The End of War

SWBAT: identify the reasons for and against dropping the atomic bomb.

Homework: None

Do Now: What do you already know about the atomic bomb?

Yalta Conference

▪ In February, 1945 Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met at Yalta in the Soviet Union to discuss a plan for the end of WWII.

▪ They agreed that:– Germany would be divided into 4 and occupied by the

Allies.– After Germany surrendered, the Soviets would

declare war on Japan.▪ In return for their help, the USSR would receive several

Japanese territories.

▪ They agreed to meet again after the surrender of Germany to discuss further.

The Death of a President

▪ 2 months later on April 12, 1945 Roosevelt complained of a headache and lost consciousness. He would not wake up again.

▪ Doctors quickly realized FDR had a stroke.

▪ Later that day, Roosevelt died.

▪ Roosevelt would not see the end of the war he had fought so hard to win.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's funeral procession with horse-drawn casket, Washington, D.C.

Fall of Germany

▪ After D-Day, Allied troops made their way across France and towards Germany.

▪ On the other side of Europe, Soviet troops made their way across Poland toward Germany as well.– Soviet troops reach Berlin first and begin the offensive April 20, 1945.

▪ On April 30, Hitler and many of his top officials commit suicide in a bunker in Berlin.

▪ On May 2, 1945 Berlin falls.

▪ On May 8, 1945 the war in Europe is officially over.

▪ War with Japan, however, was expected to last another year.

The Reichstag after its capture by the Soviet troops, 3 June 1945. Berlin, Germany.

Truman takes over

▪ Harry Truman took over as president after only 82 days as vice president.

▪ Prior to taking over, he had no knowledge of the Manhattan Project or the atomic bomb.

▪ It was not until April 25, he was informed that a new weapon was in creation that could end the war.

Potsdam Conference

▪ July 17- Aug. 2 the U.S., Soviet Union, and Great Britain met in Potsdam, Germany to discuss a post-war world.

▪ But there were some major changes in leadership between Yalta and now.– While Joseph Stalin remained leader of

the USSR, Truman replaced Roosevelt and Clement Attlee replaced Winston Churchill.

Decisions

▪ Decisions made at the conference:– Germany would be divided into 4 zones as would Berlin.– Nazi party members would be tried at court. – Reversion of all German annexations in Europe, including Sudetenland, Alsace-

Lorraine, Austria, and the westernmost parts of Poland

▪ While at the conference, Truman had gotten word that the first test of the atomic bomb had been successful. He told Stalin that a new powerful weapon would be used on the Japanese.– Stalin had known about the bomb for months.

▪ Japan was told to surrender or meet "prompt and utter destruction“.

Japan refuses to surrender

▪ In August, 1945 the Japanese Imperial government refused surrender demands.

▪ Truman now had a choice to make:– 1. Could use the atomic bomb.– 2. Could prepare for an invasion of Japan.– 3. Could continue to bomb Japan’s major cities and blockade the waterways until Japan surrendered.

Atomic Bomb Activity

▪ You will be given 4 documents relating to the atomic bomb.

The bomb

▪ Truman ultimately decided that the best way and fastest way to end the war would be the atomic bomb.

▪ On Aug. 6, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. – Japan still did not surrender.

▪ A second bomb was dropped over Nagasaki on Aug. 9.

▪ On August 13, 1945 Japan agreed to an unconditional surrender.

▪ World War II was officially over.