This activity complements the teacher’s lesson on deterrence and nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Students will learn the logic behind deterrence theory and Mutually Assured Destruction. In the advanced version, students will look closer at today’s U.S. deterrence strategy.

Terms Learned: game theory, Prisoner’s Dilemma, Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), deterrence, deterrence by force, deterrence by denial, deterrence by force, Nuclear Triad, extended deterrence

Secondary Terms: rational actor, second-strike capabilities

Students will research the bomb and design a poster-board that explores the geopolitical context of dropping the bomb as well as its tragic effects.

Students engage with primary resources to form opinions on the decision to drop the bomb.

Students read Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt, and draft their own response from Roosevelt, in order to understand the cooperation between scientists and the government during the Manhattan Project.

Students will use a short documentary on J. Robert Oppenheimer to begin a discussion on Oppenheimer and his role as a leader in the Manhattan Project.