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Summary
Summary
Desperate to bring an end to the Pacific Theater in World War II, the United States unleashed the most powerful and deadly bomb known to humankind at the time. The atomic bomb was a marvel of modern science, but it left a devastating imprint on the world - particularly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese cities that were chosen as sites for the attacks. The loss of life in these cities was catastrophic. Hundreds of thousands were killed or sickened from exposure to the radiation. More than 60 years after the bombs were dropped, the use of atomic weapons is still debated among nations. ""The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki"" examines the reasons for using the bombs and the outcomes of their use.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-9-This rambling narrative takes forever to get to the point. Its primary aims are to discuss the concerns of refugee scientists that Germany might develop an atomic weapon, the U.S. program that became the Manhattan Project, and the use of the weapon on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Almost half of the text describes the campaigns in Europe, Africa, the Atlantic, and the Pacific. The Manhattan Project and the dropping of Little Boy and Fat Man are covered in one chapter each. The text contains many editing errors. Complicated ideas such as the Lend-Lease Act and the use of transport convoys to combat the German U-Boat menace are not fully explained. The numerous vintage photos are accompanied by lengthy, redundant captions (one implies that FDR declared war, which he could not do). R. G. Grant's Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Raintree, 1998) is a better title.-Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
My God, what have we done? asked the copilot of the Enola Gay after releasing the atomic bomb upon Hiroshima, and the question distills the controversy that lingers more than 60 years later. In clean, descriptive prose, Poolos begins at Japan's Hiroshima Peace Park, where citizens continue to mourn the 140,000 killed by the bomb, before jumping back to 1933 and the unexpectedly banal moment that led Dr. Leo Szilard to conceive of an atomic chain reaction. Approximately half of this entry in the Great Historic Disasters series deals with the origins and progression of World War II, with little mention of the bomb; the other half zeros in on the Manhattan Project, the decisions leading to detonation, and the human and political consequences still felt today. The photos and layout are dry, but in truth, little embellishment is needed to bring drama to the development and secrecy surrounding the bomb's creation. Any patriotism generated is tempered by photos of disfigured survivors. A fine starting point for learning about this complex chapter in human history.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2009 Booklist
Excerpts
Excerpts
Desperate to bring an end to the Pacific Theater in World War II, the United States unleashed the most powerful and deadly bomb known to humankind at the time. The atomic bomb was a marvel of modern science, but it left a devastating imprint on the world--particularly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese cities that were chosen as sites for the attacks. The loss of life in these cities was catastrophic. Hundreds of thousands were killed or sickened from exposure to the radiation. More than 60 years after the bombs were dropped, the use of atomic weapons is still debated among nations. The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki examines the reasons for using the bombs and the outcomes of their use. Excerpted from The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by J. Poolos All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
| Introduction: The Site of Destruction | p. 7 |
| 1 Prelude to the Bomb | p. 9 |
| 2 The Origins of War in Europe | p. 22 |
| 3 The Conflict Takes Shape | p. 36 |
| 4 The War in Europe | p. 47 |
| 5 The Pacific Theater | p. 65 |
| 6 The Manhattan Project | p. 81 |
| 7 Dropping the Bombs | p. 94 |
| 8 The Legacy of World War II | p. 104 |
| Chronology and Timeline | p. 114 |
| Glossary | p. 117 |
| Bibliography | p. 120 |
| Further Reading | p. 122 |
| Picture Credits | p. 123 |
| Index | p. 124 |
| About the Author | p. 128 |
