World War II in Europe and the Pacific

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to C. Card A, a summary in our words, written today (US Department of Energy): The Potsdam Declaration of July 26 paired terms for surrender with a warning of destruction, and Japan's government did not accept it. The Hiroshima attack came on August 6, the Soviet declaration of war on August 8 and the Nagasaki attack on August 9. After Hiroshima some Japanese leaders wanted to wait and see whether the Soviet Union could help win better terms, and some hoped a fight on the home islands would do so. On the night of August 9 to 10 the Imperial Council split three to three, and the emperor broke the tie. The United States replied on August 12 that he could stay on in a ceremonial role. Japan accepted on August 14, and the emperor's recorded message was broadcast on August 15. Card B, President Harry S. Truman, statement of August 14, 1945 (primary source; Department of State Bulletin, August 19, 1945, p. 255), to announce that Japan had accepted the Allied terms: "I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan. In the reply there is no qualification. … Meantime, the Allied armed forces have been ordered to suspend offensive action." Card C, A map in words, "The Pacific, 1942 to 1945" (not to scale): the Battle of Midway is on June 4, 1942. American landings reach Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, and Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Atomic attacks on cities fall on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The formal surrender is signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Also in 1945: the Potsdam Declaration warned Japan to surrender on July 26; the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8; Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state; President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms on August 14. Card D, a summary in our words from the US Army Center of Military History chronology (1960): The chronology records the main Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. It says Japan was decisively defeated there and that the defeat cost Japan the initiative.

2. 1.

   Truman says Japan's reply has "no qualification" (card B), yet Japan's August 10 offer named a condition (card C). Using card A, which statement do the cards support, Ari asks?

   • Truman describes the August 14 reply, which followed the August 12 answer on the emperor; the condition was in the earlier offer
   • Truman's "no qualification" covers the whole exchange from August 10, so the August 12 answer on the emperor changed nothing
   • Japan dropped the condition on August 12, and the United States then replied to that change
   • Truman hid the condition to keep the Allies united, which is why his statement says no qualification
3. 2.

   Some leaders hoped for Soviet help (card A); the Soviet declaration came August 8. A student says the split of August 9-10 cannot rest on that hope. What do the cards support, Bo asks?

   • The student is wrong, because the hope of Soviet help continued after August 8, as the split vote shows
   • The cards do not show the hope ended on August 8, and card A names a second hope, a fight on the home islands
   • The student is wrong, because the Nagasaki attack on August 9 explains the split, as it came the same night
   • The student is right, since Japan accepted terms on August 14, which shows that hope of help ended on August 8
4. 3.

   Card D calls Midway a decisive defeat. Card A says Japan's government did not accept the Potsdam terms of July 26 and accepted terms on August 14. How do the cards fit, Esme asks?

   • Midway shifted the initiative in 1942, but Japan did not accept Potsdam and accepted after August's events
   • Midway caused the acceptance of August 14, since losing the initiative in 1942 made surrender certain
   • The events of August alone ended the war, so Midway had no part in the final result
   • The chronology is mistaken, since a decisive defeat would have ended Japan's resistance quickly

5. Use this

   Cards F to K. Reading X, written for this sheet, not a quotation from any historian: Japan surrendered when it did mainly because of the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Reading Y, written for this sheet, not a quotation from any historian: Japan surrendered when it did mainly because the Soviet Union declared war on August 8. Card F, a summary in our words, written today (US Department of Energy): The Potsdam Declaration of July 26 paired terms for surrender with a warning of destruction, and Japan's government did not accept it. Card G, a summary in our words: The Hiroshima attack came on August 6, the Soviet declaration of war on August 8 and the Nagasaki attack on August 9. Card H, a summary in our words: After Hiroshima some Japanese leaders wanted to wait and see whether the Soviet Union could help win better terms, and some hoped a fight on the home islands would do so. Card I, a summary in our words: On the night of August 9 to 10 the Imperial Council split three to three, and the emperor broke the tie. Card J, a summary in our words: The United States replied on August 12 that he could stay on in a ceremonial role. Japan accepted on August 14. Card K, a summary in our words: Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state.

6. 4.

   Readings X and Y give different causes for Japan's surrender. What new evidence would help Kira decide between them?

   • Records of what members of Japan's council said at the time moved them toward accepting
   • An American official's account of why the war ended, since officials knew the facts well
   • A later writer's ranking of the causes, since writers can weigh the events together
   • A fuller list of dates, since a longer chronology would show which event came last before the decision
7. 5.

   A supporter of X says the offer of August 10 came after both attacks. A supporter of Y says it came after the Soviet declaration too. What follows, Luz asks?

   • Both points are true, and the offer followed all three events, so the dates fit X and Y without choosing between them
   • X is stronger, since two attacks came before the offer and just one declaration
   • X is stronger, because Nagasaki was the event nearest the offer in time
   • Y is stronger, since the Soviet declaration was a new event after Hiroshima, while Nagasaki repeated the first attack

8. Use this

   Cards D and E. Card D, a data table, "Estimated deaths in two Japanese cities, August 1945" (US Department of Energy and Truman Library; all figures are estimates), columns City, Source, Deaths, Counted by: Hiroshima, US Department of Energy, about 70,000, at first. Hiroshima, Truman Library, about 80,000, an early count. Hiroshima, US Department of Energy, over 100,000, the end of 1945. Nagasaki, US Department of Energy, about 40,000, at first. Nagasaki, Truman Library, 39,000, an early count. Nagasaki, US Department of Energy, nearly 70,000, January 1946. Card E, A map in words, "The Pacific, 1942 to 1945" (not to scale): the Battle of Midway is on June 4, 1942. American landings reach Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, and Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Atomic attacks on cities fall on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The formal surrender is signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Also in 1945: the Potsdam Declaration warned Japan to surrender on July 26; the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8; Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state; President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms on August 14.

9. 6.

   A student says card D shows the Hiroshima attack hit its city harder than the Nagasaki attack hit its city. What does the table allow, Noah asks?

   • It supports the claim, since Hiroshima's early count (about 70,000) is higher than Nagasaki's (about 40,000)
   • That Hiroshima's later count (over 100,000) is higher than Nagasaki's (nearly 70,000); city sizes are not given
   • It supports the claim, since the later counts, end of 1945 and January 1946, are close in date and Hiroshima's is higher
   • It cannot be tested, since estimates from different sources are not comparable

10. Use this

    Cards A to C. Card A, a summary in our words, written today (US Department of Energy): The Potsdam Declaration of July 26 paired terms for surrender with a warning of destruction, and Japan's government did not accept it. The Hiroshima attack came on August 6, the Soviet declaration of war on August 8 and the Nagasaki attack on August 9. After Hiroshima some Japanese leaders wanted to wait and see whether the Soviet Union could help win better terms, and some hoped a fight on the home islands would do so. On the night of August 9 to 10 the Imperial Council split three to three, and the emperor broke the tie. The United States replied on August 12 that he could stay on in a ceremonial role. Japan accepted on August 14, and the emperor's recorded message was broadcast on August 15. Card B, President Harry S. Truman, statement of August 14, 1945 (primary source; Department of State Bulletin, August 19, 1945, p. 255), to announce that Japan had accepted the Allied terms: "I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan. In the reply there is no qualification. … Meantime, the Allied armed forces have been ordered to suspend offensive action." Card C, A map in words, "The Pacific, 1942 to 1945" (not to scale): the Battle of Midway is on June 4, 1942. American landings reach Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, and Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Atomic attacks on cities fall on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The formal surrender is signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Also in 1945: the Potsdam Declaration warned Japan to surrender on July 26; the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8; Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state; President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms on August 14. Card D, a summary in our words from the US Army Center of Military History chronology (1960): The chronology records the main Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. It says Japan was decisively defeated there and that the defeat cost Japan the initiative.

11. 7.

    A student says Japan accepted the terms on August 14 because of the Nagasaki attack on August 9. How do cards A, B and C bear on that, Pia asks?

    • They show a split council, a tie-break and replies between the dates, not that Nagasaki was the cause
    • They support it, since the council met on the night of the attack and the emperor then broke the tie
    • They support it, since Truman's statement announces the acceptance and names no other cause
    • They count against it, since the August 12 reply on the emperor was the real cause of the acceptance

12. Use this

    Cards D and E. Card D, a data table, "Estimated deaths in two Japanese cities, August 1945" (US Department of Energy and Truman Library; all figures are estimates), columns City, Source, Deaths, Counted by: Hiroshima, US Department of Energy, about 70,000, at first. Hiroshima, Truman Library, about 80,000, an early count. Hiroshima, US Department of Energy, over 100,000, the end of 1945. Nagasaki, US Department of Energy, about 40,000, at first. Nagasaki, Truman Library, 39,000, an early count. Nagasaki, US Department of Energy, nearly 70,000, January 1946. Card E, A map in words, "The Pacific, 1942 to 1945" (not to scale): the Battle of Midway is on June 4, 1942. American landings reach Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, and Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Atomic attacks on cities fall on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The formal surrender is signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Also in 1945: the Potsdam Declaration warned Japan to surrender on July 26; the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8; Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state; President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms on August 14.

13. 8.

    A student averages the Department of Energy's two Hiroshima counts, about 70,000 at first and over 100,000 by the end of 1945, to report "about 85,000." What does the average hide, Ren asks?

    • That the counts disagree, since two sources gave them and one of them must therefore be wrong
    • The Truman Library's count, which should be added to the average to make it a fair summary
    • Nothing, since an average of two counts from one source is a fair summary of that source's work
    • That the toll was rising with time: the counts measure different dates, so 85,000 fits no date
14. 9.

    A student rounds Hiroshima's counts to "about 100,000" in a report. What does card D say about that rounding, Tala asks?

    • It is fair for the early counts, since a later count of over 100,000 shows they were too low
    • It fits each row, since 70,000 and 80,000 round to 100,000 at the nearest hundred thousand
    • It states the end-of-1945 count exactly, since "over 100,000" means 100,000
    • It fits the end-of-1945 count of over 100,000 but overstates the early counts of 70,000 and 80,000

15. Use this

    Cards A to C. Card A, a summary in our words, written today (US Department of Energy): The Potsdam Declaration of July 26 paired terms for surrender with a warning of destruction, and Japan's government did not accept it. The Hiroshima attack came on August 6, the Soviet declaration of war on August 8 and the Nagasaki attack on August 9. After Hiroshima some Japanese leaders wanted to wait and see whether the Soviet Union could help win better terms, and some hoped a fight on the home islands would do so. On the night of August 9 to 10 the Imperial Council split three to three, and the emperor broke the tie. The United States replied on August 12 that he could stay on in a ceremonial role. Japan accepted on August 14, and the emperor's recorded message was broadcast on August 15. Card B, President Harry S. Truman, statement of August 14, 1945 (primary source; Department of State Bulletin, August 19, 1945, p. 255), to announce that Japan had accepted the Allied terms: "I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan. In the reply there is no qualification. … Meantime, the Allied armed forces have been ordered to suspend offensive action." Card C, A map in words, "The Pacific, 1942 to 1945" (not to scale): the Battle of Midway is on June 4, 1942. American landings reach Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, and Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Atomic attacks on cities fall on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The formal surrender is signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Also in 1945: the Potsdam Declaration warned Japan to surrender on July 26; the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8; Japan offered to surrender on August 10 if the emperor could stay as head of state; President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied terms on August 14. Card D, a summary in our words from the US Army Center of Military History chronology (1960): The chronology records the main Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. It says Japan was decisively defeated there and that the defeat cost Japan the initiative.

16. 10.

    Hiroshima (August 6) to acceptance (August 14) is 8 days; Nagasaki (August 9) to acceptance is 5. A student says the second attack therefore sped Japan's decision. How sound is that, Zee asks?

    • Sound, since the council met on the night of the second attack, which therefore set the timing of the decision
    • Sound, since 5 days is fewer than 8 days, and a shorter gap between event and decision means a stronger effect
    • Unsound, because the emperor's tie-break on August 10 came after both attacks and so fixes the true cause
    • Not shown: any later event is nearer August 14, and the Soviet declaration falls between the attacks