We started off class with a quick-write and the essential question was, "How should we remember the bomb [of Hiroshima]?" I wrote, "The bomb should be remembered as a turning point for the end of the war and Japans surrender. It should be remembered as gory- with many of our men and the Japanese population dead and injured." After we discussed the question, I added, "It was one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of democracy and changed the arms race and shifted power to the US."
After the quick write, the class divided into groups and went to the corners of the room where we had to organize a general timeline of the war. The first team that could get the order correct would win a prize... and my team won (yasssss!!!!!) Our prize is king sized Kit Kats :)
After the timeline, we had to analyze documents/worksheet. One document had two historical narratives on Hiroshima. One narrative focused on the bomb as victimization of the Japan- as in they were innocent victims of the bomb. The other narrative focused on the bomb being a triumph and was something necessary to end the war. I agree with Hiroshima as a triumph because without the bomb, Japan would've went through with their plans- "a massive, suicidal defense of the home islands in which the imperial government would mobilize not only several million fighting men but also millions of ordinary citizens who had been trained and indoctrinated to resist the end with primitive makeshift weapons" (Dower). Also, Japan wouldn't have surrendered either way if anyone asked them to or persuaded them to because to even think about surrendering was against the law... I'm guessing this has something to do with the emperor and proving your worth to him.
After the quick write, the class divided into groups and went to the corners of the room where we had to organize a general timeline of the war. The first team that could get the order correct would win a prize... and my team won (yasssss!!!!!) Our prize is king sized Kit Kats :)
After the timeline, we had to analyze documents/worksheet. One document had two historical narratives on Hiroshima. One narrative focused on the bomb as victimization of the Japan- as in they were innocent victims of the bomb. The other narrative focused on the bomb being a triumph and was something necessary to end the war. I agree with Hiroshima as a triumph because without the bomb, Japan would've went through with their plans- "a massive, suicidal defense of the home islands in which the imperial government would mobilize not only several million fighting men but also millions of ordinary citizens who had been trained and indoctrinated to resist the end with primitive makeshift weapons" (Dower). Also, Japan wouldn't have surrendered either way if anyone asked them to or persuaded them to because to even think about surrendering was against the law... I'm guessing this has something to do with the emperor and proving your worth to him.