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Robert Oppenheimer developed he countries best theoretical physics program at UC Berkley
"When he returned to the States, schools from all over the counrty tried to hire him. He picked the University of Californai, in Berkely, where he quickly built the country's best theoretical physics program" (Sheinkin,10). -
Physicist Harry Gold becomes a Soviet spy
"Harry Gold was about to become a major player in what FBI director Edgar Hoover would call the crime of the century" (Sheinkin, 23). -
Robert Oppenheimer is alarmed by the rise of Hilter
" But it wasn't only events in the United States that caught Oppenheimer's attention - he was alarmed by the violent rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party in Germany" (Sheinkin, 10). -
Otto Hahn discovered the complexity of atoms
By the late 1930's, scientists like Ottto Hahn understood that everything in the universe is made up of incredibly tiny particles called atoms" (Sheinkin, 13) -
Physicist Otto Hahn discovered how to split uranium atoms resulting in fission
"As expected, some of the speeding neutrons hit uranium atoms. What staggered Hahn was the force of the collision seemed to be causing the uranium atoms to split in two. According to everything scienctist knew in 1938, this was impossible" (Sheinkin,14) -
Germany launches massive invasion of Poland
"Einstein quickly realized that with atomic bombs, Adolf Hitler would be absolutely unstoppable" (Sheinkin, 20). "On September 1, 1939, Germany launched a massive invasion of Poland (Sheinkin, 20). -
Albert Einstein writes a letter to President Roosevelt expressing his concerns with the development of atomic bombs
" The element uranium may be turned in to a new and important source of energy in the immediate future", Einstein had written. "One day man will release and control its almost infinite power. We cannot prevent him from doing so and can only hope that he will not use it exclusively in blowing up his next door neighbor" (Sheinkin, 20) -
Hilter launches invasion across Soviet border
In June, 1941, the German dictator launched a four million man invasion force across the Soviet Border" (Sheinkin, 27). -
Robert Oppenheimer attends the first meeting of the Uranium Committee
I spent some time in preliminary calculatios about the counstruction and performance of atomic bombs (Sheinkin, 31). -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
"This red sun was the symbol of Japan- The Japanese were attacking Pearl Harbor" (Sheinkin, 32). -
Soviet physicist Georgi Flerov learns about U.S. work on development of atomic bombs
" In a word the seal of silence has been imposed and this is the best proof of work that is going on now abroad" (Sheinkin, 38). -
WInsten Churchill visits President Roosevelt to discuss atomic bomb
"They focused on the subject Churchill called most important- the race to build the atomic bomb" (Sheinkin, 46) -
The Manhattan Project
"Roosevelt wanted the U.S. Army to take over the atomic bomb project - code name the manhattan Project. It was Groves job to make sure the bomb got built quickly and in complete secrecy" (Sheinkin, 48). -
Jen's Poulsson and his Noregian team, parachute onto Norway's Hardangetr Plateau.
"On the plateau, the team would set up camp, scout report to the target, radio weather reports back to Britian, and light up and landing strip on the edge of a frozen lake" (Sheinkin, 54). -
Los lamos is aquired for military purposes
"It has been determined necessary to the interests of the U.S. in the prosecution of the war that the property of Los Almos Ranch School be aquired for military purposes" (Sheinkin, 66). -
Oppenheimenr recruits scientists for Los Almos: Chain Reaction
" They knew they could bombard a uranium atom with neutrons and cause its nucleus to split. They knew the splitting nucleus would relase energy, but what happened next" (Sheinkin, 71)
"Though they didn't know if it would actually happen, physicists had a name ready for this process: Chain reaction" (Sheinkin, 71). -
Operation Gunnerside
"The British and Americans were determined to destroy the Vermork heavy water plant in Norway" (Sheinkin, 75). -
Physicists gathered with Oppenheimer and his assistant Robert Serber to discuss Los Almos progress: The Gadget
"Scribbling graphs and formulas on the blackboard as he spoke, Serber began to explain the physics of an atomic bomb" (Sheinkin, 97). -
The KGB obtaine top-secret info from Clarence Hinsky-chemist and communist party member - that Germans might be ahead of the U.S. development of the atomic bomb
"Hiskey explained the the other scientists were working with desperate haste to build the stomic bomb. It would be the most powrful weapon ever produced. The Germans, he added were probably far ahead on the bomb" (Sheinkin, 40) -
Soviet government establishs Labratory Number 2" (Sheinkin, 106).
"Meanwhile, the Soviet Atomic Bomb Project was moving ahead and in mid 1943 the Soviet government establish Labratory Number 2 , a secret lab in the Pine Woods outside Moscow, The job of building the Soviet bomb was put in the hands of a 40 year old physicist named Igov Kurchatov. (Sheinkin, 106). -
CIA suspects Oppenheimer of disloyalty
"The agents sent their report to Lt. Colonel Boris Pash, the top army inteligence officer on the west coast. He'd already suspected Oppenheimer of disloyalty. Now he was seriously alarmed" (Sheinkin, 104). -
Theodore hall and Saville Sax are recruited to help at Los Almos
"At a brief orientation, Hall was told he'd be helping to build and atomic bomb. He was given a secret little book called " The Loas Almos Primer" (Sheinkin, 132). -
President Roosevelt dies and Harry Truman becomes President
Truman called the members of Roosevelt's cabinet, tod them the news, and asked them to come right to the White House. Then he called Harlan Fiske Stone and the Chief Justice to the Supreme Court. he asked Stone to come swear him in as President" ( Sheinkin, 161). -
Hitler's Death: War over
"Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. Days later Germany surrendered. The war was over" (Sheinkin, 166). -
Oppenheimer plans to test atomic bomb
"On July 5th, Oppenheimer sent a telegram to the top Manhattan Project physicist in Berkely and Chicago. The test was on" (Sheinkin, 173). -
Atomic Bomb Success
"Up it went, a great fireabout a mile in diameter changing colors as it kept shooting upward" (Sheinkin, 183). -
Hitler's armies collapse
"Allied forces were pouring into Germany from east to west, but the questioned remained: How close was Hitler to getting an atomic bomb? -
German scientists learn about U.S. success with atomic bomb
"Forced to concede that an atomic bomb had destroyed Hiroshema, the German scientists began trying to figure out how the bomb had been made. They discivered the technical challanges and lack of key materials that had slowed their own bomb making efforts" (Sheinkin, 201). -
Hiroshima Bomb
" With the release of the bom, the panic was instantly nine thousand pounds lighter" (Sheinkin, 193). -
Japan Surrenders
"Ever since Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had been demanding unconditional surrender" ( Sheinkin, 205). "Japan surrendered on August 15. World War II was over" (Sheinkin, 206) -
German scientists learn about U.S. succes with atomic bomb
"Forced to concede that an atomic bomb had destroyed Hiroshima, the German scientists began trying to figure out how the bomb had been made, They discusses the technical challanges and lack of key materials that had slowed their own bomb making efforts" (Sheinkin, 201). -
Hydrogen bomb is tested
"On November 1, 1952 on a tiny island in the South Pacific, the U.S tested the world's first hydrogen bomb" (Sheinkin, 232).
