Topic:OakRidgeandtheManhattanProject:AnEthicalDebate LessonplansforprimarysourcesattheTennesseeStateLibrary&Archives
Author:WhitneyJoyner,NortheastMiddleSchool
GradeLevel:11thGradeUSHistory/Geography
DateCreated:April2016
Visithttp://sos.tn.gov/tsla/educationforadditionalcurriculummaterials.
Introduction:
AspartofastudyonWorldWarII,studentswillunderstandtheimportanceoftheestablishmentandthe
impactofOakRidgenuclearfacilities,examineandevaluatetherationalebehindusingtheatomicbomb
toendthewar,andanalyzeprimaryandsecondarysourcesaimedatofferingvaryingperspectiveson
theManhattanProject,withanemphasisontheTennesseeperspective.
GuidingQuestion(s):

WhatroledidOakRidge,Tennesseeplayinthecreation,development,anduseoftheatomicbombto
endWorldWarII?

WhatimpactdidtheestablishmentofOakRidgenuclearfacilitieshaveontheStateofTennessee?

Whatwastherationaleforusingtheatomicbombtoendthewar?

WastheUnitedStatesdecisiontodroptheatomicbombsonJapanjusti ied?

WhatarethekeyargumentsforandagainsttheuseoftheatomicbombtoendWWII?

HowhastheuseoftheatomicbombaffectedtheworldviewoftheUnitedStatesthenandnow?
LearningObjectives:Inthecourseofthelesson,studentswill

Analyzeprimaryandsecondarysourcesinordertodeterminethecentralidea

Citetextualevidencetoanalyzethesesources

UnderstandtheimportanceofOakRidgeduringWorldWarII
CurriculumStandards:
US.68ExplaintheimportanceoftheestablishmentandtheimpactoftheFortCampbellbase,OakRidge
nuclearfacilities,TVA,Alcoain luences,andCampForrestasaPOWcenter.(E,G,P,TN)
US.69WriteanopinionpieceevaluatingtheManhattanProject,includingtherationaleforusingthe
atomicbombtoendthewar.(H)
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KeyIdeasandDetails:
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.1Citespeci ictextualevidencetosupportanalysisofprimaryandsecondarysources,connectinginsightsgainedfromspeci icdetailstoanunderstandingofthetextasawhole.
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.2Determinethecentralideasorinformationofaprimaryorsecondary
source;provideanaccuratesummarythatmakescleartherelationshipsamongthekeydetailsandideas.
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.3Evaluatevariousexplanationsforactionsoreventsanddetermine
whichexplanationbestaccordswithtextualevidence,acknowledgingwherethetextleavesmattersuncertain.
CraftandStructure:
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.6Evaluateauthors'differingpointsofviewonthesamehistoricalevent
orissuebyassessingtheauthors'claims,reasoning,andevidence.
IntegrationofKnowledgeandIdeas:
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.7Integrateandevaluatemultiplesourcesofinformationpresentedindiverseformatsandmedia(e.g.,visually,quantitatively,aswellasinwords)inordertoaddressaquestion
orsolveaproblem.
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.8Evaluateanauthor'spremises,claims,andevidencebycorroboratingor
challengingthemwithotherinformation.
CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.RH.11‐12.9Integrateinformationfromdiversesources,bothprimaryandsecondary,intoacoherentunderstandingofanideaorevent,notingdiscrepanciesamongsources.
MaterialsNeeded:
1. TSLAWebsite,withparticularemphasisonthefollowingsources:

LettertoGovernorPrenticeCooperfromCrenshaw

TheClintonPile-PhotographofX-10PileReactor

LettertoPrenticefromNicholsandCornell

OakRidgeGaseousDiffusionPlantPhotograph

ClintonLaboratoriesX-10Photograph

TECBulletin,Monday,September3

LettertoGuySmith,Knoxville

CoupleEmbracinginFrontofManhattanProjectPhotograph

IssueofMemphisCommercialAppeal,August7,1945

ElectromagneticPlantY-12Photograph Page2of6

AeronauticalMap

ExperimentationonLivestockPhotograph

Issue-KnoxvilleSentinel-August6,1945

TECBulletin,August27,1945

TECBulletin,August13,1945

InterviewofGeorgeParkerdescribingEthicalDebateofABomb

SonofEvePoliticalCartoon

Celebrating“OperationCrossroads”atBikiniAtollPhotograph
2.TranscriptandvideooftheTrumanannouncementofthedroppingoftheatomicbomb
3.WarDepartmentVideo
4.CopiesoftheAlbertEinsteinLettertoPresidentRoosevelt
5.Teampacket/rolelists(availableattheendofthislessonplan)
6.Debateorganizer(availableattheendofthislessonplan)
7.DebateCards-Optional-Mayassistinkeepingorderduringthedebate.Canbeprintedonvaryingcolorsandcutforeachstudent.
8.Internetaccess/computeruseforstudents/research
9.Primaryandsecondarysourceanalysissheets
Background:
Beginbyreadingthefollowingintroductorypiecesasa
wholeclass.Youmaychoosetocompletethisasaclose
read.
“WorldWarII”byPatriciaBrake
“OakRidge”byCharlesW.Johnson
StudentsmayalsogainperspectiveintoOakRidgenuclearfacilitiesbywatchingthisvideoclip.
IntroductoryActivity:
TheteacherwillshowthisWarDepartmentPropaganda ilm(roughly12minutes).
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Theteacherwillleadstudentsinawholegroupdiscussionofthefollowingquestions:

Howwouldyoudescribethetoneofthenarrator?

Howdoesthe ilmportraythebomb?

Whydoyouthinkthis ilmwasmade?

Whatcanyoutellfromthis ilmaboutthewaymostAmericansfeltaboutJapanandtheJapanese
peoplebythewar’send?

Howdoyouimaginethis ilmwouldhavebeenreceivedbyitsaudiencein1946?

Howdoesthe ilmmakeyoufeeltoday?
LessonActivities:
Activity1:ADebatethroughRolePlay

Overview:In1945,thedecisiontousetheatomicbombasa
meanstoendthewarlaidultimatelyinthehandsofPresident
HarryTruman.Whileitwasultimatelyhisdecision,Truman
soughtadviceandcounselfromavarietyofexpertsandperspectives.Inthisactivity,studentswillbeassignedtokeyroles
inthedebatetousetheatomicbomb,andwilltakeonthese
roles,becomingexpertsfortheirsideofthedebate.Theywill
cometogethertoformanadvisorycommitteethatwillpresent
anddefendtheirassignedpositions,usingbothprimaryand
secondarysourcesasevidence.Thelessonwillculminatewith
studentswritingaformalopinionpiece,evaluatingtheManhattanProject,includingtherationaleforusingtheatomicbombto
endthewar.

Procedure:Studentsshouldbesplitupintotwokeygroups:ForandAgainst.Theteachershould
choosethesegroups,andwithinthegroups,theteachershouldassignthekeyrolesoutlinedineach
teampacket.Ifneeded,rolescanbeassignedtopairsornewrolescanbecreated.Studentsshouldbe
givenadequatetime,asdeterminedbytheteacher,tocompletetheirteampacket,completeresearch,anddeveloptheirdefense.Uponcompletionoftheteampacket,studentswillcometogether
toholdanadvisorycommitteemeetingwithPresidentTruman(theteachercanchoosetoplaythe
roleofTruman,orastudentcouldbeassignedtothisrole).Whileconductingthemeeting,eachstudentwillneedtocompleteadebateorganizer,whichwillserveasapre-write/brainstormfortheir
formalwritingpiece.Throughoutthecommitteemeeting,asstudentsspeak,theyneedtociteevidencefromtheprimaryandsecondarysourcestheylocatedasapartoftheirresearch.
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Step1:Asateam,reviewandanswerthefollowingquestions.Feelfreetoconductresearchasnecessary
throughouttheworkinthispacket.

Whatmoral/ethicalissuesarepresentwithinthedebatetodroptheatomicbombsinJapan?

Shouldtherebemoralrulesinwar?

Whogetstodecidewhatthesemoralrulesshouldbe?
Step2:Eachmemberofyourteamhasbeenassignedtoplayaroleintheadvisorycommitteedebate.Inpreparationforyourdebate,eachmember
willneedtolocateatleast1secondarysourceand1
-2primarysourcesthatdemonstratetheirassigned
role’sperspective/positionontheuseofanatomic
bombtoendthewar.Studentsareencouragedto
locatesourcesusingthefollowinglinks:
TennesseeStateLibraryandArchives
LibraryofCongress
NationalArchives
TrumanLibrary
NationalSecurityArchives
Uponchoosingtheirsources,eachteammemberwillneedtocompleteananalysisoftheirsourcesusing
thefollowingdocuments:PrimaryanalysisformandsecondaryanalysisForm.
Step3:Onceeachteammemberhascompletedtheirresearch,yourteamshouldholdateammeetingto
reviewyour indings,sources,andanalysisforms.Teamsmustthencreateaformalreport,detailing
theirrecommendedplanofactionforthePresident.Theplanshouldanswerthequestionof,“Should
theatomicbombbeusedonJapan?”Eachteammembermustaddatleastoneviewpointtotheformal
report,citingevidencefromtheirsources.Teamsmayalsodecidetodevelopandwriteoutalternatives
totheuseoftheatomicbombthattheyfeelthePresidentshouldconsider.
Step4:Theadvisorycommitteemeetingwillbeheldasawholeclass,andeachteammembermustparticipateinthemeeting,workingasateamtopresenttheirplanandreporttothePresident.Opportunitieswillbeprovidedtorefuteclaimspresentedbytheopposingside.Teamswillneedtoadheretodebaterulessetforthbytheteacher.Whileparticipatinginthemeeting,eachteammemberwillneedto
completeaDebateOrganizertoorganizenotesfortheirformalwritingassignmentattheconclusionof
themeeting.
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ExtendingtheLesson:
Closure/FormalWritingAssignment:
US.69WriteanopinionpieceevaluatingtheManhattanProject,includingtherationaleforusingthe
atomicbombtoendthewar.(H)
Eachstudentwillneedtowriteaformalopinionpiece,evaluatingtheManhattanProjectandthe
rationaleforusingtheatomicbombtoendWWII.Studentsshouldusetheirdebateorganizersto
helpformtheirwriting,andtheyshouldciteevidencefromsourcesandtextthroughouttheir
writing.Finally,studentsshouldworktoincorporatetheTennesseeperspectiveintothispiece.
Page6of6
TeamPacket:For
AssignedRoles:
1. GeorgeC.Marshall,ArmyChiefofStaff
2. LeslieR.Groves,CommandingGeneraloftheManhattanProject
3. J.RobertOppenheimer,DirectoroftheManhattanProject’sResearchLaboratory
4. Dr.VannevarBush,DirectoroftheOf iceofScienti icResearchandDevelopment
5. JamesF.Byrnes,U.S.SecretaryofState
6. EdwardTeller,ManhattanProjectPhysicist
7. HenryL.Stimson,SecretaryofWar
8. Thefollowingrolesmightbene itfromhavingmultiplepeopleassignedtoeach,astheyarenotas
speci icandmayrequireadditionalresearch.Suggestion/Hint:ForTennesseespeci icroles,studentsmaywanttoreviewtheresourcesforOakRidgefoundthroughtheTennesseeStateLibrary
andArchives
9. AUnitedStatesSoldierinFavoroftheUseoftheAtomicBomb
10.ATennesseeCitizeninFavoroftheUseoftheAtomicBomb
11.ATennesseePoliticianinFavoroftheUseoftheAtomicBomb
12.AWorkerattheOakRidgeNuclearFacilityinFavoroftheUseoftheAtomicBomb
TeamPacket:Against
AssignedRoles:
1.ArthurHollyCompton,PhysicistandScienti icAdvisortoTruman
2.JamesFranck,Physicist
3.WilliamD.Leahy,ChiefofStafftoTruman
4.DwightD.Eisenhower,GeneraloftheUSArmy
5.LeoSzilard,Physicist
6.Henry“Hap”Arnold,CommandingGeneral,USArmyAirForce
7.AdmiralWilliamF.Halsey,Jr.,CommanderU.S.ThirdFleet
Thefollowingrolesmightbene itfromhavingmultiplepeopleassignedtoeach,astheyarenotasspeci icandmayrequireadditionalresearch.Suggestion/Hint:ForTennesseespeci icroles,studentsmay
wanttoreviewtheresourcesforOakRidgefoundthroughtheTennesseeStateLibraryandArchives
8.AUnitedStatesSoldierinoppositiontotheUseoftheAtomicBomb
9.ATennesseeCitizeninoppositiontotheUseoftheAtomicBomb
10.ATennesseePoliticianinoppositiontotheUseoftheAtomicBomb
11.AWorkerattheOakRidgeNuclearFacilityinoppositiontotheUseoftheAtomicBomb
DebateOrganizer
Thisdebateorganizerwillserveasawayforyoutotracktheargumentsandviewpointsthroughout
thedebate.Itwillalsoserveasapre-write/brainstormforyoutouseinyourformalwritingpieceat
theendofthislesson.Besuretotakenotesonspeci ichistoricalcontent,evidence,etc.toaidyouin
yourwritingandrebuttals.
EssentialQuestionfortheDebate:
WastheUnitedStatesdecisiontodroptheatomicbombsonJapanjusti ied? ForArguments
AgainstArguments
Otherquestionstoconsiderinthedebate:Weretherealternativeoptionstotheuseoftheatomic
bomb?Ifso,whatwerethey?HowdidTennessean’sfeelabouttheroleofOakRidgenuclearfacilities
inthebombings?Wasandshouldthedecisiontousenuclearweaponsbeamoraldecisionoramilitarydecision?