Atomic Bomb Sac

Structured Academic Controversy

To drop, or not to drop?



 




40 minutes – Preparation for the SAC
With your partner, familiarize yourself with the documents and prepare your position. You must have four claims and use evidence from more than one document. Use quotes as evidence to support your claims
YOU MUST CREATE A PROPAGANDA POSTER (8 ½ x11) TO CONVINCE YOUR “OPPONENTS” TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS!

Document
YOUR claim and evidence

















6 minutes: Pair 1 (YES) presents their position using supporting evidence from the texts
2 minutes: Pair 2 (NO) restates Pair 1’s position to Pair 1’s satisfaction
6 minutes: Pair 2 (NO) presents their position using supporting evidence from the texts
2 minutes: Pair 1 (YES) restates Pair 2’s position to Pair 2’s satisfaction

Document
THEIR claim and evidence

















10 minutes: Consensus Build – See back of page



10 minutes – Consensus Build: Put your roles aside now. As a group, discuss the ideas that have been presented and figure out where you all can agree, and where you all have differences. Each member of the group should record the consensus that your group came to in the box below. Remember, a consensus is something that you might not agree with 100%, but something you can live with.

Consensus Build: To drop, or not to drop?


















YES Position: The decision to drop the atomic bomb was right



Reason: Preferable to invasion
Source A: Walker, J. Samuel (April 2005). "Recent Literature on Truman's Atomic Bomb Decision: A Search for Middle Ground". Diplomatic History
Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) historian

As quoted in article by: John T. Correll, Editor in Chief, Air Force Magazine

Those who argue in favor of the decision to drop the atom bombs argue that massive casualties on both sides would have occurred in Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan.

The American side...