-
-German Chemists; Lise Meitner, Otto Hahnand and Fritz Strassmann; develop theoretical explanation of Nuclear fission.
-This makes the development of an atomic bomb possible.
-Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann were awarded the Nobel prize for this, but Meitner was left out. BOOOO -
-Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard realizes the possibility of the nuclear chain reaction.
-He drafts a letter to US president, Roosevelt, known as the Einstein-Szilard letter.
-The letter warned of the potential development of extremely powerful bombs of a new type.
-It urged the United States to take steps to acquire stockpiles of uranium ore and accelerate the research of Enrico Fermi. -
-Roosevelt called on Lyman Briggs of the National Bureau of Standards to head the Advisory Committee on Uranium to investigate the issues raised by Einstein-Szilard letter.
-The committee reported back to Roosevelt that uranium would provide a possible source of highly destructive bombs. -
-
-Roosevelt creates the OSRD, under Vannevar Bush, which absorbs the Uranium Committee.
-The establishment of this government organization begins major research into nuclear fission using uranium -
-This is an image of Roosevelt signing a literal "OK" to Vannevar Bush. Bush wrote this letter asking for expansion of the OSRD's fission research.
-With Roosevelt's approval, nuclear fission research is officially channeled into weapons development.
-Lots of money channeled into the project
-Special war-time declarations given to project -
The United States and Great Britain issue a formal declaration of war against Japan the next day.
-
-This is where namesake Manhattan Project originated.
-A portion of the MP was originally based on the 18th floor of an office building at 270 Broadway in Manhattan.
-The Army Corps of Engineers worked out of this building.
-New York City was peppered with physics laboratories, including a major one at Columbia University.
-Much of the United States’ stockpile of uranium ore was in NYC warehouses -
-Responsibility for developing an atomic bomb was moved from the Office of Scientific Research and Development to the military.
-
-He is credited as the "Father of the Atomic Bomb"
-Throughout the Project, he conducts his scientific research at the Site Y laboratory, in Los Almos, New Mexico. -
-At this point, MP was moving to more remote/secure sites to conduct research.
-There were sites in WA, NM, IL, TN -
-Conducted at University of Chicago
-Fermi is know as the "Father of the Nuclear Age." He is the first person to develop a nuclear reactor.
-The self sustaining reaction was created just one month into the construction of Fermi's nuclear reactor. -
-First drop test of this weapon at Dahlgren Proving Ground in Virginia
-Used plutonium, which proved to be impractical with gun-type bombs -
After the ramping up of American involvement in WWII, Japan becomes a clear enemy. This prompts a strong reaction and the possible first use of a developing nuclear bomb.
-
-Britain's Tube Alloys is merged with the Manhattan project
-This brings substantial fission research conducted in Britain to America's Manhattan project.
-Britain had made a lot more progress in developing nuclear fission for weapons at this point
-Ally-ship between US and Britain shifted nuclear weapons development into high gear -
-This fission bomb used uranium-235.
-This was a gun-type bomb
-Uranium proved to work better for gun-type fission bombs -
-This is a more complex implosion-type nuclear weapon, compared to gun-type uranium bombs.
-Uses Plutonium -
Truman replaces Roosevelt
-
-Conducted as the Trinity Test at Alamogordo, New Mexico
-An implosion-style plutonium-based nuclear weapon is set off--> same design as "Fat Man" bomb
-Test overseen by Oppenheimer -
-This declaration sought the surrender of Japan and threatened destruction otherwise.
-Issued by President Harry S. Truman, United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and President of China Chiang Kai-shek
-Leaflets were dropped by bombers to Japanese citizens outlining terms.
-The declaration was never transmitted to the Japanese government by diplomatic channels -
It kills between 90,000 and 100,000 people immediately.
-
This bomb was originally going to be dropped on Kokura, Japan. It was changed to Nagasaki because of the weather obscuring the original city.
-
-Determined how the United States would control and manage the nuclear technology
-The Act ruled that nuclear weapon development and nuclear power management would be under civilian, rather than military control. -
The United States Atomic Energy Commission now in charge of all technology developed under the Manhattan Project
