Hiroshima: The Humanity and the Horror (ATOM Study Guide)

Hiroshima: The Humanity and the Horror is a 2004 film suitable for middle to senior secondary students that tells the of the dropping of the first atomic bomb, on Hiroshima in August 1945. The film tells the story of the scientists who made the bomb, the politicians who waged the war and made the decision to drop it, the crew who flew to the site, and the people who were its victims. The film uses archival footage and extensive reconstruction to tell the story in a vivid and visually detailed way. Special effects recreate the reality of the mission, even taking viewers inside the working of the bomb as it falls towards the unsuspecting city below.

The film seeks not to take sides on the big moral issues raised by the dropping of the bomb, but rather to tell the story, present the reality and let audiences make judgments for themselves.

The study guide provides many discussions starters that focus on both sides of the conflict in World War Two, the history, the people and the moral dilemmas. It includes an imaginative and challenging activity that requires students to present arguments from different points of view including the scientists who developed-d the bomb, the political leaders from both sides, the soldiers from both sides and the Japanese people. It also teaches students about how films represent history and the production modes used. In the guide are cartoons and an account of the Smithsonian Enola Gay display controversy making it a very comprehensive resource for many curriculum areas.

Curriculum Links:
Hiroshima: The Humanity and the Horror, the film and the study guide are relevant to:
• History
• English
• Media Studies
• Religious Education
• Values Education / Ethics
• SOSE / HSIE