This Day Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and The Brutal Calculus of WWII (1945) w/ Garrett Graff
Aug 7, 2025
Garrett Graff, a historian and author known for his works on D-Day and 9/11, dives deep into the harrowing events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He discusses the moral dilemmas faced by scientists involved in the atomic bomb's creation, and the complexities of President Truman's decision to use it. The need to remember the perspectives of WWII veterans is emphasized, highlighting how their firsthand accounts shape our understanding of history. Graff also stresses the importance of preserving these memories for future generations to learn from.
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Capture Firsthand Memories Now
- Garrett Graff warns the 80th anniversary marks the closing window for first‑hand World War II memories.
- Record and preserve survivor testimonies now because living participants are disappearing rapidly.
The Manhattan Project's Immense Scale
- The Manhattan Project was vast, spanning new towns and massive industrial complexes like Oak Ridge, Hanford, and Los Alamos.
- Oak Ridge's bus system was one of the 10 largest public transit systems in the U.S. on August 6, 1945.
The Bomb Was Built To Beat Hitler
- The original aim of the Manhattan Project was to prevent Nazi Germany from developing nuclear weapons first.
- Scientists spent years racing Hitler and only later realized the bomb might not be needed to defeat Germany.
