Socratic Seminar Lesson- The Potsdam Declaration
By Niccole M. Reinhart
Overview:
Title of Lesson: Socratic Seminar on the Potsdam Declaration
Grade/Class: 7th Grade United States History II: 1865 to Present
Length of Time required for lesson: This lesson is designed to be taught over two 90-minute blocks. The first day, I will read the text aloud to the students. Students will then work in pairs or small groups to rewrite the text into their own words. Students will also see a YouTube clip showing how a Socratic Seminar works. On the second day, students will be given time to complete the ticket they were assigned for homework (about 15 minutes). After this, students will be given the norms of the seminar. We will discuss them and make sure students understand what is expected of them. I can show the video again if necessary. Students will watch Hook video and the seminar will begin.
Seminar Text: Potsdam Declaration
Background Information: The US had successfully tested the atomic bomb on July 16, 1945 at the Trinity test site at Alamogordo in the New Mexico desert, USA. 21 July; Churchill and Truman agreed that the weapon should be used. The Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, encouraged Truman to inform the Soviets of this new development, in order to avoid sowing distrust over keeping the USSR out of the Manhattan Project. Truman did not tell Stalin of the weapon until 25 July when he advised Stalin that America had "a new weapon of unusually destructive force." According to various eyewitnesses, Stalin appeared uninterested. It later became known that Stalin was actually aware of the atomic bomb before Truman was, as he had multiple spies that had infiltrated the Manhattan Project from very early on (notably Klaus Fuchs, Ted Hall, and David Greenglass), while Truman had only learned about the weapon after Roosevelt's death. By the 26 July, the Potsdam Declaration had been broadcast to Japan, threatening total destruction unless the Imperial Japanese government submitted to unconditional surrender. Joseph Stalin suggested that Truman preside over the conference as the only head of state attending, a recommendation accepted by Attlee.
On July 26 a declaration was issued, signed by the president and Prime Minister Churchill and with the concurrence of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of Nationalist China, that in its result was as fateful, if not more so, than the instruction of General Handy to General Spaatz. If the recipient of the Potsdam Declaration, the government of Japan, had responded with the surrender that the president and prime minister asked for, the instruction of the day before would not have been carried out.
Unfortunately the declaration was not an explicit warning that the United States possessed nuclear weapons and would use them. Truman was unwilling to be explicit, for Congress had tolerated an unknown project costing nearly $2 billion and might object to an explanation offered an enemy government without informing the legislative body that paid the bill.
Perhaps because the warning was only a general statement, the Japanese government responded with something approaching contempt. The prime minister chose to ignore it, employing the ambiguous word mokusatsu, which means literally "to kill with silence," although it carries a nuance of uncertainty. Tokyo radio used the word, saying the government would mokusatsu the declaration and fight on. The English translation became "reject," and the president took it as a rebuff. Years later he remembered, "When we asked them to surrender at Potsdam, they gave us a very snotty answer. That is what I got. . . . They told me to go to hell, words to that effect."
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/ferrell_book/ferrell_book_chap7.htm
Instructional Model/Rationale: This lesson uses the Socratic Seminar model of instruction. In this model, all students have a certain text in common that they have read prior to the class period or that is read together during class. In a Socratic Seminar, participants seek to answer an essential question and gain deeper understanding of laws, ideas, issues, values, and/or principles presented in a text or texts through rigorous and thoughtful dialogue. In many Socratic Seminars, students are required to complete a seminar “ticket,” as a means of evidence that shows the students has completed the reading. The ticket and any other pre-seminar work will make sure the students are prepared for the discussion. There are many advantages to this type of instructional model. Socratic Seminars provide opportunities for critical readings of texts. They teach respect for diverse ideas, people, and practices and create a community of inquiry. Socratic seminars enhance students' knowledge and develop critical thinking, problem solving, speaking, and listening skills. Moreover, seminar discussions can increase student participation and encourage divergent thinking. I have chosen to focus this seminar on examining the Potsdam Declaration. This lesson is intended to follow the Structured Academic Controversy Lesson on the atomic bombs used during World War II. In that lesson, students will be introduced to the Potsdam Declaration. This seminar lesson will allow them to further examine the reasons Truman decided to order the bombs to be dropped. Further, this lesson will allow students to interpret events from different historical perspectives specifically pertaining to the atomic bomb controversy.
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
a) describe the issues surrounding the decision to drop the atomic bomb in World War II. (VA SOL USII.7b)
b) interpret events from different historical perspectives pertaining to the atomic bomb controversy. (VA SOL USII.1d)
c) develop discussion skills through meaningful and thoughtful debate concerning a commonly read text. (NCSS 6f, 4h)
d) identify conceptual ideas found in a concrete text. (NCSS 10a, 10b)
Assessment: Students will be given a ticket as entrance into the seminar. This ticket will count as a homework grade. After the seminar, students will be assigned a homework assignment that will count one quiz grade. Assignment: We have spent quite a bit of time discussing Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. Based on any of our discussions, readings, videos we have seen, etc. answer the following question: Do you think the U.S. was justified to use the atomic weapon against Japan? Be sure to use evidence to support your answer. Your answer can be handwritten or typed. Your response must be thoughtful and well supported. Papers should be at least 1 page in length. If you type your response, you may double space. Please use no larger than a 12-point font and standard margins. Remember I am looking to see what you have learned. This will count as a quiz grade so do your absolute best work!
Content and Instructional Strategies:
Seminar Text: Potsdam Declaration
Opening Questions:
1. What was the Potsdam Declaration?
2. Who issued the Potsdam Declaration and to whom?
3. Why did the United States and its allies issue this declaration?
4. What did the allies expect Japan to do?
Core Questions:
1. Do you think the U.S., Great Britain, and China expected Japan to comply?
2. Why did Truman make so many demands at the Potsdam Conference? Was he justified in doing so?
3. In what ways did the Potsdam Conference promote a spirit of cooperation between Great Britain, Soviet Union and the United States? In what ways was this conference a precursor to the Cold War?
4. Why do you think the declaration called for “unconditional surrender”?
5. Do you think Japan might have agreed to the terms of the Potsdam Declaration if they did not have to “unconditionally surrender”?
6. Do you think the war might have ended sooner, and without the use of the atomic bombs, if the United States had been willing to negotiate a peace with Japan? If so, why did America not pursue that course?
7. What does this declaration say about the occupation of Japan?
8. According to the declaration, who bears responsibility for leading Japan down the path to war?
9. How would you have responded to this document as a leader in the Japanese government? As an “average” Japanese person at the time?
10. Should Japan have accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration? Why or Why not?
Potential Follow-up questions
1. What were the results of the Potsdam Declaration?
2. Why was unconditional surrender NOT an option for the Japanese in the Potsdam Declaration?
3. Do you think the U.S. was justified to use the atomic weapon against Japan?
4. Some critics of FDR and Truman argue that the Allies demanded an unconditional surrender as a policy of revenge and to destroy Japan from ever being powerful again. What do you make of their argument?
Room Arrangement: Room will be arranged with desks formed into a circle.
Steps for Socratic Seminars
Preparation:
· Prior to the discussion, the teacher will select an appropriate text. The text must be complex and rich in ideas that promote thinking and discussion. I have selected the Potsdam Declaration.
· This lesson will be taught over two 90-minute blocks. The first day, I will read the text aloud to the students. Students will then work in pairs or small groups to rewrite the text into their own words. Students will also see a YouTube clip showing how a Socratic Seminar works. Students will be given a ticket to complete. There are three questions on the ticket. These are the same as the opening questions.
Day of Socratic Seminar:
· On the day of the seminar, students will be told to read the text again as well as the one the students created in their own words. Then they will be given time to complete the ticket they were assigned for homework (about 25 minutes). I hate to use class time to do this but I want to make sure they are prepared as possible.
Day of Socratic Seminar:
· After this, students will be given the norms of the seminar (handout). We will discuss them and make sure students understand what is expected of them like: “speak clearly, make constructive comments, and make sure comments are directed at ideas, not at people, do not interrupt, and make sure you support your comments with evidence from the reading.
· I will most likely show the video again demonstrating how the seminar works.
· I will come around and check that each student has finished his or her “ticket”.
· Students will watch Hook video and the seminar will begin.
· Teacher will pose opening question(s) for the discussion.
· Teacher will remind students of norms as needed.
· The teacher may need to ask follow up questions to lead the participants to greater understanding of the text.
· Teacher may need to remind students to cite evidence from text.
· Teacher takes notes for evaluative purposes, but provides no verbal or nonverbal feedback that either affirms or challenges what the students say. The teacher may ask follow-up questions; however, teacher questions are used sparingly and deliberately.
Post Seminar and Debrief:
· Once the text has been explored thoroughly the teacher may ask closing or follow-up questions.
· The teacher will thank students for their participation and summarize the main ideas and concepts examined during the discussion.
· Students will be given response paper assignment.
Resources:
· Computer with Internet access to show You Tube Videos
· Copies of Ticket for entry into the Seminar
· Copies of the Potsdam Declaration
· Copies of homework assignment
· Hook: YouTube Video Truman's ultimatum regarding Hiroshima – BBC (4:56)
Differentiation: This lesson has been designed for a class of diverse learners. Students learn in a variety of different ways, and this lesson provides students with visual, written, and oral information. Students will have the opportunity to work individually, in pairs, together as a class. The lesson provides students with an opportunity to work with multiple pieces of evidence and develop skills like critical reading, critical thinking, as well as speaking and listening skills. There are many ways this lesson could be differentiated. For example the text could be modified to meet the reading levels of students. Also different questions could be given to students for the entry ticket that would be appropriate for their ability level. Also, the assessment could be modified to reflect different grade levels or abilities within the classroom. For example, instead of having students write a one page response paper explaining their position on a historical question, the assignment could be modified to make it more or less challenging depending upon the student’s level. And finally, students could be given more or less time for research and to prepare for the seminar.
Adaptations: For students with disabilities, the lesson could be adapted to meet their IEPs or 504 plans. For example, the text could be read aloud to them, enlarged for easier viewing, or annotated before presentation. Further adaptations should be made as necessary and as indicated within each student’s IEP or 504 plans. The teacher should make every effort to accommodate such students. Moreover, for those students working with a Para-educator, teacher should submit lesson plans as well as graphic organizers as much in advance as possible for input or adaptations.