May 31, 2016

THE BASICSTopic: Hiroshima

Articles “CBS News poll: What do American think of the 1945 use of the atomic bomb?” (5/27) (CBS News) “At Hiroshima Memorial, Obama Says Nuclear Arms Require ‘Moral Revolution’” (5/27) (The NY

Times) “How Obama Will Redefine Hiroshima” (5/26) (Politico) “Obama’s Hiroshima visit can’t undo the past. But it can change the future.” (opinion) (5/17) (The

Washington Post) “How the Hiroshima bombing is taught around the world” (8/6/15) (The Washington Post)

Questions to Consider What happened in Hiroshima in August 1945? Where are Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why was the

attack on Hiroshima followed by an attack on Nagasaki? Why did the United States decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?

What does “You had to understand the time” mean in terms of the decision to drop atomic bombs?

How does President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb reflect the importance of the office of vice president and the succession to the presidency?

How did the potential of additional loss of American soldiers in World War II influence the Hiroshima decision? What arguments do critics of the decision to use the atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki use? What arguments do supporters of the decision use? Has time erased this difference of opinion about the use of atomic weapons? If not, why?

Why did President Obama decide to go to Hiroshima? What do supporters of this visit say? What do opponents say?

What is nuclear disarmament? Why is it urgent? How might the President’s visit discourage the use of nuclear weapons? Will the visit be judged by the success of our relations with Asia?

Would the commitment by President Obama to never use nuclear weapons be crucial to the success of this visit in Japan?

Is it useful to deal with blame for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why is the alliance between Japan and the United States important to both countries? What is

the G7? How is this visit connected to relations with South Korea and China? Should countries look at their past actions in the context of events at the time? Should countries

be willing to admit that their actions caused harm? How might reevaluation of past actions lead to new alliances?

What should President Obama say when he goes to Hiroshima? Do nations say, “We are sorry”? Are apologies appropriate for past actions? How should the story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki be taught? Is there a special responsibility in

Japanese schools? Is there a special obligation in American schools? What does President Obama mean by his statement that a moral revolution is needed to define

the use of military technology? Is a world without nuclear weapons a possibility? A necessity?

THE EXTRASPre-teaching, Extensions & Further Reading

“Hiroshima Speaks Out, Part 1: Emiko Okada, 79, A-bomb survivor” (4/26) (Hiroshima Peace Media

Center) “What Obama Will See When He Goes to Hiroshima” (5/10) (Politico) “Orwell (and the President) Come to Hiroshima” (4/6) (Common Dreams) “Truman Speech After the Bombing of Hiroshima” (video) (C-SPAN)

Lesson Plans

“Atomic Bomb – Truman Press Release-August 6, 1945” (www.trumanlibrary.org) “Choices: Ending the War with Japan” (Constitutional Rights Foundation) “August 1945: Hiroshima and Nagasaki” (TeachingHistory.org)

What’s the Connection? Constitutional

“Article 2” (Laws.com)

“Creation of the Japanese Constitution (1945-1946)” (American Experience) Oregon

“Phil Knight visited Hiroshima, 45 years before President Obama’s planned visit” (5/12) (The

Oregonian) Students

“World War II: The Atomic Bomb” (basic information) (Ducksters)

Oregon State Social Science Standards8.26. Examine a controversial event, issue, or problem from more than one perspective. HS.31. Describe United States foreign policy and evaluate its impact on the United States and other countries. HS.33. Explain the role of government in various current events.HS.35. Examine the pluralistic realities of society (e.g., race, poverty, gender, and age), recognizing issues of equity, and evaluating need for change. HS.59. Demonstrate the skills and dispositions needed to be a critical consumer of information.HS.60. Analyze an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon form varied or opposing perspectives or points of view.

CCSS Anchor Standards2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

We the People Lesson ConnectionsMiddle School, Level 2

Unit 6, Lesson 28: What is the relationship of the United States to other nations of the world?

High School, Level 3 Unit 4, Lesson 23: What is the role of the president in the American constitutional

system? Unit 6, Lesson 38: What are the challenges of the participation of the United States in

world affairs?