Resource
The Atomic Bomb
Luis Alvarez's letter to his son from aboard The Artiste
The atomic bomb ended World War II, and ushered in a new era in world history, and the effects of dropping the bomb were seen immediately. First person accounts of the event add significant understanding of what happened that day. Hear Dr. Christopher Hamner, associate professor at George Mason University and part of ABMC's Understanding Sacrifice program, analyze a primary-source letter describing the events that day.
Sources
Primary Sources
- Letter from Luis Alvarez to His Son, 1945 National Archives and Records Administration (1746778)
Learn More
- Hiroshima and Nagasaki Effects, 1945 National Archives and Records Administration (88397)
- Japan Surrenders, 1945 National Archives and Records Administration (208-UN-168)
- Nuclear Test Film - Trinity Shot, 1945 Internet Archive
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Christopher Hamner
Dr. Christopher Hamner is the lead historian for the Understanding Sacrifice program. He teaches at George Mason University, and is the author of Enduring Battle: American Soldiers in Three Wars, 1776-1945. From 2014 to 2016 he was a Visiting Professor at the U.S. Army War College, and in 2012 received Mason's Teaching Excellence Award.