1942-1953

  • Production of Atomic Bomb

    President Roosevelt approves production of the atomic bomb following receipt of a National Academy of Sciences report determining that a bomb is feasible.
  • Manhattan Engineer Disctrict

    The Army Corps of Engineers establishes this to develop and build the atomic bomb. Uranium isotope separation facilities are built at Oak Ridge, TN; plutonium production reactors are built at Hanford, WA; and a weapons lab is set up at Los Alamos, NM.
  • Big Inch Oil Pipeline

    Big Inch crude-oil pipeline is completed from the Texas oil fields to Pennsylvania. The line serves as a transportation alternative to tankers that are being sunk by German subs.
  • Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act

    Congress passes this act authorizing the Bureau of Mines to build energy research labs.
  • President Harry S. Truman

    Following the death of President Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman becomes the President of the United States of America.
  • End of World War II

    After a long six years, Germany surrenders.
  • West Berlin

    Soviet Union begins blockade of West Berlin.
  • Soviet Union Detonates Atomic Device

    The Soviet Union detonates the first atomic device.
  • Hydrogen Bomb

    President Truman orders development of the hydrogen bomb in response to the Soviet Union's first detonation of the atomic bomb.
  • President Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the 34th President of the United States of America.