Quaestio: Does the USA or the USSR deserve more credit for the Allied victory in Europe?

PowerPoint: American Entry and Victory in Europe

Classwork:
Who Deserves Credit for WWII Victory?

Homework Day 1:
The Bataan Death March, 1942
Surviving the Atomic Attack on Hiroshima, 1945

You do not have to write out the below questions, though you may, but you should consider them and think about them for yourself, and be ready to discuss them on Monday.

Read the Bataan Death March first, and consider the following questions: How did the Japanese treat the Americans and Filipinos? Do their actions make you feel like the USA was justified in dropping the Atomic Bomb on Japan? If the USA had not dropped the bomb, the only alternative would have probably been to invade Japan itself, and to have to engage in long drawn out fighting with more of these soldiers, costing many American lives on top of what had already been lost. Some would say, “Why waste the lives of our people when we can drop the bomb and end this awful war?!” What do you think? Do you think perhaps the bomb was the better of two bad options?

Read Surviving Hiroshima, and consider the following questions: How did you feel reading about the experience of being hit by the bomb? Could you place yourself in his shoes? How do you think these people’s experience differed from those closer to the bomb? Having read this, do you think dropping the bomb was the right move on the part of the USA? Do you think this bombing should be considered an act of terrorism? Something else to consider: this was the first bomb dropped. A second was dropped three days later. Do you think the second one was necessary? Do you feel differently about the first and the second bombing?

Homework Day 2:
Atomic Bomb Debate Project

STEP ONE

Read the two articles on the Atomic Bomb debate, one in support of dropping the bomb and one against dropping the bomb. You are encouraged, but not required, to take notes in your preferred format as you read.

Arguments Supporting the Bomb

Arguments Against the Bomb

STEP TWO

Create a fictional dialogue between two characters debating the issue, with one arguing in support of the bomb and one arguing against the bomb. You have TWO OPTIONS for the format. It can either be (1) a script for a play or (2) a comic strip. Either way, you must include ALL of the numbered arguments for both sides in some way. You do not need to go into every examples used to support each argument, and you may focus on some more than others, but you must hit each one at least once. Further, you should not feel forced to follow the order of the arguments in the articles. Rather, as you create your fictional debate, present them in the order that makes sense as a back-and-forth between the two characters, each trying to respond to the other and prove their own side is right.

STEP THREE

Write a reflection on both the dropping of the bomb and the debate surrounding it, explaining your own personal position. If you are convinced of one side or the other, explain why certain arguments from one side convinced you while others from the other side did not. If you are still unsure, then discuss why you are unsure, and which arguments from either side are pulling you in two directions. In either case, you must cite specific textual evidence in your reflection. You should make reference to no less than five specific examples from at least three different arguments, but you may bring in more than that. The reflection should be 1-2 page long.