HIS 100 Sample Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet
Full APA citation Morton, L. (1957). The decision to use the atomic bomb. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/1957-01-01/decision-useatomic-bomb
Identify author and describe potential biases. Louis Morton was a military historian at Dartmouth College. For a decade he served as a
member of the U.S. Army’s Office of the Chief of Military History. In those positions he wrote
numerous books on the Pacific theater of World War II. His position in the army’s historical unit
could bias him in favor of the military, but that does not seem to be the case in this article.
Identify thesis and arguments. Many policymakers issued statements soon after the detonation of the atomic bombs over
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A decade later, Louis Morton revisited these statements in light of
recently released documents.
Morton found that there were many justifications for detonating the atomic bombs over
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An invasion of the Japanese home islands would have inflicted heavy
casualties on both sides. The Americans wanted to end the war before the Soviet Union
entered the Pacific theater. The military government of Japan seemed resistant to any thought
of surrender. The Manhattan Project had cost billions of dollars, and many policymakers did not
want to see that money wasted.
The Japanese decision to surrender was based on many factors, only one of which was the use
of the atomic bombs. American air and naval power had already reduced much of Japan to ruin.
The Soviet Union’s entry into the war ended Japan’s hope for mediation. The Japanese emperor
ordered his government to surrender, over the protests of some advisers. Morton argued that
some combination of all of these led to the Japanese surrender.
What primary sources did the source rely on? Congressional hearings; books, memoirs, and articles published by participants; military
documents such as bombing surveys; memoranda and letters written by members of the
military and the Truman administration; recent history books and articles on the bomb and the
end of the war
Is the source reliable and convincing? Why or why not? The source is reliable. The author does not seem to favor any reason over another and is
careful to say that it was probably some combination. He seems healthily suspicious of any
justifications provided by decision makers.
How does the source relate to your project topic? How does
it add to what you already know about the topic?
The decision to use the atomic bomb is central to any study of the end of World War II. The
decision to use the bomb was the result of many factors, and the Japanese decision to
surrender was the result of many factors.

HIS 100 Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet
Prompt: Replace the bracketed text with information from a secondary source of your choice. Be sure to include specific examples (page numbers,
etc.). See the Sample Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet for reference on how to complete this assignment.
Full APA citation [Insert text.]
Identify author and describe potential biases. [Insert text.]
Identify thesis and arguments. [Insert text.]
What primary sources did the source rely on? [Insert text.]
Is the source reliable and convincing? Why or why not? [Insert text.]
How does the source relate to your project topic? How does it add to
what you already know about the topic? [Insert text.]

1
HIS 100 Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet Guidelines and Rubric
Prompt: Review the HIS 100 library guide linked within each module and read another secondary source of your choice related to the topic you are interested in.
Then, download and complete the Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet for the secondary source that you selected. Refer to the Sample Secondary Source
Analysis Worksheet for guidance on how to fill out the worksheet.
Guidelines for Submission: Complete the Secondary Source Analysis Worksheet and submit the completed worksheet to the learning environment for instructor
grading and feedback.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (85%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Engagement of
Response
Addresses each field posed in the
worksheet based on information
from a secondary source
The fields posed in the worksheet
are minimally addressed and/or
does not use information from a
secondary source
Does not address any of the fields
in the worksheet
40
Focus of
Response
Provides a focused and direct
reflection addressing how the
source relates to the project topic
Provides a reflection on how the
source relates to the project topic,
but the focus is unclear and lacks
the detail requested in the
prompt
Does not provide reflection on
how the source relates to the
project topic
40
Specific
Examples
Analysis includes specific
examples, including page numbers
and proper citations where
applicable
Analysis includes examples but
does not include page numbers
and proper citations where
applicable, or examples included
lack relevance to the topic
Does not provide examples 20
Total 100%