Motion Picture MP2002-84
Administrative Information
Harry S. Truman discusses the reasons you couldn’t demonstrate the atomic bomb before the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two bombs dropped on those towns were the best demonstration as far as the Japanese were concerned. Sound only.
SD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are available for $20, and HD-quality copies of already digitized motion pictures are $50. Copies of motion pictures not already digitized will incur additional costs.
This item does not circulate but reproductions may be purchased.
To request a copy of this item, please contact truman.reference@nara.gov
Please note that this video belongs to a different video collection than the items available to be borrowed by teachers, from our Education Department.
Shot List
Reel 1
| 0:00 | Harry S. Truman reads from script: “And so that was the reason that you couldn’t make a demonstration before the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki . . . those two bombs dropped on those two towns was the best demonstration there was as far as the Japanese were concerned . . . you would not find any young man on his way to Japan who objected to dropping the bomb and ending the war. . . “ | |
| 0:50 | Ben Gradus asks about the reaction of the troops in Europe to the dropping of the atomic bombs. Mr. Truman replies that they wanted to go home; divisions in Europe not on the front lines were being transferred to the Pacific, so they did not object to ending the war with Japan. | |
| 1:46 | Ben Gradus asks him to re-read the line “we could not make a demonstration . . .” Mr. Truman reads the line and elaborates, saying we could not make a demonstration for the simple reason it could not be done in a manner to make the Japanese surrender. Mr. Truman discusses “sob sisters” who were not there at the time he made the decision to drop the atomic bombs. Mr. Truman says he would make the same decision if he had it to do over, because it caused the surrender of Japan, and that was the objective. This was probably used in preparation for MP81-10, “Dialogue with the Future, Part 2.” | |