• By May 1945, Japan losing war in Pacific → started peace requests.
• Stalin told Truman at Potsdam of 'telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace’ → refused. Potsdam Conf demanded surrender.
• 3 Aug – Japan offered surrender, but ≠ unconditional → rejected.
• 6 Aug – B29 bomber Enola Gay dropped 1st atomic bomb () on Hiroshima.
◦ Temp at centre = 50× hotter than sun.
◦ Winds = 500 mph, 2-mile radius flattened.
◦ Mushroom cloud = 50k feet.
◦ US est. 117k dead, Jap est. 250k.
• 9 Aug – 2nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki → Japan surrendered.
WHY was the Bomb dropped?
Traditional View:
• Bomb ended war quickly & saved millions of
.
Revisionist View (Alperovitz, 1965):
• Japan was already near surrender in Aug 1945.
• Truman dropped bomb to end war before USSR could enter war in the
.
• Bomb aimed at intimidating USSR & making them
grip on E. Europe.
• Alperovitz: Truman
Cold War by dropping Bomb.
HOW did the Bomb help cause the Cold War?
Possibility ONE: Changed STALIN’S Attitude
• Historians argue bomb alienated Stalin in 3 ways:
◦ Secrecy?: Stalin angry Truman ≠ tell him about bomb. Truman’s deliberately
comment (24 July) suggested ‘new weapon’ but ≠ mention atomic bomb or use vs Japan. Stalin ≠ react → US thought he ≠ realise. When bomb dropped, Stalin furious → Cold War.
◦ Arms Race?: Stalin knew US developing bomb. After Truman’s comment, he ordered Soviet scientists to develop own bomb →
nuclear arms race.
◦ Intimidation?: Stalin saw bomb as warning to USSR: ‘They are killing the Japanese &
us’ (to Molotov). West hoped it would have this effect.
• Stalin responded aggressively:
◦ Ordered diplomats to toughen stance vs West.
◦ Feb 1946 –
→ accused US of using bomb for imperialism.
◦ Historians argue this entrenched Cold War positions.
Possibility TWO: Changed TRUMAN’S Attitude
• Some historians argue bomb changed Truman, not Stalin:
◦ Dropped Bomb on Hiroshima to force Japan’s quick surrender before USSR entered war in Pacific.
◦ Adopted confrontational stance → ‘I’m sick of
the Soviets.’
WHAT: Dropping the Bomb
• By May 1945, Japan losing war in Pacific → started peace requests.
• Stalin told Truman at Potsdam of 'telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace’ → refused. Potsdam Conf demanded UNCONDITIONAL surrender.
• 3 Aug – Japan offered surrender, but ≠ unconditional → rejected.
• 6 Aug – B29 bomber Enola Gay dropped 1st atomic bomb (LITTLE BOY) on Hiroshima.
◦ Temp at centre = 50× hotter than sun.
◦ Winds = 500 mph, 2-mile radius flattened.
◦ Mushroom cloud = 50k feet.
◦ US est. 117k dead, Jap est. 250k.
• 9 Aug – 2nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki → Japan surrendered.
WHY was the Bomb dropped?
Traditional View:
• Bomb ended war quickly & saved millions of US CASUALTIES.
Revisionist View (Alperovitz, 1965):
• Japan was already near surrender in Aug 1945.
• Truman dropped bomb to end war before USSR could enter war in the PACIFIC.
• Bomb aimed at intimidating USSR & making them RELAX grip on E. Europe.
• Alperovitz: Truman CAUSED Cold War by dropping Bomb.
HOW did the Bomb help cause the Cold War?
Possibility ONE: Changed STALIN’S Attitude
• Historians argue bomb alienated Stalin in 3 ways:
◦ Secrecy?: Stalin angry Truman ≠ tell him about bomb. Truman’s deliberately VAGUE comment (24 July) suggested ‘new weapon’ but ≠ mention atomic bomb or use vs Japan. Stalin ≠ react → US thought he ≠ realise. When bomb dropped, Stalin furious → Cold War.
◦ Arms Race?: Stalin knew US developing bomb. After Truman’s comment, he ordered Soviet scientists to develop own bomb → PROVOKED nuclear arms race.
◦ Intimidation?: Stalin saw bomb as warning to USSR: ‘They are killing the Japanese & INTIMIDATING us’ (to Molotov). West hoped it would have this effect.
• Stalin responded aggressively:
◦ Ordered diplomats to toughen stance vs West.
◦ Feb 1946 – BOLSHOI SPEECH → accused US of using bomb for imperialism.
◦ Historians argue this entrenched Cold War positions.
Possibility TWO: Changed TRUMAN’S Attitude
• Some historians argue bomb changed Truman, not Stalin:
