Proposed Topic for Research:
A documentary based on the Hibakusha. They are the survivors of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II.
It Aims to Develop the Following:
1. A documentary based on the survivors of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War II that will open up a comprehensive understanding of the moral aspects of the event.
2. An understanding of how the Manhattan Project (development of Plutonium and the atomic bomb) wiped out thousands of innocent lives.
3. A comprehensive view on the historical events that led to the bombing. What caused the US to decide to bomb Japan? What were the measures done before a final decision was made.
4. A presentation of primary sources such as recorded footages, periodicals, and evidences related to the documentary.
5. Interviews of the survivors as well as the presentation of their journals and recorded interviews of survivors who have passed away after the bombing.
6. To show viewers how the Hibakusha are, until now, suffering from the aftermaths of the bombing. How their families are also affected by the stigma that they are affected by radiation and that they should not interact with normal people.
Task 1: Historical Document Research
Research will be done in the London Public Library, a specialist library holding relevant specialist sources for World War II books and journals. The library boasts of its broad range of books and periodicals suitable for general and specialized research on World War II, the war between Japan, and its atrocities. It also provides references to the moral and ethical views on atomic bombardment, as well as information about the Manhattan Project, the development of the atomic bomb, and as to why President Harry S. Truman et al decided to bomb Japan. The library is also open to everyone for reference making it one of the first resort for those seeking for general and specific historical references, which is perfect for a facts based documentary about World War II and the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. An online catalogue of books and references are available on the library’s website making it a lot easier to conduct both general and specific research. This can help save a lot of time as this research will require careful attention to facts and dates to avoid any factual errors.
Parameters:
General research should be done before focusing on specialized sources to gain a broader view on the topic, the victims and the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing. This will help shed light on the reasons as to why the bombing occurred and this will also help the documentary provide more related information on the topic. Once general information is acquired, more specialized information will be understood well and it will benefit the documentary as the idea becomes developed and it can be relayed well to the audience as the right research materials are also used.
References to be Used:
The following selected sources will be used for general research:
1. Burgan, Michael. Hiroshima: Birth of the Nuclear Age. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall
Cavendish Benchmark. Print.
A general source of survivor accounts on the bombing in Hiroshima. The book also includes information about the Manhattan Project and the bombing aftermaths experienced in Japan.
2. Cohen, Daniel. The Manhattan Project. Brookfield, CT: The Milbrook Press, 1999.
Print. Page 60.
Provides information about the production of the atomic bombs used in Japan along with the planning of where and when to use the atomic bombs.
3. Grayling, A.C. Among the Dead Cities: The History and Moral Legacy of the
WWII Bombing of Civilians in Germany and Japan. New York: Walker & Co., 2006.
A source available in the London Public Library, it contains a comprehensive report on Japanese casualties during the world war including those who have died during the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombardment. Moral and ethical aspects regarding the bombing are also included in this source.
4. Langley, Andrew. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Fire from the Sky. Minneapolis, MN:
Compass Point Books, 2006. Print. Pages 51 – 82.
Narrates what happened during the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing. The book also explains how and why the Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki during their war against the Japanese.
5. Malloy, Sean. Atomic Tragedy: Henry L. Stimson and the Decision to use the
Bomb Against Japan. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2008
A source available in the London Public Library, which contains accounts on Japan and the United States during the World War from 1939 - 1945. Also includes the bombardment of both Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. as well as the moral and ethical aspects of the atomic bomb and the United States' military policy.
6. Wainstock, Dennis. The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb. New York: Enigma
Books, 2011.
A source available in the London Public Library containing information on then President, Harry Truman and the United States' foreign relations from 1945 - 1953. The book also contains supplemental information on the atomic bomb and how the World War has affected Japan.
Legal Protocol
Copies of sources and reference materials will be collected and will also be used in the documentary. Rights to use the article in exchange for proper citation in the documentary’s credits should be cleared by the source as well as proper citation on documentary will be considered as the legal protocols.
Task 2: Primary Sources to be Used for Cross-Reference
The primary sources that can be used to cross the reference materials chosen for the research will be the record of the events made in television, on the radio, or on preserved newspapers/periodicals. The remaining survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings can also be contacted as a primary source to successfully cross reference the material.
Primary Sources for Cross Referencing/Verification of Research Materials:
1. The Hibakusha or the bombing survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki can provide their own accounts to verify the integrity of the sources that will be used for the research. They can also provide a direct answer to an interview, which can be used as footage in the documentary.
2. The Journals and Records of Otis Cary, An expert on Japan and the World War can also be used as a primary source for cross-referencing materials. His accounts can also provide additional information that can be used in the research.
3. The Journals and Recordings of Harry S. Truman can also be treated as primary source for cross-referencing the chosen sources. Footages on his speeches, logs on his journals and reports on the radio can help verify the sources that will be used in the research.
Copies and recorded footages recorded by these primary sources can also be for effective cross-referencing of the selected materials.
Task 3: Experts to Contact for Comprehensive Research Assistance
1. Richard Goldstein - He is a historian of the Second World War as well as an author of non-fiction readings on World War II. Mr. Goldstein can provide in-depth views and unbiased opinions regarding the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombing and he can also provide additional assistance to ensuring the integrity of a facts based documentary.
2. Akiko Naono is one of the very few experts on Hibakusha. She has done postdoctoral research on Hibakusha and their mental health to provide effective counseling methods for the survivors and for overall assessment of their health.
3. Robert Jay Lifton is also the author of the sole psychological study done on the Hibakusha in 1967 wherein he singled out that these bombing survivors differ from conventional bombing survivors as they were exposed too radiation, rendering a lifelong encounter with death.
Task 4: Online Materials and Archives
1. The National Archives Website - www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2/
Has a huge collection of World War II photographs and footages that can help improve research on the documentary. It also holds records on Japanese casualties during the bombing as well as important documents that can be used for cross-referencing used sources.
2. World War II Planes and Footages - www.world-war-2-planes.com/
- The online resource serves as an online storage of WWII footages including the bombing footages of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Footages on the Manhattan Project, as well as the aftermaths of the bombing are also available.
Task 5: Self Evaluation & References:
Overall, the research process ensures that the information that will be used for the proposed documentary will indeed be true and informative. Choosing a specialist library that possesses quality sources for World War II and the atomic bombs can help improve the research and supplement important details that can be used in the project. A combination of general and specific research is also beneficial, as the topic will also require a broader understanding of the event, while also equally providing in-depth information, which is only available in specific sources. This particular type of research for a facts-based documentary needs to be heavily funded. Contacting survivors in Japan and persuading them to re-live a tragic part of their lives will also require proper handling, perhaps with the help of experts on human psychology as it can cause distress. The documentary will have a high chance of becoming successful if the materials and the procedures indicated in this proposal is being followed.
Bibliography
Burgan, Michael. Hiroshima: Birth of the Nuclear Age. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish
Benchmark. Print.
Cohen, Daniel. The Manhattan Project. Brookfield, CT: The Milbrook Press, 1999. Print.
Page 60
Grayling, A.C. Among the Dead Cities: The History and Moral Legacy of the WWII
Bombing of Civilians in Germany and Japan. New York: Walker & Co., 2006.
Langley, Andrew. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Fire from the Sky. Minneapolis, MN: Compass
Point Books, 2006. Print. Pages 51 - 82.
Malloy, Sean. Atomic Tragedy: Henry L. Stimson and the Decision to use the Bomb Against
Japan.
Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2008.
Wainstock, Dennis. The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb. New York: Enigma Books,
2011.
