The impact of the bomb through a documentary

1
The Day After Trinity

• The impact of the bomb through a documentary

2
The Documentary

• Perspective of Historians
• Reflections from main participants
• Oppenheimer and his brother, etc.
• Clips and descriptions of the effects of the bomb
  
• Death and destruction
• Power of the bomb (mushroom cloud)

3
(cont.)

• After Hiroshima
• The Hydrogen Bomb
• Arms Race
• Soviet Unions test of atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb
• Up to the point documentary was filmed, 1,200
  nuclear bombs tested

4
Effects of Documentaries vs. TextsIt treated
humans as matter

• A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words
• Puts a human face on the tragedy
• Allows us to see the destruction while providing
  us the facts
• Emotion of men involved
• Visual images supplement words
• Evokes sympathy for the Japanese people and
  American soldiers

5
The Strength Of Images
6
What else does a documentary do?

• Gives us insight into the thoughts of people
  involved through personal interviews
• Captures the moment whereas texts are reflections
• Allows for contrasting images
• Cheering American soldiers vs. Devastated
  Japanese people, esp. CHILDREN

7
How Texts and Documentaries Complement Each Other

• Together, the two combine both intellectual and
  emotional aspects of historical events
• They bring together not only the facts of
  governmental policies but also the personal
  consequences of their implementation.
• Texts choose quotations for their content whereas
  documentaries work to capture the emotional
  appeal.

8
Discussion Questions

• What image was the most evocative to you?
• Are there any other differences between
  documentaries and texts? Similarities?
• Do you prefer documentaries to texts? Why or why
  not?
• Did you learn anything new from the documentary?
• Do you think the United States treatment of
  Oppenheimer was fair?