Robert Garland Residency: A Day In History – The Bombing Of Hiroshima

Professor/Instructor/Speaker: Robert Garland World War II in Europe had ended with the surrender of Germany on 8 May 1945 – VE Day. But the war in the Far East continued. Okinawa and Iwo Jima proved the Japanese were willing to fight to the last man. It's estimated that if the US had fought a conventional campaign, it would have cost up to 2 million American lives. In May 1945, President Truman formed the Interim Committee to advise on use of nuclear weapons. On July 16, he was informed of the successful test of the atomic bomb (code named Trinity), which he called "the most terrible bomb in the history of the world." On July 25, Truman made the final decision to drop the bomb. It was dropped on Hiroshima 12 days later in part to forestall Stalin's offer to invade Japan by Aug. 15… This event is part of the "A Day in History: Week-in-Residency Series Exploring 'What a Difference a Day Makes'." Each lecture in this series highlights a specific day when the world altered course and brought us to where we are today, and each lecture also raises the tantalizing question: What if? Registrants are welcome but not required to attend all events to enjoy and learn from the individual lectures. *If purchasing a lunch, please register 48 hours in advance. Thank you! Vegetarian option available.