Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World

Many of the scientists who developed the bomb began to entertain ethical doubts about its use. How do different scientists frame this dilemma in Countdown 1945? What do their reservations reveal about the nature of nuclear warfare more generally?

Choose one of the civilians that appear in Countdown 1945 and describe how they handled their particular circumstances during the war. How does the inclusion of civilian experiences affect the narrative? What is the relationship between the civilian population and the military?

Consider the role of Hideko Tamura in the narrative. Why does Wallace include her experiences in the book? Does her inclusion affect how you view the bombings? Why or why not?

Analyze how the Potsdam Conference is presented in the book. How does it function as a narrative element? In what ways—if any—does it influence Truman’s later decision to drop the bomb?

Review the justifications given for dropping the bomb by Truman and his supporters. Is their reasoning convincing? Why or why not?

The Second World War caused civilian death and injury on an unprecedented scale. Choose another major instance of aerial bombardment—such as the London Blitz or the bombing of Dresden—and compare it to the bombings in Japan. How are the events similar? How are they different? What do they reveal about the changing nature of warfare in the 20th century?

Compare and contrast the participants of the Potsdam Conference: Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. How do the personalities and motivations of each affect their behavior at the Conference? What are their individual aims? How do these key figures reflect the global situation of the three major powers—the US, the UK, and the Soviet Union—at the time?

What other major military developments have taken place since the use of the atomic bomb? What impact have they had upon modern warfare? Do these developments relate to nuclear development at all, and if so, how?