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Fission is Discovered
German scientists discovered how to split the uranium atom, which was capable of producing unthinkable damage. Fear spread due to the fact that Nazi scientists could produce a powerful impact such as this. -
A letter to the president
Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him that the Nazis were working on an atomic bomb. Roosevelt saw no need to create a weapon of this stature, but agreed to proceed slowly. -
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was named for Columbia University in Manhattan. The research took place at several secluded sites across the US, including the first atomic test which took place near Los Alamos, New Mexico. This project produced the first ever nuclear weapons. -
World War II Begins
World War II was when Germany invaded Poland. President Franklin Roosevelt declared American neutrality while Europe was fighting against Germany and Japan was destroying China. -
Pearl Harbor
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This led America to start Japanese camps and declaring war on the Japanese Empire. -
U.S. Goes To War
The U.S. declared war on Japan the day after the Pearl Harbor attack and officially entered WWII. The United States joined the side of Britain, the Soviet Union, and China. -
The Trinity Test
The Trinity Test (first nuclear bomb test) is done. It took place near Alamogordo, New Mexico. A flash was visible from 200 miles away. It blew out windows 100 miles away of houses of civilians. It created a half-mile wide crater. It was not expected to be as powerful as it was. -
Bombing of Nagasaki
The atomic bomb, Little Boy, was dropped on Nagasaki around 8 am. This bomb consisted of uranium. Around 75,000 people were killed during this bombing. -
Hiroshima Bombing
The atomic bomb, Fat Man, was dropped on Hiroshima. It consisted of plutonium. This was dropped around 11 am. Around 150,000 people died during this bombing. -
Japan Surrenders
The Emperor announced Japan's surrender on radio. They had to give back all the land they took, including Korea and Northern China. The surrender ended World War II. -
The War is Over
World War II officially ends due to Japanese surrender. The Philippines became independent. The Soviet Union gained land and Germany lost Austria and had to return everything they took from other places. -
Manhattan Project was completed
Edward Teller asked Robert Oppenheimer if he would contribute to the hydrogen bomb, but Oppenheimer refused, thus ending the Manhattan Project
