Introduction
The year is 1950, and Revisionist Historians are putting President Harry S. Truman on trail for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians through the use of the Atomic Bombs. As historians you will have to either defend or convict Truman for his decision to drop the Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Charges: President Harry S. Truman is being charged with violating the Geneva Convention by using unnecessary force against Japan in the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Grading:
This assignment is worth 150 pts
Presentation (100 pts):
Knowledge of the Historical Event and Debate topic (20 pts)
Role in Court (20 pts)
Careful consideration and presentation of the evidence (20 pts)
Preparation for the trial (20 pts)
Courtroom Attire (either costumes or business attire) (20 pts)
Lawyer and Witness Written Testimony & Evidence (50 pts)
Written Assignment (50 pts)
Witness/Lawyer Written Assignment:
You will write a testimony that presents a summary of the facts, research, and evidence that supports your arguments from your characters’ historical perspective
Your testimony should be 1-2 pages in length, and can contain relevant pictures, maps, graphs, or diagrams that supports your arguments (although your paper should still be a full 1-2 pages of written content)
You should expect to bring in any relevant pictures, maps, graphs, and diagrams as separate pieces of evidence to present before the court (separate from your paper)
Jury Written Assignment (click here)
Gone for the Trials? BUMMER! CLICK HERE for a way less exciting make up assignment.
Trial Roles
DEFENSE:
President Harry S. Truman (Defendant)
Traditional Historians (Defense Attorneys)
Henry Stimson, Secretary of War
Col. Paul Tibbets, Pilot of the Enola Gay
J. Robert Oppenheimer, Head Scientist of the Manhattan Project
General Curtis LeMay, Allied Air Commander in the Pacific
Additional Defense Witnesses (if all other Defense Roles are filled):
Robert McNamara, Office of Statistical Control for the US Military
Louis Zamperini, American POW in the Pacific
PROSECUTION:
Revisionist Historians (Prosecuting Attorneys)
Emperor Hirohito
Hisatsune Sakomizu, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary
Tsutomu Yamaguchi, survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings
Chicago Scientist, Manhattan Project Scientists who disagreed with the use of atomic bombs on human population
Admiral William Leahy, Commander of US Naval Forces in the Pacific
Additional Prosecution Witnesses (if all other Prosecution Roles are filled):
Franklin D’Olier, Chairman of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey
General Douglas MacArthur, Commander of US Ground Forces in Pacific
Research Links
Assigned Readings:
Overview:
The Truman Library, which has an assortment of documents leading up to the decision to drop the Bomb
Traditionalists (Defense of Truman and the Bombs):
Article that explains both sides of the debate, but that agrees with the Traditionalists
Traditionalist view of the effects of the Atomic Bomb in bringing about a Japanese surrender
Revisionists (Prosecuting Truman and questioning the use of the Bombs):
Centre for Globalization Research - The Real Reason America Used Nuclear Weapons
Hisatsune Sakomizu’s account of the Japanese decision for Peace
Revisionist Historians debate the myths surrounding the decision to drop the bomb
Szilard Petition to President Truman (Physicist Against the Use of the Bomb)
"President Truman Did Not Understand" (Physicist Leo Szilard interview)
Video Links about the Atomic Bombs:
Robert McNamara on the Firebombing and Atomic Bombing of Japan
Was it Wrong to Drop the Atomic Bombs on Japan?
**You are NOT limited to these resources/websites, but these should give you a starting point to begin your own research.