Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project was an interesting military, research and scientific development from 1942 to 1945 with both negative and positive long-lasting impacts to the current day. The Manhattan Project was a program by the United States government during World War two to develop the first atomic bombs. The use of atomic bombs was authorized by President Truman with an intention of making sure that Japan Surrendered during the war. Two atomic bombs were detonated in Japanese cities Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945, killing over 210,000 people. The detonation signaled the beginning of frightening atomic age.

The Research and Development Activities

The Manhattan project involved research and development activities during World War 2 that led to production of the first nuclear weapons. The project was owned by the United States government and focused on research that aimed at producing the first atomic bombs. The project was conducted from the year 1942 to 1945 (Masco, 2013). Manhattan project was led by Leslie Groves from Army Corp engineers with the help of Robert Oppenheimer. The project was started in 1942 and had over 130000 employees. Manhattan project’s cost was over two billion US dollars where most of the expenses were incurred in producing fissile materials and building factories. Production and research was conducted in over 30 sites across The United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. The three main sites that the project was conducted at included; Los Alamos, oak ridge and Hanford in The United States. The project aimed at developing both gun-type fission and implosion-type nuclear weapons. Implosion-type bomb was the first nuclear device to ever be detonated at trinity test and was conducted in New Mexico in 1945 (Masco, 2013). Fat man and little boy bombs produced from the Manhattan Project were later used in the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. During the post war years, the Manhattan project was used to develop network of national laboratories, formed foundations for nuclear navy and promoted medical research. The Manhattan project provided an avenue for production and conducting massive research of fissionable materials (Groves, 2009).

The Selection of Large Corporations

General Leslie Groves led the selection of large corporations that were tasked with building and operating atomic bombs. Two types of factories were built at Oak Ridge to enrich Uranium while DuPont Company was tasked with the responsibility of constructing, designing and operating plutonium reactors and separation facilities (Masco, 2013). Other companies used in making the atomic bomb included, Union Carbide and Chrysler. The main scientific laboratory that is commonly known as Project Y was based at Los Alamos Ranch School. The Manhattan Project had both long lasting positive and negative effects on the war and society. Many lives were lost as a result of using atomic bombs. Prior to World war two, The United States was in a state of Great Depression which was a horrible time for the people and in America’s history. However, due to The Manhattan Project and use of atomic bombs, by end of the war, the country had risen to a superior power in the world.

Positive and Negative Impacts

The project made the country powerful since it was capable of ending war in any nation and showed that it was the strongest nation in the world (Masco, 2013). The Manhattan Project led to more inventions, research and development in military, technology, physics, science and engineering. However, most scholars believed that The United States were not justified to use atomic bombs. Manhattan Project led the development of nuclear weapons that were more powerful and caused a danger to lives in the planet. In addition, there was a positive impact since it brought an end of World War 2 through use of mass destruction weapons thus making Japan surrender. Moreover, the project was focused at ensuring enemies of United States were outpaced. The dropping of the atomic bombs at Nagasaki and Hiroshima changed the meaning of the war.

Growth of Nuclear Arsenal

Since the bombings of atomic bombs during World War 2, nuclear arsenal in the world has grown to about 15000 weapons with many of them having more power than those used during the war in 1945. The Manhattan Project was made successful by funding from the Federal government and partnerships in collaborative scientific environment. The project required enormous undertaking in scientific experimentation and fast construction of uranium enrichment plants as well as the world’s first nuclear reactors. During the period, information was kept a high secret and compartmentalized with only a few fractions of the employees understanding the ultimate goal of the project. Information could only be provided on a need-to-know basis (Groves, 2009). Intellectual exchange and collaboration led to brainstorming during the project thus ensuring tackling of obstacles that made it impossible. When the atomic bomb was dropped in Japan, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was shocked since Germany was busy engaged in developing V-2 rocket which had a ballistic missile that was being aimed at hitting Britain as opposed to building a nuclear weapon. United States was the only country at that time that was interested in making atomic bombs unlike Soviet Union and Japan that neglected investing in wartime resources.

Global Impact

From the times of Manhattan project, only eight countries have been able to successfully detonate nuclear weapon. The countries include; France, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Britain, North Korea and The United States. The Manhattan project used technical knowledge and engineering tactics that produced plutonium and enriched uranium. 30 years after the Manhattan project, North Korea started developing weapons-grade plutonium and has accelerated investments in the development of nuclear weapons. The Manhattan project and atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki made other countries learn that there are high economic and political costs of building a bomb (Masco, 2013). As a result, many countries dropped their nuclear weapons programs such as, South Korea, Brazil and Argentina. In addition, Economic sufferings and sanctions made Iran bow to international pressures and thus stopped their nuclear weapon program. Past research conducted show that there were many Russians living in America that acted as spies and leaked the atomic bombs secrets (Groves, 2009). In addition, researchers in the military field believe argue that America was targeting military bases in Japan, but due to foggy weather, the bombers were misled and bombed the unintended location. Conclusively, The Manhattan Project was used by the United States government during World War 2 as a research and engineering for the development of the first nuclear weapons in the world.

References

Masco, J. (2013). The nuclear borderlands: The Manhattan project in post-cold war New Mexico. Princeton University Press.

Groves, G. L. R. (2009). Now it can be told: The story of the Manhattan Project. Da Capo Press.