The Atomic Bomb

• The USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, and on Nagasaki on 9 August.
• 1.Over 120,000 Japanese civilians were killed.
• 2.Knowing only the USA knew how to make this bomb made Truman more confident at Potsdam.
• 3.The countries of Western Europe felt more secure placing themselves under American protection
• 4.Stalin felt even more determined to create a ‘buffer zone’ of communist countries in Eastern Europe to protect the USSR from the West.
• 5.Soviet scientists developed their own bomb on 29 August 1949. This was the start of the arms race.
• 6.Cold War tensions increased, but arguably the terrible consequences of the bomb made war less likely.
• On what date did the USA drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima?

  6 August 1945
• On what date did the USA drop an atomic bomb on Nagasaki?

  9 August 1945
• What were the consequences of the atomic bombings in Japan?

  1. Over 120,000 Japanese civilians were killed.
  2. Truman's confidence increased at Potsdam.
  3. Western Europe felt secure under American protection.
  4. Stalin aimed to create a buffer zone in Eastern Europe.
  5. Soviet scientists developed their own bomb on 29 August 1949.
  6. Cold War tensions increased, but war became less likely.
• How many Japanese civilians were killed as a result of the atomic bombings?

  Over 120,000
• How did the atomic bomb influence Truman's confidence at Potsdam?

  It made him more confident
• Why did Western European countries feel more secure after the atomic bombings?

  They placed themselves under American protection
• What was Stalin's reaction to the atomic bombings?

  He aimed to create a buffer zone
• When did Soviet scientists develop their own atomic bomb?

  29 August 1949
• What significant event did the development of the Soviet bomb mark?

  The start of the arms race
• How did the atomic bombings affect Cold War tensions?

  They increased tensions but made war less likely