Teaching Nuclear Issues Through Popular Culture Texts
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Social Education 82(3), pp. 149–150, 151–154 ©2018 National Council for the Social Studies The Bomb and Beyond: Teaching Nuclear Issues through Popular Culture Texts Hiroshi Kitamura and Jeremy Stoddard America’s atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki—on August 6 and 9, 1945, of ways, but often revolves around an respectively—instantly killed some 200,000 Japanese and precipitated the end of effort to understand how and why the World War II. They also helped usher in the Cold War, a new era of global tension Truman administration unleashed a that pushed the world towards the brink of destruction. In this menacing climate, in pair of destructive weapons on a mass which the United States and the then-Soviet Union pursued a fierce international of civilians. Often a debate or delibera- rivalry, nuclear issues became central to top-level diplomacy and policymaking. tion model is used to engage students in Citizens around the world experienced a full spectrum of emotions—fear, paranoia, exploring the motives and implications rage, and hope—as they lived in this “nuclear world.” of official U.S. decision making—such as to save American lives, check Soviet Presently, nearly three decades after classroom, including films, TV shows, expansionism, or justify the two-billion- the fall of the Berlin Wall, the original video games, photography, and online dollar cost of the Manhattan Project. But nuclear arms race has subsided, but databases. These cultural texts illustrate this intellectual exercise also carries the nuclear issues remain seminal. Continued diverse societal views from different risk of reducing the experience to strate- challenges related to the development points in time. As we describe below, gic considerations, while neglecting the and proliferation of nuclear weapons, these texts can be explored through a thoughts and emotions of people outside and the risks posed to the environment Socratic-style seminar discussion, as the U.S. policymaking community. and resident populations from an aging evidence for a historical inquiry lesson As a way of filling this void, we encour- nuclear power infrastructure are among that aligns with the C3 Inquiry Arc, or age a greater focus on the perspectives the top concerns in the United States as sources for deliberation of a contro- of two vital groups through discus- and worldwide. Nuclear related issues versial historical or contemporary issue.1 sions of texts that focus on the creation will continue to affect nations, humanity, Overall, we seek to demonstrate new of the bomb and the legacy of its use and the environment for decades, and ways of thinking about how to teach the on Japanese citizens. Through seminar perhaps centuries, to come. ideas, actions, consequences, and lega- discussions, teachers can provide stu- We present three strategies, appropri- cies of nuclear developments on an inter- dents with the opportunity to explore ate for history or public issues classes, national scale (NCSS STANDARDS and the issues, ideas, and values of the texts for engaging students in nuclear themes ) while also developing student critical and their authors—these discussions ask through popular culture texts. We do literacy skills in analyzing and interpret- students to explore a text in common to this in part by looking at the legacy of ing popular culture artifacts. gain an understanding of the issues and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings the perspective of the author of that text.2 beyond the typical strategic and policy- Teaching about the Bomb through The first perspective is of those sci- making perspectives. We also provide Seminar Discussions entists who made the bomb. Those who teaching activities for other nuclear In almost every U.S. and world his- joined the Manhattan Project—includ- issues—namely the arms race and nuclear tory course, one of the most challeng- ing a number of Jewish exiles from power—that developed in the decades ing lessons involves the use of atomic Europe—were initially determined to that followed. We specifically encour- weapons on Japan at the end of World build the “winning weapon” against the age the use of popular culture in the War II. This topic is taught in a myriad Nazis, but many of them soon decided May/June 2018 149 Supplement to Social Education, The official journal of National Council for the Social Studies to oppose its use, for moral and ethi- groups discuss their assigned text and popular culture texts hold in under- cal reasons. Studying their voices could observe their classmates discuss diver- standing social, cultural, and political Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People lead students to re-evaluate the bomb gent or complementary texts. Further, perspectives from the periods and places decision from outside strategic think- teachers could ask the class to compare of production. ing. The scientists’ views can be drawn the power of different narrative formats, from the Atomic Heritage Foundation’s from anime, graphic novel, to conven- Inquiry into the “Voices of the Manhattan Project,” a web tional written narratives. Which do they Nuclear Arms Race resource that contains a welter of biog- find most powerful? Which do they find Gojira’s allusion to the Cold War is 2018 raphies, interviews, and oral histories more trustworthy? And why? worth probing further. Indeed, during (www.atomicheritage.org). Films can be powerful seminar texts, the 45 years after Japan’s unconditional The other group perspective often but should be accompanied by discus- surrender, the United States and the missing is that of the Japanese. Given sion in the seminar of film as a source.4 Soviet Union participated in an intense the devastation that unraveled on the For example, a powerful text for under- arms race that gave rise to nearly 70,000 ground, it is important to explore how nuclear warheads at its peak. Other states, the hibakusha—the victims of nuclear such as Great Britain, France, and China, attacks—have grappled with the bomb built their own bombs to boost their experience. A commonly used book that military power and diplomatic lever- introduces the victims’ perspective and age. The era gave rise to the first Soviet explores the decision behind dropping atomic test, the thermonuclear bomb, the bombs is John Hersey’s Hiroshima the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Reagan’s (1946), a best-selling account of six Strategic Defense Initiative—all of which individuals who survived the nuclear elevated the prospects of global annihi- attack. There are also powerful visual lation. In light of these developments, it texts that will engage students. One is vital to think of the atomic bombings is Pikadon (1978), an award-winning not as the end of an era, but the begin- Japanese anime that dramatizes the fate ning of an “atomic age” that would soon of citizens in Hiroshima on August 6, envelop the globe. In addition to look- 1945. Produced by Renzo and Sayoko ing at the key events of the Cold War, Kinoshita, the 10-minute film shows we encourage teachers to use popular how the bomb instantly transformed an culture texts as evidence in attempting to otherwise ordinary morning into a hell- answer a unit-long inquiry question such ish nightmare. (See the Pikadon Seminar as “What drove policy decisions during Activity on p. 151.) One could also turn the Nuclear Arms Race?” or “How did to a selection from Barefoot Gen (1973- Americans view the Cold War?” The 85), a 10-volume graphic novel that tells standing the legacy of the bomb in Japan following are a number of film clips and the story of the Hiroshima bombing is Gojira (Godzilla, 1954). A silly mon- other popular culture sources that could through a young boy who survived the ster movie at first glance, this Japanese be used as part of this C3-style inquiry deadly explosion.3 Its second volume, film offers a serious commentary on the to potentially get at Dimension 2 (per- “The Day After,” offers the author (and 1954 U.S. BRAVO nuclear test—con- spectives, in particular) and Dimension bomb survivor) Keiji Nakazawa’s sober- ducted a few months before the film 3 (use of evidence) while answering these ing depiction of ground zero. was released—and its contamination of questions. a Japanese fishing boat. It portrays the To set the context for the inquiry, it Popular Culture as Seminar Texts monster as being awakened by hydrogen would be helpful to introduce some sta- These texts are useful because they bomb testing in the Pacific. Therefore, tistics and figures on nuclear weapons help to establish the conflicted views asking students for a “thick” analysis of production. Equally important is to tease of nuclear scientists along with Japan’s the iconic creature might lead to fruit- apart the idea of Mutually Assured collective memory of the bomb expe- ful conversations about the traumas of Destruction (MAD). A clip from the rience and can present a comparative Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the horrors of Hollywood film Fail Safe (1964) may be viewpoint for our students to the com- U.S. incendiary bombings, and nuclear of use, as it suggests how human error, monly taught debate over Truman’s deci- anxieties of the Cold War era. By focus- technological advancement, and com- sion to use the bomb. Teachers could ing on the mythic Godzilla as symbolic munication glitches—all of which did break up their classes into two or more of a particular view on the past, students occur in real life—could have led to a groups for a fishbowl seminar in which will begin to understand the role that fatal nuclear standoff between the United continued on page 151 Social Education 150 THE BOMB AND BEYOND by showing the bizarre hoopla surround- Armageddon soared high as President from page 150 ing the tests as well as stunning images of Ronald Reagan exalted pressure against the actual blasts.