World War II: Birth of the Bomb

Truman's Decision

Stalin and Truman at the Potsdam Conference, July 20, 1945. The decision to drop the atomic bomb was made at the end of the conference. (Reproduced from the Truman Presidential Museum and Library.)

Truman Presidential Museum and Library: Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb
A wealth of resources exploring the development of the atomic bomb— and the president's decision to use it— are provided on this site from the Truman Library. The site includes chapters from Robert H. Ferrell, professor emeritus at Indiana University; numerous primary source documents; and teaching units, lesson plans, and classroom activities.

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Pages from Sites Listed in General Resources:

Alsos Digital Library For Nuclear Issues: Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
Part of the NSF-funded Alsos Digital Library For Nuclear Issues from Washington and Lee University, these pages describe books, articles, videos, and websites relating to Truman's decision.

National Atomic Museum: The Decision to Drop
These pages from the museum's "Virtual Tour" briefly chronicle Truman's decision to use the bomb and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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