The Assignment on World War II includes two short-answer question. Each answer will be worth 5 points. For this Assignment, answer the following questions in paragraph form. Base your answer on the information presented in the World War II Sway Lesson. Each answer should be about 2 paragraphs long.Do not use outside sources. Be sure to use specific examples included in our lesson (including the assigned readings and videos). Answer the questions in your own words.
As we have seen in this course, the principle job of historians is to interpret the past. They not only try to understand the basics elements of “what really happened,” but they try to understand why things happened the way they did. This is difficult work and often results in disagreements between historians about how best to interpret a particular event, an historical process, or an entire era.
One famous disagreement has to do with the use of the atomic bomb during World War II. Historians have spent decades debating the reason(s) why the United States decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan. Keep in mind, the US has never used this weapon against any other opponent. Many books and academic articles have already been published on the topic, and many more will likely be published in the future. A more recent book, and one that adds new information to the debate, is Tsuyoshi Hasagawa’sRacing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan.
In this assignment, it is your job to carefully read John McNay’s book review of Tsuyoshi Hasegawa’s Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan (http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=11559) and answer the following questions:
1) Why has there been so much debate over why the United States used the atomic bomb against Japan? (See the background, especially John Greene’s Crash Course.)
2) What are the main contributions Hasegawa makes to this debate in Racing the Enemy?
In order to successfully complete the assignment, you will need to have completed all of the World War II Sway Lesson. Consider watching the Crash Course video on World War Two again, particularly from minute 9:00 to the end.
As you write, pay close attention to the requirements below.
Requirements:
Formatting: 12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, one-inch margins. Points will be deducted if not formatted correctly.
File format: Submit as either a .doc, .docx., or .pdf. If you submit any other file format, your assignment will not be graded.
Length: One to two paragraphs. Each paragraph should be at least six sentences long. Points will be deducted if sentences appear to have been intentionally shortened to meet the required number of sentences.
Editing: Be sure to proofread your answer and use spellcheck before submitting. Points will be deducted for not doing so.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism of any kind will result in automatic failure. Use of outside sources counts as plagiarism.
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