war quickly and prevented a bloody invasion of Japan. Others argue that Japan was already close to surrender because of naval blockade, conventional bombing, and Soviet entry into the war. Still others maintain that Truman acted for multiple reasons at once: military necessity, domestic pressure to end the war, and a desire to strengthen America’s position in the coming Cold War. Source Information Type: Secondary source interpretation Purpose: Present differing historical arguments
H.I.P.P
HIPP & 411
HIPP in Analysis
Whats the 4-1-1
Historical Situation - What was happening when this was written? Intended Audience - Who was meant to read/hear this? Purpose - Why was it created? Point of View - How does the author’s job or beliefs shape the message?
4 - Historical Background1 - Thesis Sentence 1 - Roadmap Use to make your Introduction Paragraph.
Rubric
Outside Evidence
battle of okinawa
BaTTLE OF iWO JIMA
Manhattan Project
firebombing of tokyo
soviets invade manchuria
postdam conference
Essay
Complete your essay in Google Docs
Essay Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the United States decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 primarily because of military necessity rather than political or diplomatic goals.
Once completed, attach the file in the assignment. There will be no extension, 10 minutes after the class ends, the window to turn in the assignment will close and you will recieve a (0) for the Essay if it is not turned in.
Please look at the rubric to make sure you are getting full credit for the DBQ